newboyo

Good morning all,

Not a Brit, sorry about that but hope I can use these fora

Wife (my owner ) and I are in early 50s and plan to MM2H in 2016. We have some family in Singapore. We would like to live somewhere closish to SGP, so KL is out as is Georgetown. Reports on JB seem to indicate that it is the wild west from a safety perspective. Any sugestions about where we could live? We are city folk so a condo complex is preferable.

I anticipate heart issues later on (based on family history) and am diabetic. What would be the current costs of major medical events (say hip or knee replacement or a bypass)? We are looking for competent, safe, comfortable care.

Also what would be the cost of a visit to a GP? And the cost of prescriptions (if someone could post prices of glucophage, lipitor, avalide - that would be helpful)

We anticipate annual income of approx USD 50K, and are non-drinkers, vegan , so our income seems ok to live modestly in MY. Question is about inflation. Is actual inflation the same as governmental figures (of approx 3.5%)? Or is it higher?

Lots of questions whirling through our mind - but these are top of mind.

Thank you all,

New

Gunnar45

Hi Newboyo,
Regarding Glucophage (metformin) and Lipitor (atorvastatin), there are reliable low cost generics available here and you can purchase them directly without prescription in the pharmacies.
(I assume you already have a doctors prescripton or information on your required dosage)
I guess this applies for Avalide as well, I can ask in my pharmacy on Monday, have to go there anyway.

We live in Penang and it is a hub for medical tourism from Indonesia and even from Philippines and Cambodia. So hospitals and medical clinics with competent doctors and modern equipment are available at reasonable cost.
You can check Penang Adventist Hospital which is the website of the Penang Adventist Hospital.
But there are more around, Gleneagles, Island Hospital to mention a few.
I don't remember the consultation fees, but they are quite low.
For reference, I had a cataract surgery (lens replacement), total cost including full sedation was 1000USD.
I would assume a scheduled bypass operation to come to around 10-15kUSD, but you could write to PAH and ask...
Here is a link to some info:
Heart Bypass Surgery in Penang, Malaysia

50kUSD per year would mean appr. 14kMYR per month which I think is quite comfortable and above the minimum limit required for the visa.
I would there advise to go for the visa as soon as possible after the main applicant completing 50. This as conditions change and get tougher over the years.
By the way, interest on fixed deposits, presently around 3.5% is tax free.
That also applies for the fixed deposit required for the MM2H visa.
To purchase a condo, they have introduced 1MMYR minimum price (I think more in KL) for foreigneres all over Malaysia. Except Penang, where I think you can still get away with 500kMYR if you are MM2H visa holder.
I am not sure about the level of inflation here.

newboyo

[QUOTE=Gunnar45;11579225]Hi Newboyo,
Regarding Glucophage (metformin) and Lipitor (atorvastatin), there are reliable low cost generics available here and you can purchase them directly without prescription in the pharmacies.
QUOTE]

Thanks Gunnar.

Hmm - medicines being dispensed without a prescription!! My co-pay is normally around USD 50- per month. The Malaysian insurance company websites state that they won't pay for diabetes related medicines - so I'm nervous about this expense. Bye-pass seems affordable.

Regards,

New

bakedbean

Hi and welcome to the forum

Consultants fees at Penang Adventist Hospital range from about RM 45 to 60...obviously depends how long you are with the said consultant. For General healthcare, just pop into any polyklinik (take your passport) and the doctors fees are minimal.....or pop into a pharmacy and ask if it's something uncomplicated.

You want to be near Singapore? How often would you be planning to visit Singapore? Johor, Nusajaya may be of interest, though Nusajaya is I think mainly Singapore commuters so may be a little quiet for you. If interested, put a post in the Nusajaya section on here. We have a few posters living there.

If you want to visit Singapore monthly or less frequently, do not rule out Penang for living. There are loads and loads of flights and very cheap. Check out Air Asia and Jetstar websites for prices. And Georgetown is not Penang. Apart from Gurney Drive, don't know of anyone who actually lives in Georgetown. Try checking out Tanjung Bungah, Tanjong Tokong, Batu Ferringhi, Straits Quay.

Best to take a holiday and check out all places first, if you're not familiar with them.

bakedbean

Oh...re the Wild West. There's always been a tit for tat thing between Sing and Malaysia. In Singapore, the press and all Singaporeans will tell you that Johor is a centre for crime. apparently it is not...at least that's what my friends who live there tell me.

newboyo

Thank you Bakedbean.

Also - thanks for your time on running this forum and on answering questions with unfailing promptness and patience. I've been lurking for a while and this forum has emboldened me to steam ahead.

Gunnar45

Hello again Newboyo,
850mg tablets of Metformin are MYR 35:- per box of 100.
20mg tablets of Atorvastatin are MYR 120:- per box of 100
Regarding Avalide I couldn't get any info yet.
Gunnar

Gunnar45

For Avalide, no generics are available here yet. (Patent expires mid 2015)
But the approximate price for 300/12.5mg is MYR 70-75:- for 30 tablets.

Assuming one per day each of the two BP medications and three per day of the other, the total for a month would thus come to around MYR 150:- which is less than USD 50:-

bakedbean

Oh well done Gunnar ....well researched

newboyo

Gunnar,

Thank you indeed.

Nobby J

Hi Gunnar, Is there a website where i can do some research on drug prices?
Thanks
Ian

Teribus1

You may wish to consider Malacca which in only 3 hours from Singapore and will be even closer once the high speed rail link is built which will stop in Malacca

ex reg

My bet is that is at least 5 years away. Probably more.

quiltman

Try here;
Search Drug Information, Interactions, Images, Dosage & Side Effects | MIMS.com Malaysia

you will probably have to register , but it's free and you don't get swamped with emails.
i use MIMS Philippines to check on my wifes medications and prices. It will also tell you what generic alternatives are available there. Tells you who imports, side effects etc. Really useful site. used by the pharmacies by the way!

Gunnar45

Ian,
I don't know if there are any particulat websites except 'online pharmacies'
But you could search on 'generic Glucophage', Lipitor, Avalide, etc.
Or on the main ingredient.

Another money saving 'trick' can be to buy double strength pills and split them into two.
This because the price is mostly much less than double for double strength.
Like for me, I am on 10mg per day BP lowering drug, but buying 20mg and making 2 x 10mg of them saves me about 30% of the price.