Healthcare in Manila: private hospitals, PhilHealth and the insurance you'll actually need

Manila has private hospitals that will feel familiar to anyone used to a big US medical center. The difference is the billing: you pay as you go, and Medicare stays behind in the States.

The short version

• In an emergency, dial 911, the Philippine national emergency hotline. Americans can also call the US Embassy's emergency line at (+63) 2 5301-2000 [3].
• Most Americans use private hospitals such as St. Luke's Medical Center in BGC and Makati Medical Center. Both are on the US Embassy's hospital list for Metro Manila [2].
• The embassy is blunt: you're responsible for your own hospital bills, and Medicare doesn't cover care outside the United States [1].
• PhilHealth is the national health insurance program. It's built around Filipino citizens; how foreign residents fit in is covered in our PhilHealth and private hospitals guide.
• Medical evacuation from the Philippines can cost USD 10,000 or more, and few regular policies cover it [1].

USD conversions use the European Central Bank cross rate of October 30, 2026 (USD 1 = PHP 63.68) [7].

How the system works

The Philippines has a public system and a private system running side by side, much like in a lot of Asia.

The public side. Government hospitals, from the Philippine General Hospital in Manila to local city hospitals, serve the bulk of the population. They're cheaper, often crowded, and waits can be long.

The private side. Private hospitals in Makati, BGC, Ortigas, Alabang and Quezon City are where most expats, and many middle-class Filipinos, go. English is widely used in Philippine medicine, so you won't usually need a translator. The US Embassy describes medical care in the Philippines as generally good [1].

PhilHealth ties it together. The Universal Health Care Act (Republic Act 11223), signed on February 20, 2019, automatically enrolls every Filipino citizen in the National Health Insurance Program run by PhilHealth [5]. Premiums for direct contributors rose in steps to 5% of income from 2024 [5]. PhilHealth's member categories cover employees, the self-employed, overseas Filipino workers, seniors and others, and its informal-economy member page includes foreign citizens with a work permit or ACR who live or work in the Philippines [4]. If you're employed here or married to a Filipino, ask your HR team or a PhilHealth office which category applies to you. Our PhilHealth guide goes deeper.

Even for members, PhilHealth pays only part of a private hospital bill. Think of it as a base layer, not your main cover.

Private hospitals in Metro Manila

The US Embassy keeps a list of hospitals and medical facilities by region. For the National Capital Region it lists these seven [2]:

The embassy adds the usual fine print: the list isn't an endorsement, and the embassy can't vouch for doctors' credentials [2].

St. Luke's in BGC opened in January 2010 and has about 600 beds [6]. It's the go-to for many Americans who live in BGC and the nearby condo towers. Makati Medical Center is the long-standing choice for people living and working in Makati.

How a private visit works

If you're used to US in-network billing, Manila will feel different:

• You pick your specialist. Many people skip a primary care doctor and book a specialist directly. Doctors keep clinic hours in medical office buildings attached to the hospitals.
• Fees are often separate. The hospital bill and the doctor's professional fee are commonly billed apart. The embassy advises agreeing on physician fees before treatment [1].
• Expect a deposit for admission. Private hospitals typically want payment or a guarantee from your insurer before or during a stay. Have a credit card with a decent limit.
• HMOs are common. Many Manila employers give staff an HMO card, a local managed care plan that covers set clinics and hospitals. Check which hospitals your card covers before you need one.
• Pharmacies are everywhere. Big chains sit in every mall, and many medicines that need a prescription in the US need one here too. Bring a doctor's letter and original labeled containers for anything you take regularly [1].

Emergencies: who to call

Traffic is the wild card. Metro Manila gridlock can slow an ambulance badly, so many expats choose an apartment within easy reach of a major hospital and keep a ride app on standby. If you're seriously hurt and conscious, a Grab or a taxi to the nearest big ER is sometimes faster than waiting.

For divers and island trips: the embassy notes that the CAAP can arrange airlifts from the provinces to Manila, and that a US Navy chamber in Guam may treat divers, though you arrange transport yourself [1].

Insurance for Americans in Manila

Medicare stays home

The embassy says it plainly: Medicare doesn't pay for hospital or medical costs outside the United States [1]. Your Medicare card does nothing at a Manila ER. If you have a Medigap or other supplemental plan, read the fine print on any foreign travel cover before you count on it. Our guide to Medicare when you live abroad explains whether to keep Part B while you're away.

What most Americans do

1. International health insurance. The most common choice for retirees and the self-employed. Look at outpatient limits, the deductible, age limits and whether US care is included.
2. An employer HMO. If you work for a Manila company, you'll likely get an HMO card. Many people top it up with an international plan for big-ticket care.
3. Medevac cover. The embassy flags that medical evacuation can cost USD 10,000 or more (about PHP 637,000) and that few policies include it [1]. A standalone medevac membership is worth pricing.
4. Veterans. If you're a US veteran with service-connected conditions, the VA's Foreign Medical Program may help. See our guide to VA benefits for veterans in the Philippines.

A first-month checklist

1. Pick your nearest major private hospital and save its ER number in your phone.
2. Save 911 and the embassy line, (+63) 2 5301-2000.
3. Enroll in STEP so the embassy can reach you.
4. Get your insurance card and claims process sorted, including whether the hospital bills your insurer directly.
5. Find an internist or family doctor for routine care and refills.

For names of doctors other Americans like, ask in our community group for Americans in the Philippines.

Sources

1. US Embassy in the Philippines: Medical assistance
2. US Embassy in the Philippines: Hospitals and medical facilities, National Capital Region
3. US Embassy in the Philippines: US citizen services and emergency numbers
4. PhilHealth: Members
5. Wikipedia: Universal Health Care Act (Philippines)
6. Wikipedia: St. Luke's Medical Center, Global City
7. European Central Bank: Philippine peso reference rates

Keep reading

• PhilHealth and private hospitals in Manila
• VA benefits for veterans in the Philippines
• Medicare when you live abroad
• STEP and help from US embassies