Effective Ways to Handle Prescription Medications Overseas for Expats

There’s more to expats living overseas than finding a new home or learning a new language. Ensuring prescription medication accessibility is crucial for expats living overseas and requires a thorough understanding of the country’s healthcare system.

In this blog post by Pacific Prime, we will be going over how expats can handle prescription medication overseas to ensure their health and wellbeing while starting fresh in a new country.

Understanding the Country’s Prescription Medication Laws

Before relocating to your country of choice, make sure to do your research on the country’s healthcare system and the laws regarding prescription medications, along with the available pharmacies and medication costs.

This is because different countries have their own set of prescription medication laws, which may prohibit expats from bringing certain types of medication.

In addition to doing your research on the country’s healthcare system and prescription medication laws, reach out to health professionals and the expat communities for recommendations. It’s also a good idea to consult with local embassies or consulates for official medical importation law guidance.

Prescription Medication Management

After doing your research on the country’s prescription medication laws, move on to obtaining an adequate supply of your essential medications. This is particularly important for certain countries where certain prescription medicines may be hard to obtain.

By maintaining your supply of prescription medications, you can avoid running out and eliminate the sudden need to purchase potentially costly medications in a foreign country.

Additionally, drug formulas, their strengths, and their side effects can also vary internationally. Thus, it’s crucial to know the specific names and properties of the particular prescription medication you need.

Do keep in mind that you should have medications in clearly-labeled bottles and, if possible, obtain a copy of a prescription from your doctor in case certain countries require the latter for certain medications.

Since there may be uncertainties surrounding the availability of specific medications, it’s strongly recommended that you establish connections with healthcare providers in the country, as they can help you adjust dosages or alternatives in case the particular drugs aren’t available.

Buying Medicine Overseas

If you need medication, consult your doctor to see if the specific medication can be purchased overseas with the help of the country’s local doctor. Medication costs in the US, for instance, are significantly more expensive than in Canada and many other countries.

When purchasing medication, make sure you can get it from a reputable source.

Alternatives to Certain Prescription Medications

In the event that the specific medication you need is not available in the country, however, experts and pharmacists will ask you about the availability of simpler, cheaper alternatives to your particular prescription medication.

This is especially helpful if you have a medication limit on your expat health insurance plan, as these simpler medication alternatives will help you save money.

However, make sure you consult with local healthcare professionals from hospitals in the country first so you know about the alternative medication’s strengths and possible trade-offs in comparison to the specific prescription medication you intend to get.

Secure International Health Insurance

Ultimately, before heading overseas, you should secure an adequate international health insurance policy. Most plans have the option of coverage including the US, excluding the US, or worldwide. You also have the option of adding additional dental and vision coverage.

Note that if you have any pre-existing conditions, illnesses, or injuries you had prior to your international health insurance policy application, you must declare them during your application, and your underwriter will let you know if you will be covered with or without exclusion, or denied coverage entirely.

International health insurance will provide financial protection for expats in case of unforeseen medical emergencies, including prescription medications. When selecting a policy, expats should carefully review policy details, coverage limits, and any exclusions.

Consider Setting Aside a Dedicated Emergency Medical Fund

In addition to securing an adequate international health insurance policy, it’s also a good idea to set aside an emergency medical fund for future medical expenses. This will help alleviate financial stress if you suddenly need to replenish medications or seek medications in the country.

Additionally, setting aside an emergency medical fund will allow you to save your money for other priorities, such as transportation, housing fees, or school tuition fees for your kids. This is also beneficial if your expat health insurance policy has a large deductible to help reduce your premiums.

Let Pacific Prime Help You Secure Health Insurance

Expats living overseas are undeniably a fresh start. However, the risks for injuries and illnesses always exist and specific medications in the country could either be expensive or not available at all. Fortunately, health insurance doesn’t have to be a headache and we are here to help.

As a leading international health insurance broker, Pacific Prime has over 20 years of experience in helping match both local citizens and expats to a health insurance plan that matches both their budget range and specific healthcare needs.

Whether you’re a local citizen yourself or an expat living overseas, our team of specialists are more than happy to help you out. And if you have any further questions, please get in touch with us.

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Wish Sutthatothon

Content Writer at Pacific Prime

Wish Sutthatothon (Nickname: Guy) is currently a content writer at Pacific Prime Thailand, an insurance broker that connects individuals and businesses with insurance providers worldwide. He creates and edits blog articles, guides, reports, webpages, and other types of digital content.

He graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication Arts, Media & Communication major (concentration: Creative Content) from Mahidol University International College (MUIC). During the compulsory major elective period in the summer of 2021 and voluntarily during the summer of 2022, he also interned as a video and photo editor at Mbrella Films.

He has experience working as an English Content Writer at a real estate buying/renting/selling platform in Thonglor. There, he crafted company blog posts on a multitude of topics. Topics include market trends, legal issues and disputes in property businesses, financial guides, expat guides, home insurance, home decoration and maintenance, and weekly real estate news quick-recaps. Occasionally, as part of the blog-writing process, he would also translate existing Thai blogs to English.

In his free time, Guy enjoys doing scriptwriting and storytelling for comic strips, watching movies, and listening to music (particularly film scores).

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