Now Health SimpleCare health insurance for expats in Asia
SimpleCare is Now Health International's value-focused international private medical insurance (IPMI) product, with three levels and digital policy servicing. IPMIAsia explains the plans, the regional and worldwide-excluding-USA area options, the deductibles, and how it suits an expat living close to home in Asia.
- CORE excludes outpatient treatment entirely; it covers inpatient treatment, surgery, cancer and evacuation or repatriation only.
- Whether a regional area or worldwide excluding the USA is offered depends on your country of residence and its brochure.
- Now Health states a target of paying eligible claims within five working days; that is a service target, not a guarantee.
- Annual deductible choices are available, with options varying by issuing region; the regional brochure and handbook take precedence.
Three SimpleCare levels
SimpleCare is the cost-conscious half of Now Health's range. It is a separate product from Now Health WorldCare, with lower annual maximums, a narrower default area and digital-first servicing, and it is built for people who want international medical cover without paying for limits and territory they will not use.
| Plan | Annual maximum | Published structure |
|---|---|---|
| SimpleCare CORE | US$1,000,000 | Hospital-focused cover for inpatient treatment, surgery, cancer and evacuation or repatriation. Outpatient treatment is excluded. |
| SimpleCare 100 | US$1,500,000 | Inpatient cover plus lower-level outpatient benefits, including GP visits, prescribed drugs and physiotherapy. |
| SimpleCare 250 | US$1,500,000 | Broader outpatient cover plus routine and complex dental benefits. |
The annual maximum is the ceiling on what the plan pays in a year; it is not the limit for every benefit. Regional brochures and handbooks contain the sub-limits, exclusions and conditions that apply to each benefit, and those documents take precedence.
How to read the ladder
The three levels differ mainly in what happens outside hospital. Think of it in two questions.
- Do you need outpatient cover at all? CORE does not cover outpatient treatment. It is a plan for large events: a hospital admission, surgery, cancer treatment, an evacuation. If you are happy to pay for GP visits and routine tests yourself, which many expats in lower-cost Asian countries are, CORE is the leanest option.
- How much outpatient cover? SimpleCare 100 adds the everyday basics: GP visits, prescribed drugs and physiotherapy at a lower level. SimpleCare 250 broadens the outpatient cover and adds routine and complex dental. Compare 100 and 250 if everyday treatment matters; compare 250 specifically where the published dental benefits matter.
Area of cover and deductibles
Depending on where you live, the published area choices are a regional area or worldwide excluding the USA. Annual deductible choices are available on the plan. Because the options and the plan documents vary by issuing region, the brochure and handbook selected for your country of residence are the ones that govern your cover, and you should read those rather than a version published for another market.
A deductible lowers the premium in exchange for you paying the first part of each year's eligible costs. On a hospital-focused plan such as CORE, that means thinking about whether you could comfortably absorb the deductible in a year with a serious admission.
See the SimpleCare price for your situation
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Claims, pre-authorisation and member tools
- Now Health states a target of paying eligible claims within five working days. This is a service target, not a verified average and not a guarantee.
- The secure online portfolio lets members view documents, submit claims and pre-authorisation requests, and track their progress.
- The mobile app supports provider search, appointments and claims.
- A virtual membership card is available.
Other exclusions, underwriting terms, benefit sub-limits, eligibility and pre-authorisation requirements must be read in the current regional policy documents. No network count, named hospital partnership or observed average approval time is published in the authorised material, so none is claimed here.
SimpleCare for expats in Asia
SimpleCare is one of the few plans on IPMIAsia that publishes a regional area option, which is precisely what many people living in Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia or the Philippines are looking for: cover where they live and in the region around them, without paying for the rest of the world. Whether the regional area or worldwide excluding the USA is offered to you depends on your country of residence, so confirm the area with the regional brochure. Our guide to regional versus worldwide cover in Asia explains the trade-off between a tighter area and a lower premium.
Limits are in US dollars at both annual-maximum levels. If you are weighing SimpleCare against a local plan priced in baht, ringgit or Singapore dollars, convert the maximum and the deductible before comparing.
The natural comparison is with Now Health's own WorldCare: same administrator, opposite ends of the price range. IPMIAsia prices both through Nomi, so you can see exactly what the extra limits and worldwide area of WorldCare cost against SimpleCare's leaner structure.
Relevant country pages: Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, Hong Kong and Japan.
Who SimpleCare suits
A strong fit if you want a lower-cost international plan with digital servicing, you are happy to cover routine outpatient costs yourself (CORE) or need only modest outpatient benefits (100 and 250), and a regional or worldwide-excluding-USA area matches where you actually live and travel.
Worth comparing alternatives if you want high annual maximums, a worldwide area including the USA, or comprehensive outpatient, maternity and dental as standard. See all insurers for the broader range, or the cost guide for Asia for what drives the price.
Frequently asked questions
What are the SimpleCare plan levels?
Does SimpleCare CORE cover outpatient treatment?
Does SimpleCare offer a regional area of cover for Asia?
How quickly does Now Health pay SimpleCare claims?
How is SimpleCare different from WorldCare?
Can I choose a deductible on SimpleCare?
SimpleCare against the whole market
Nomi ranks 20+ international insurers on real price and explains the differences in plain English.
This page is general information, not personal or medical advice, and is based on Now Health International's published SimpleCare product page, plan comparison and document library; current regional documents and the terms issued by Now Health govern the cover, and exact terms, limits and underwriting are confirmed at quote. Prices are indicative. Now Health International and SimpleCare are trademarks of their respective owners.