When I was in college, we got the University Health Service for our health needs. But when I got this viral infection that looks like dengue (but isn't), my mom ordered me to get health insurance because we had a difficult time getting the service we wanted from just being a UP student.
We used to be under her former employer's HMO, Intellicare. But since she moved out of the country, we had to get our own. She suggested Caritas because it's more affordable, with me still being a student then. Years later, and even now that I'm employed, I carried on with my Caritas membership.
PROS: They offer a variety of health coverages and services depending on your budget. I have this quarterly plan that my aunt got for me where I pay P5,000.00 every three months; Their clinics and accredited hospitals, as well as the included benefits, are comprehensive enough for me. But this may not be enough for people with a lot of health needs, like children and the elderly. Fortunately, I haven't been in any serious health scare like accidents. Because of that though, I don't really know how they fare in covering your hospital costs in case of accidents.
CONS: The clinic itself is far from fancy. If you're used to Medical City or Healthway, you may find it disappointing. It's dimly-lit and crowded as well. Their bathrooms are scary and you could see that their equipment needs updating; Even if you have an appointment, the doctor would be late or won't even show up.
TL;DR: Caritas has low- to mid-range clinics and HMO services. There are a lot more clinics better than this one, but it's one of the most affordable private health service providers. read more