Healthcare in the Lebanon: Pay Extra Attention Says MediCare International

LONDON, March 15, 2010 -

    - The Lebanon is an important centre for international workers
    - Post conflict international health cover hard to arrange
    - Good hospital facilities can only be accessed with the right cover
    - MediCare International offers insurance for all nationalities

Lebanon is in many ways a big draw for expats. With beautiful scenery, a
Mediterranean climate and vibrant nightlife, the country is often viewed as
an exciting prospect for those looking for something different. However, as
was recently demonstrated, the country is still occasionally embroiled in
conflict, making everyday life occasionally unpredictable and sometimes
dangerous. For those expats living in Lebanon, and particularly Beirut, it is
essential that they have adequate medical cover, not only for everyday health
concerns, but just in case they are caught in the fall-out of conflict.

The country currently has around 6000 UK expatriates, according to data
released by the IPPR, who are working across a range of sectors from commerce
through to charitable work. Lebanon is still home to many who work in post
conflict and reconstruction activities.

Health insurance policies which include limited cover against terrorist
attacks are available, but with conflicts not solely confined to war zones
nowadays, effective cover which reflects this new global reality is now even
more important.

Passive war cover, as the term is known, is likely to be of particular
interest to staff in aid agencies and rebuilding contractors. Policyholders
benefit from the full range of services, including hospital benefits and
evacuation, in the event of injury by terrorists or as part of a broader war
conflict. Evacuation is likely to be particularly relevant in conflict zones,
where local medical facilities may be damaged or supplies of medication and
blood for transfusions may be an issue.

According to the British Foreign and Commonwealth (FCO) website, because
of the Lebanon's fragile political situation, together with the threat of
terrorism, sometimes directed towards Westerners staying in the country, it
is essential that comprehensive medical insurance is taken out. Quite apart
from the risks posed by political conflict, day to day hazards also pose
significant risk. An example highlighted by the UK FCO is driving standards,
which are widely acknowledged as being poor, so the accident rate is very
high.

Healthcare in Lebanon is among the best in the region and some
hospitals are on a par with European and US hospitals. This is despite the
relatively short time it has had to develop following the devastation of the
civil war and more recent bombings. Most hospitals are well equipped, but,
without insurance, medical treatment tends to be very expensive. The majority
of healthcare staff speak good French or English, and so communication is
rarely a problem.

Private clinics and medical centres are available throughout
the country and equipped with the latest facilities and technology. The
American University of Beirut Medical Centre (AUBMC) is one of the Middle
East's leading multispecialty medical facilities with several of its
departments serving as distinguished referral centres for the region.

Most Lebanese are privately insured and those registered with
the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) have partial health coverage. Local
nationals wanting to avail themselves of extended or more comprehensive cover
can buy private policies, such as those offered by MediCare International.

Policies providing corporate group coverage are widely used by
companies registered at the NSSF to supplement the benefits provided by the
government's healthcare system. International private medical insurance is
available for non-Lebanese living in Lebanon. Costs for healthcare varies
between hospitals and doctors.

A number of pharmacies are available across the country. Many drugs are
available over the counter without prescription, and some pharmacists
prescribe required medicine for minor ailments.

The National Travel Health Network and Care website advises that normal
precautions should be taken to avoid HIV. It currently affects 0.1% of the
population. Compared with 0.2% figure for the UK population, this still puts
it in a relatively low risk category. Travellers to the country need to
present a yellow fever vaccination certificate on entry into Lebanon,
although the virus is not present in the country.

In addition, vaccinations against Hepatitis A and Typhoid are needed if
the person is going to be in the country on a long-term basis, staying with
friends and/or relatives, or when staying in an area with poor sanitation.
This is the case for most expats staying in the country, so the vaccinations
will be needed.

Hepatitis B needs to be vaccinated against for all travellers to Lebanon,
particularly those expats staying there for long periods of time. 2 - 7 % of
the population are carriers of the virus, and so the risk of transmission is
relatively high.

Expats who are living in more remote areas and who are likely to have
contact with wild animals should be vaccinated against rabies.

Whilst many of the medical facilities offering treatment are excellent,
healthcare cover in the Lebanon is an essential purchase, both to protect
against the wide range of possible illnesses and also the risks that a local
conflict could bring, particularly in a region which can be volatile, and
does experience terrorist activity, some of which is targeted directly
towards Westerners. Private international healthcare insurer MediCare
International - website www.medicare.co.uk - counts Lebanon as one of its top
ten insurance destinations for expats and local nationals and specialises in
passive war insurance cover to ensure clients are fully protected.

David Pryor, Senior Executive Director with Medicare International
(www.medicare.co.uk) said: "There are some excellent facilities in
Beirut and other parts of the country, although the standard of healthcare is
not consistent across all regions. We pride ourselves on providing the best
possible service for our customers, so if medical facilities are inadequate
we always organise transfer to top-class medical treatment, whether that is
in the country, or a neighbouring one. Our policies cover all nationalities,
including local Lebanese and include full cover in the event that a client is
injured as a result of a local conflict breaking out. Against this
background, we strongly recommend expatriates in particular are covered for
all eventualities."

Note to Editors

MediCare International has been speaking fluent healthcare for over 25
years ensuring simple, quick access to the best health facilities for
expatriates of all nationalities living or working abroad and protection
against the costs of inpatient and outpatient medical treatment. Currently,
MediCare International has clients in 114 countries worldwide of 86 different
nationalities.

MediCare specialises in designing flexible medical insurance cover backed
up with the assurance of 24-hour emergency medical assistance for clients and
their families. Help, advice and support are only a telephone call away where
trained professionals can authorise treatment/settle bills direct with
medical facilities, or arrange medical evacuation when necessary - wherever
you are in the world. Most medical bills are refunded within 10 days, making
this one of the fastest settlement times in the industry.

MediCare International were one of the first insurers to offer genuine
chronic care costs cover, so clients with long term medication costs can rest
assured knowing they will be covered.

Cover under group plans is also available to most local nationals.
Discounted group rates start with just 3 lives and full medical history
disregarded exemptions are available on groups of 10 and over, making
Medicare one of the most competitive staff cover providers.

For details of MediCare's International health insurance plans visit
www.medicare.co.uk, email medicare@medicare.co.uk or call
+44(0)20-7204-3700.

    For further information on MediCare International, please contact:

    Guy Stephenson/Jenny Duffy
    Nacelle Limited
    Tel: +44(0)20-8333-9125

For further information on MediCare International, please contact: Guy Stephenson/Jenny Duffy, Nacelle Limited, Tel: +44(0)20-8333-9125