Site Search:
 
Get TEFL Certified & Start Your Adventure Today!
Teach English Abroad and Get Paid to see the World!
Job Discussion Forums Forum Index Job Discussion Forums
"The Internet's Meeting Place for ESL/EFL Students and Teachers from Around the World!"
 
 FAQFAQ   SearchSearch   MemberlistMemberlist   UsergroupsUsergroups   RegisterRegister 
 ProfileProfile   Log in to check your private messagesLog in to check your private messages   Log inLog in 

Housing at Qatar U.?
Goto page Previous  1, 2
 
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Job Discussion Forums Forum Index -> Qatar
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
FunGus



Joined: 10 Jun 2008
Posts: 34

PostPosted: Sun Nov 16, 2014 3:59 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yes, from what I hear everyone is dissatisfied with their housing, and, as posted above, the allowance they offer instead of university housing isn't even close to what is needed to cover rent in Doha.

Another issue which potential hires should take into account is that the healthcare system in Qatar is terribly overtaxed--non-Qataris can expect a wait of up to 1 year to see a GP at HMC. Being Qatar, even this isn't guaranteed as the only information you'll get is "we'll call you." But they won't.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
tmac-100



Joined: 23 Nov 2006
Posts: 137

PostPosted: Sun Nov 16, 2014 5:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

FunGus wrote:
...
Another issue which potential hires should take into account is that the healthcare system in Qatar is terribly overtaxed--non-Qataris can expect a wait of up to 1 year to see a GP at HMC. Being Qatar, even this isn't guaranteed as the only information you'll get is "we'll call you." But they won't.


What a LIE!!

In Manitoba my mother had to wait a YEAR to get a hip replacement while sitting around (unproductive time) in a wheel chair. My son had to wait 3 months in Ottawa for an ACL-fix.It (the ACL fix) would have been done in the UAE or Qatar within 2 days...

My friends in Doha have ABSOLUTELY NO ISSUE with getting treatment within 24 hours. Dental treatment is usually on a "walk-in" basis.

Try that in Canada or the USA!
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
FunGus



Joined: 10 Jun 2008
Posts: 34

PostPosted: Mon Nov 17, 2014 1:52 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I know I probably shouldn't feed the troll, but please don't accuse me of lying, and please don't lead people to believe that all is well with the healthcare system in Qatar.

The healthcare system does have a lot of good things going for it. If you have a cold, or need a filling, then, yes, you can walk in to any of the 1,000 clinics and dentists in the country. Your friends are not wrong there. However, these clinics are very limited in the services they provide. If you require something beyond what these clinics offer, then you will need to visit the larger hospitals...and this is where the recent population growth has pushed the healthcare system well, well beyond its capacity.

Services at private hospitals (where you can just walk in) are covered to varying degrees by which insurance provider you have. If you have a good insurance provider, then all is ok.

If you have an 'ok' provider, which is what QU offers, then you will need to pay out of pocket for services which are deemed non-essential. No rationale will be given for what is / isn't considered essential.

But this is not such a big problem as you can get these procedures done at HMC. Great.

Except that to have these procedures done (in my case non-standard blood tests), you first need to make an appointment to see the GP at HMC. A note from the doctors at another hospital won't do apparently.

This is where the problem lies as I was quoted a wait time of 1 year, give or take, to make an appointment to see the GP. Not a specialist. But a GP. This was last week.

Of course, if you have a cold, then you can walk in and see a doctor at one of the 1,000 clinics here. Even if your insurance doesn't cover this, then it won't break the bank to pay out of pocket.

If you need something more specialized done, and your insurance doesn't think it's necessary (for whatever reason), then you either wait a year, or pay out of pocket (which in my case would be a little over a thousand GBP).

Again, just my experience, but a search through the local papers can find stories of others complaining along the same lines.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
tmac-100



Joined: 23 Nov 2006
Posts: 137

PostPosted: Tue Nov 18, 2014 9:16 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The issue I see as an expat is that folks want the ideal situation but forget that back in their country of origin life is NOT ideal either - and neither is medical and dental care. Demand is seldom (never perhaps??) satisfied by current services.

I never laugh at friends who return to North America and to Europe who get hit with the reality of Obamacare, or Medicare, or NHS or... They often return because of reasons other than money - and that is an opportunity cost that faces every expat.

That opportunity cost is also perceptions with health care services, and with supposed poorer schools.

Then of course there is the golden handshake issue where folks do not leave their relatively well-paying job (say in the GCC region) because they know that jobs and pay are paltry back home...
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
veiledsentiments



Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA

PostPosted: Tue Nov 18, 2014 3:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

tmac-100 wrote:
I never laugh at friends who return to North America and to Europe who get hit with the reality of Obamacare, or Medicare, or NHS or...

I think you must be a bit confused here. First off, Medicare is only for those over the age of 65, so I doubt you are working with many (or any) who have had experience with it. I, and all of my family and friends who are on it, love it. It functions significantly better and cheaper than my previous private health insurance that cost 5 times as much and covered significantly less.

Unfortunately for me, the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) didn't go into effect until the year that I went into Medicare. But I did the sign up procedure and I would have been able to get the same coverage for 10% of the cost. In the past there was no affordable option for Americans who had to return suddenly to the US and had no decent job that provided coverage - which has been getting more and more rare over the last 25 years. In truth, Obamacare fixes that for most.

But yes, in the past, the free access to medical care was a great benefit to Americans in the Gulf. Even the worst plans there were better than in the US and care itself was significantly cheaper. Many made sure that they didn't go home until they were eligible for Medicare.

VS
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
tmac-100



Joined: 23 Nov 2006
Posts: 137

PostPosted: Wed Nov 19, 2014 2:45 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi VS,

I understand your confusion about terms. However, let me try to clarify the terms I used.

To my understanding North America includes Canada, Mexico, and the USA. All have different types of healthcare. From my understanding of the plans of Canada and the USA, Canada has a commonly called (in Canada) Medicare plan that covers ALL taxpayers regardless of whether they are looking for work, part-time workers, full time workers, or retired AND children. THIS plan was the one I was referring to when I mentioned Manitoba (Canada)...

From what I understand, the USA plan called "Obamacare" covers workers, but I do not know about how it works, even though I have received comments from former colleagues who have returned to the USA and work less than 40 hours/week. It is a totally different plan than the Canadian one because of levels of serice linked to hours worked per week ..

Europe includes the UK and their (ie the UK's) healthcare system is called NHS - and once again it is different to the others mentioned...

It seems no plan is totally universal and no one is totally happy because there are different limits to coverage, etc. Obviously, VS, your friends are in a different plan than the Canadian Medicare plan - and if their needs are being met then that is great.

In the middle east (and I speak of the UAE, and of Qatar) some expats are happy with service and some are not. I do note that some couples have "allowed" their children to be born in the UAE and Qatar, and some have not. All that means is that some folks are happy with the level of service and some are not.

Same with everything else - including dental service and housing Rolling Eyes


Last edited by tmac-100 on Wed Nov 19, 2014 4:03 am; edited 1 time in total
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
MuscatGary



Joined: 03 Jun 2013
Posts: 1364
Location: Flying around the ME...

PostPosted: Wed Nov 19, 2014 3:35 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The NHS is only in the UK not in the rest of Europe.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
veiledsentiments



Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA

PostPosted: Wed Nov 19, 2014 5:45 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

tmac-100 wrote:
Hi VS,

I understand your confusion about terms. However, let me try to clarify the terms I used.

To my understanding North America includes Canada, Mexico, and the USA. All have different types of healthcare. From my understanding of the plans of Canada and the USA, Canada has a commonly called (in Canada) Medicare plan that covers ALL taxpayers regardless of whether they are looking for work, part-time workers, full time workers, or retired AND children. THIS plan was the one I was referring to when I mentioned Manitoba (Canada)...

From what I understand, the USA plan called "Obamacare" covers workers, but I do not know about how it works, even though I have received comments from former colleagues who have returned to the USA and work less than 40 hours/week. It is a totally different plan than the Canadian one because of levels of serice linked to hours worked per week ..

Medicare is a US system for all Americans over the age of 65 and has nothing to do with Canada. You are correct in the description of the Canadian system, but to be honest, I grew up 50 miles from the Canadian border... spend my winters surrounded by Canadians in the US South... and I have never heard them refer to their health insurance as "medicare." It is very similar to the British NHS coverage and care. And it is extremely rare to find any Canadians that are all that unhappy with it. Mostly they are of the "thank god it isn't like the American system" attitude.

In the US, most Americans are covered by group plans provided by their employers. "Obamacare" or more correctly, the Affordable Care Act is a new law in the last 2 years to help provide Americans who are unemployed or whose employer refuses to provide his employees with insurance. It has nothing to do with "hours worked" except that many employers set an arbitrary number of hours worked before they provide coverage. The ACA is trying to address some of these issues too.

I agree that there are always plenty of those who complain no matter what system they have.

VS
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
tmac-100



Joined: 23 Nov 2006
Posts: 137

PostPosted: Wed Nov 19, 2014 3:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

In spite of spending plenty of time with a group of Canadians, there still is plenty of differences to learn about - and that goes especially for jargon. I am still learning Canadian jargon in spite of living there (full time and not just on holidays) for 5 decades and more... On that note, the quote:

"I agree that there are always plenty of those who complain no matter what system they have. "

is an important point.

Now that we have strayed from the original topic, let me bid adeu to this thread, and move on. Thanks for your commentary about the USA health care system. Interesting ...
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
veiledsentiments



Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA

PostPosted: Wed Nov 19, 2014 4:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

tmac-100 wrote:
Now that we have strayed from the original topic, let me bid adeu to this thread, and move on. Thanks for your commentary about the USA health care system. Interesting ...

Us? Stray from topic? How rare? LOL

Best to avoid the US system if possible.

And now back to our previously recorded program...

VS
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Job Discussion Forums Forum Index -> Qatar All times are GMT
Goto page Previous  1, 2
Page 2 of 2

 
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum


This page is maintained by the one and only Dave Sperling.
Contact Dave's ESL Cafe
Copyright © 2018 Dave Sperling. All Rights Reserved.

Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2002 phpBB Group

Teaching Jobs in China
Teaching Jobs in China