Originally from Sydney, Dan Peters moved to Singapore in January 2012 to take up a short-term position as a Finance Manager for an insurance company. Having recently turned 30, it felt like the perfect time to broaden his horizons.
Life as an expat suited him; he settled into his new role quickly and made plenty of friends along the way. He also took full advantage of the outstanding sports facilities – attending the gym most evenings and playing touch rugby every weekend. One particular Saturday when he was playing rugby, he fell awkwardly on his knee. It started to swell up immediately and he was in agony.
Back up and running
Dan had only been in Singapore six months when the injury happened, which meant he wasn’t overly familiar with the healthcare system. Fortunately, he took out a Worldwide Health Options plan with a Worldwide Medical Plus option from Bupa before leaving Australia – so he called their helpline.
He was put straight through to a Bupa doctor who, after listening to the symptoms, advised him to see an orthopaedic surgeon. Better still, he was given the names of three surgeons in Singapore with a specialist interest in knee conditions. Dan managed to see one of them the very next day and also had an MRI scan. He was then told he had an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear of the medial meniscus cartilage.
The surgeon recommended he wait for the swelling to go down before carrying out reconstructive surgery – realistically, this could take 4-6 weeks. In the meantime Dan called Bupa.
The adviser pre-authorised Dan’s treatment and explained that all the bills would be settled directly with the hospital. She also suggested Dan read the Bupa factsheet on ACL reconstruction, which explained everything he needed to know about his proposed surgery. Including the pros and cons of reconstruction, how best to prepare for the operation and what he could expect.
Six weeks later Dan’s operation went without a hitch. It took him a few weeks to recover, but Bupa paid for his post-operative physiotherapy, which helped to speed things up. He’s now back on his feet and able to do light treadmill training back at the gym – preparing for his comeback on the rugby field!
In 2012 Bupa paid a total of AUD$ 11,923 for Dan’s treatment. His Worldwide Health Options premium was AUD$ 4,075 for the year. |
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Whilst the case study is fictional, the price and situation detailed reflects events experienced by members.
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