Video by Grounded Life Retirement Travel
Fibroid Surgery in Malaysia: What It Actually Cost
Rob and Allie of Grounded Life say a routine check-up in Kuala Lumpur found a 6-inch fibroid that needed surgery. The first visit cost $133, paid cash. The surgery, quoted at $2,500-$3,500, came to $4,300; their insurer denied the claim over a 6-month waiting period, but the bill was under their deductible anyway.
What it cost them
As stated in the video, November 2023. Prices change; these are theirs.
| IMG insurance premiumheld about 4 months at the time | $240/month | ▶ 0:32 |
|---|---|---|
| IMG insurance deductible | $5,000 | ▶ 0:32 |
| OBGYN office visit (consult, ultrasound, bloodwork)paid cash, not through insurance | $133 | ▶ 8:56 |
| Consultation | $48 | ▶ 9:26 |
| Ultrasound | $25 | ▶ 9:26 |
| Bloodwork | $60 | ▶ 9:26 |
| Rob's full health screeningself-pay, no insurance | $118 | ▶ 11:29 |
| ECG (line item on screening bill) | $7 | ▶ 11:59 |
| Hospital meal, ordered to the room | $4-$5 | ▶ 20:13 |
| Surgery, hospital's pre-op estimatequoted as 10,000-17,000 ringgit | $2,500-$3,500 | ▶ 23:24 |
| Surgery, total out the doorpaid by credit card | $4,300 | ▶ 23:55 |
| Room & board, 4 days/3 nights | $195 | ▶ 24:26 |
Their situation
- Place
- Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia ▶ 0:32
- Hospital
- Gleneagles Kuala Lumpur ▶ 3:14
- Procedure
- Surgery to remove a roughly 6-inch fibroid ▶ 6:50
- Insurance at the time
- IMG global health insurance: $5,000 deductible, $240/month, held about 4 months ▶ 0:32
- How long they'd been in Malaysia before surgery
- Booked a month-long stay; surgery happened 10 days after landing
Questions this video answers
How much did the first doctor's visit cost in Malaysia?
The OBGYN office visit — consultation, ultrasound and bloodwork — cost $133 total, paid in cash without going through insurance. ▶ 8:56
Why did their insurance deny the claim for Allie's surgery?
IMG denied the claim because the surgery fell under a six-month waiting period, and they'd only held the policy 4 months. ▶ 22:52
How much does a full health screening cost in Malaysia?
Rob's full health screening, including bloodwork, a chest x-ray, ECG and retinal scan, cost $118 self-pay, cheaper than one retinal scan back home. ▶ 11:29
How much did the fibroid surgery end up costing?
The hospital quoted $2,500-$3,500 for Allie's fibroid surgery; it proved more complicated than expected and cost $4,300 out of pocket. ▶ 23:24
How fast can you get a doctor's appointment in Malaysia?
They expected a US-style wait of a month or two, but their OBGYN appointment was set for just 3 days after they arrived in Malaysia. ▶ 3:14
The moments, in order
Press ▶ to play the video from that second.
- ▶ 0:32
They carry IMG global health insurance with a $5,000 deductible for $240/month, and had only held that policy about four months when this trip started — a detail that mattered later for a claim.
as stated, November 2023
- ▶ 1:04
Kuala Lumpur is known among expats for good, easy healthcare and check-ups, but they found it hard to find information online about what the process actually involves, so they booked a full month in an Airbnb as a buffer rather than betting on a fixed appointment date.
- ▶ 2:09
They started requesting appointments (even texting a hospital via WhatsApp) about a month before arriving, expecting US-style waits of a month or two — instead the OBGYN appointment came through just 3 days after they landed.
as stated, November 2023
- ▶ 6:50
At that first OBGYN visit the doctor did the ultrasound herself and found a roughly 6-inch fibroid covering most of Allie's abdominal organs that needed to come out "as soon as possible" — an unplanned diagnosis on what was meant to be a routine visit.
- ▶ 8:56
That first visit — consultation, ultrasound, and full bloodwork drawn by the doctor herself — cost $133 total, paid cash without going through insurance ($48 consultation, $25 ultrasound, $60 bloodwork).
as stated, November 2023
- ▶ 11:29
Rob's separate full health screening (consult, physical, AI retinal scan, bloodwork, chest x-ray, ECG, doctor review) came to $118 self-pay total, which he says was cheaper than just the retinal scan alone had cost them back in Georgia; the ECG line was $7 (the chest x-ray figure looked garbled in captions — amount unclear).
as stated, November 2023
- ▶ 16:38
The hospital ran a dedicated international-patient lounge offering language interpretation, visa application/extension help, airport transfer and currency exchange for foreign patients — though they say English was spoken throughout, so they never actually needed the interpreter.
- ▶ 22:21
Two days after the surgery, IMG emailed that the claim was denied — rightfully, they say, because the policy carried a six-month waiting period and they'd only held it 4 months; they weren't too worried since the bill was expected to land well under their deductible anyway.
as stated, November 2023
- ▶ 23:24
The hospital had quoted an estimate of $2,500–$3,500 for the surgery; it turned out more complicated than expected and the total came to $4,300 out of pocket, paid by credit card — still far less than they'd feared going in, based on estimates they'd seen quoted online for the same procedure in the region.
as stated, November 2023
- ▶ 26:30
Looking back they say they wouldn't change anything: they'd picked the hospital partly because it was in-network with their insurance and had strong reviews, and Rob's earlier worry about not finishing his screening within the month proved unfounded — everything, including her surgery, was done within 10 days of landing.
Worth knowing before you go
- ▶ 22:21
Two days after the surgery, IMG emailed that the claim was denied — rightfully, they say, because the policy carried a six-month waiting period and they'd only held it 4 months; they weren't too worried since the bill was expected to land well under their deductible anyway.
as stated, November 2023
This is their experience, retold in our words, and not medical, insurance or financial advice.