# Medical cost- scam or not?



## IB12 (Jan 6, 2014)

A few months ago I helped out a Philippine women,living in Cebu who's (unhappily) married to an acquintance of my husband and me. 
I paid for a consultation with a breast specialist and a mammogram, because she had a lot of pain in her breast, and transferred 20000 pesos to her. She says she paid 15000 (7000 for the mammogram and 8000 for the consultation).
The mammogram showed a tumor (benign) that needs to be removed from her breast, but she's very poor and doesn't have money for the biopsy, and no health insurance either.

However, the past few months she's been emailing me often and is constantly talking about her breast pain and about the tumor that needs to be removed. Though I do believe her story, I'm very reluctant to help her out again since I have doubts about the costs of her medical treatment. 
First she said it would cost 60000 for the biopsy and 20000 surgeon's fee, but now she tells me it would cost 150k. 

Can anyone shed some light on medical expenses in the Philippines? Can a biopsy really cost 150000? Can a doctor's consultation and mammogram really cost 15000?
Thanks!


----------



## Guest (Jan 6, 2014)

Doesnt sound like a lot to me not that I know anything about medical costs in the Philippines. 

I just had a consultation in the UK at a private hospital as an NHS patient. I did not require anaesthetic and found out if I had been paying it would have cost £2800. Assuming you would add loads for anaesthetic, over night stay or more tests. 

Not that I think you should just give her the money or that its not a scam. Thats a personal choice and I would only be doing that for family or my best buddy.


----------



## Asian Spirit (Mar 1, 2010)

I agree with Shel on this. I live in the Philippines and ANYTIME a gal needs money from one of us guys, it throws up a red flag. Locate hospitals here yourself and make some calls to get a general idea of fees. Until then---keep your wallet sealed tight...


----------



## Asian Spirit (Mar 1, 2010)

Jet Lag said:


> I agree with Shel on this. I live in the Philippines and ANYTIME a gal needs money from one of us guys, it throws up a red flag. Locate hospitals here yourself and make some calls to get a general idea of fees. Until then---keep your wallet sealed tight...


Additional thought now that I have a minute or two. This is a great country in many ways but it is also with a horrible entitlement attitude and get as much as you can for free any way you can. So what I'm trying in a nice way to say is; even if you get the info on costs and it sounds okay to you, I simply would not part with assistance unless or until you are here and can make certain the need really exists. 
The possibility of it being a real justifiable need to my thinking is less than 10%. Just be very careful.
You might want to have a look at The Filipino Doctor site to better be able to locate hospitals to contact here for the costs...


----------



## IB12 (Jan 6, 2014)

Thanks for your replies. The reason I have doubts is that she's already told me 3 different prices. A few months ago she said it would cost 300k, then 60+20 and now 150. Also, since I've sent her the money she keeps talking to me about the pain, that she could develop breast cancer if she doesn't get the lump removed and how she can't afford it because she's so poor. I guess she's trying to make me feel sorry for her, or guilty if I don't help her again. 
I don't even know her in person and I'm not gonna fly to Cebu to check out if she's honest or not. I might check some prices myself (thanks for the link to the medical site), but reading your responses I think I'd better keep my money to myself..


----------



## MichaelBrinkley (Jan 7, 2014)

Filipinos are great, but like many other places, some of them are known to fool you. So you better be careful in trusting someone, especially if you don't know her that well.


----------



## Asian Spirit (Mar 1, 2010)

IB12 said:


> Thanks for your replies. The reason I have doubts is that she's already told me 3 different prices. A few months ago she said it would cost 300k, then 60+20 and now 150. Also, since I've sent her the money she keeps talking to me about the pain, that she could develop breast cancer if she doesn't get the lump removed and how she can't afford it because she's so poor. I guess she's trying to make me feel sorry for her, or guilty if I don't help her again.
> I don't even know her in person and I'm not gonna fly to Cebu to check out if she's honest or not. I might check some prices myself (thanks for the link to the medical site), but reading your responses I think I'd better keep my money to myself..


It unfortunately can be a hard lesson to learn in these things here. At least it didn't (so far) cost you an arm and a leg in the learning.
There are many locals that do this as simply a way to make a living. Some are even currently happily married with children and have several foreigners online making "donations" or even promising marriage...


----------



## Guest (Jan 7, 2014)

It is quite sad imo that some people in some parts of the world have to resort to such things. I don't think they are all 'criminal' or have the intent to do bad. It is simply a good way, the best given their circumstances, to make money. Many probably have the belief that western folks are all rich with lots of surplus cash etc.


----------

