The International Schools Review Forum

I want to work for the British council. My wife is undergoing treatment for cancer. the job comes with heath insurance for me and my spouse. Does it also include pre existing conditions such as cancer?

Where is the school located, what country? Unless the country has a national health care scheme, and the school buys into it, then no. Schools almost always exclude pre-existing conditions. The few times they have accepted them, they have Ben minor conditions and or only limited treatment. Like a plan will cover high cholesterol medication, but not a bypass kind of thing. They aren't going to cover cancer treatment, and honestly having that situation would be an obstacle to even getting hired. They know your wife is at some point going to need care and assistance from you and it's only a matter of time before a turn for the worse happens, and then your on leave for half a year. An insurance company won't take on that obligation and a school is going to see the situation as a headache waiting to happen.

I'm sorry if it seems harsh or cold, I don't want you to think I'm insensitive, but I thought you deserve a straight response, without the wrapping. I do hope your wife has many years ahead of her with you.

While I don't in anyway disagree with your sound advice Psyguy you would have really eliminated your insensitivity had you simply phrased what you wanted to say like this:

"They know (THERE IS A POSSIBLITY) your wife is at some point going to need care and assistance from you and (MIGHT BE) only a matter of time before a turn for the worse (COULD) happen, and then your on leave for half a year."

The way you phrased it implies his wife is going to get sicker and I hope that is not what you were suggesting. I don't think I'm being nit picky, just a helpful suggestion to help you get your point across without sounding "harsh and cold"

I really didnt want to come of that cold or insensitive, which is why I apologized and explained. I was writing more from the POV of what would likely be going through a recruiters head. In these cases recruiters/heads tend to think "worst case scenario".

I get you PsyGuy. It was more just in the wording than anything else.

Hi there,

Thank you both. Don't worry, I appreciate your honesty and also both of your sensitivity. Hopefully my wife will get better but in all honesty she has a cancer which the doctor does not think is curable. I taught previously in Japan, have a CELTA and PGCE with QTS status and have taught in the uk for the past 5 years and have been teaching since 2002.

My wife and I would both love to move abroad to teach (I was looking at British Council posts) but this is a major issue. She is having chemo at the moment and is very well at the moment despite this so I have every hope she will make a fll recovery (I am an eternal optimist!) so we both want to continue our dreams which was to move abroad.

I will still investigate as if there is a chance for us to move abroad an she can receive treatment then I will consider it but realise this is unlikely.

Thanks so much for your responses

You have some options:

1) You can work abroad/internationally at a school in a european (Japan as well) that has a national health care program.

2) You can inquire about your current insurance and see how mobile it is. Sometimes you can get a world/global treatment card, or rider which basically extends your insurance outside the country.

3) You can self insure, meaning you still get the school insurance but you pay for a seperate policy to handle your wifes cancer treatment. These policies can be pretty expensive.

4) Self-Pay is a final option, basically some countries have health care that is so cheap/inexpensive and international school pay well enough that you can afford to pay cash/out of pocket for her treatment.

I worked in japan and my wife would be covered 70 % I would pay the remaining 30 % which can be quite expensive. As a UK citizen our healthcare is free through taxes but obviously doesn't apply abroad. Most healthcare providers wont touch a pre existing condition so going abroad to teach will have to be carefully considered. I'm wondering if British council posts will cover it as they offer free medical care for worker + dependents but I'm not sure if this includes pre-existing conditions.

Thanks for all your help!