MetLife offers comprehensive healthcare service

/By Lee Kyung-min

MefLife, a global insurance services provider, offers coverage for 39 healthcare programs that can help subscribers before, during and after experiencing illness, the firm said Sunday.

The firm has made the service available since 2005 as part of efforts to redefine the role and responsibility of a life insurer to help with psychological, emotional and mental support that could play a vital role in the full recovery of a patient following major operations due to series illnesses.

This is a step forward from an earlier role limited to covering only the cost of illness diagnosis, the following surgeries and hospitalization.

Regular or request-based consultations are available on various health-related inquiries as well as on symptoms subscribers suspect indicate possible illnesses.

Reservations are made through a personal agent with extensive knowledge on the related illness who will accompany the subscribers see a doctor together in a situation possibly overwhelming and scary to patients.

Upon diagnosis, the firm will offer a list of recommended doctors, hospitals and follow-up treatments as well as care management thereafter.

Other pre-illness services available for parents include consultation for childrearing and parenting, while students can seek regular counseling on choosing jobs based on individual aptitude, relationship issues involving family, friends as well as boyfriend and girlfriends.

MetLife said its services guarantee the longest period of coverage out of 25 life insurers in Korea including major competitors such as Kyobo and Samsung.

Subscribers with two healthcare programs or more, and their family members are also eligible for the same benefits, a distinguished service provided only by MetLife.