HMO can save your life. I am a living witness.

I am a BP and diabetes patient. I have managed to put my diabetes under control without medications for over 6yrs. My BP is well managed with my BP medications and exercise. However, since January this year I observe my BP keep running very much high. I keep increasing my BP medications to almost 5 times my usual dosage it still remained high. I could not go to the hospital because I had no cash. Consequently, I was doing self medication, until I had an old school secondary school mate that died of stroke just two weeks after we met.

I decided to go to the hospital to see a doctor for my condition when I remembered that my company at VMFARMPRO had enrolled me with an HMO. With HMO I am entitled to visit the hospital to get treatment and get my medications without paying any additional fee subject to total cost and my class of enrollment.

After seeing the general physician and no improvement after two weeks of treatment, he referred me to see a specialist, a cardiologist. The cardiologist referred me to undergo some tests. After the tests it was discovered that I had a blocked artery and I needed to under a heart surgery to prevent sudden death from heart failure. The cost of the surgery was beyond the scope of my HMO enrollment class. Consequently I had to rally family and friends to raise the funds to under the surgery. Within two weeks of the the test results I successfully underwent the surgery. My BP is now under control and responding to my normal medications.

If I had not gone to the hospital because of being enrolled with a HMO I would have continued self medication and probably passed on just like my late friend.

With HMO you can visit hospital at anytime not having cash will no longer be a constraint. I get my medications monthly from the HMO.

Because of my condition, having a pre- existing conditions (diabetes and hypertension) I took additional HMO. I pay N11,500 monthly, but I get medications worth N25,000 monthly.

HMO makes health care more affordable and accessible. There are different categories. For people without pre-existing conditions N2,000 to N3,500 monthly can get you covered. You can attend hospital anywhere in the country anytime you need to. I started my treatment in Lagos and did my surgery in Lagos, but now I am getting treatment in Port Harcourt with the same HMOs. Sickness does not give anybody any notice. It is better to plan for it than to be taken unaware with no cash. With HMO you don’t pay for card and consultation fee when you visit the hospital. Also some of the routine medical tests are covered. Many families are embracing HMO and I think you should too.