soisanuk

4 hours ago, Skeptic7 said:

As long as the bank book is updated regularly which I do mine once a month, rogue office in Jomtien has never asked for an official 12-month statement from the bank. Only copies from my book of the required 12 months.

I did my extension renewal at Jomtien in June.  I use the income method. Since I didn't keep the passbook up to date, I obtained certified bank statements from which Bangkok Bank branch prepared the usual letter listing all foreign (FTT) deposits during the previous 12 months which in the past was all that was required.    

However, this time the IO wanted the certified copies of the bank statements in addition to the letter (I had those copies with me and gave them to him). He told me that next time, I needed to keep my passbook up to date so the statements would not be needed.   In addition, it is my understanding that if the passbook is kept up to date, the Bank branch will use that to prepare the letter without the need for bank statements.

On 8/10/2024 at 1:39 PM, Kevin G said:

That is up until Jan 1 of 2024, when they changed out their partner for overseas claims to CareFirst, whoever that is.

CareFirst is the Blue Cross Blue Shield FEP organization that handles FEP overseas claims.  They have done so for the 20 years I have been living in Thailand.  However, they do contract with other companies to handle overseas claims for them.  On January 1, 2024 they switched from GMMI to Geo-Blue.   GMMI was great as was their predecessor.   When GMMI took over, claims processing was a bit slow for the first couple of months, but improved rapidly.   Bangkok Hospital Pattaya dealt with them directly for my inpatient care and usually paid their claim within 30 days of receipt.  For my outpatient care, I paid the Hospital direct and filed a claim for reimbursement which was usually approved within 3 weeks and money transferred to my Thai bank account within 5 days after that. 

I have quarterly monitoring visits when my maintenance prescriptions are also filled (90 day supply) that amount to about US$1,200+.    For my claim filed in January 2024, Geo-Blue took 2 1/2 months to process and upon approval, another 14 days until the funds were deposited in my Thai bank account.  For my claim filed in April, they took 3 months to process and again another 14 days before the payment was deposited in my bank.   My latest claim, filed July is still pending, but based on previous performance will also take a long time.

Based on my contact with CareFirst about the extreme delay in the April claim, I got a reply that they were aware of the problem and were working on remedying it -- Considering this poor service has been going on for more than 6 months since the change over, I'm having doubts on their ability or willingness to get things corrected.  

This morning, about 7am, I initiated a transfer through Wise from my US bank to Bangkok Bank.  I received the usual email that money was on its way and should arrive around 2pm today.  At 2:02pm I received a text message from Bangkok bank that the money had been deposited to my account.

If in Pattaya, the Pattaya City Expats Club meets every Wednesday at the Holiday Inn Pattaya located at the north end of Beach Road - a friendly group. Their meeting program starts at 10:30am - many arrive around  9:30am  to visit with other expats before the meeting starts.  More information on their website - https://pcec.club/

A month or so ago I had a similar experience.  Wise advised that I would receive money about 2pm  the next day (I use long stay in Thailand as reason so they will use Bangkok bank and not their other partner bank). The next morning I received the usual email the the transfer on its way (transfer was from my US account to Bangkok bank account).  Around  2 pm no deposit.  Next morning I contacted Bangkok Bank (no response) and Wise (they said to give it 3 days then contact them if it had not arrived).    I did arrive at 2pm - a day late - delay appears to have been with Bangkok Bank.

If I recall correctly, the rabies vaccination for dogs and other domestic animals is good for only 1 to 3 years, then they need to be re vaccinated.  Since the dog that bit you had the shot 6-7 years ago, it would was no longer effective.  

The Pattaya City Expats Club has checklists on their website for documents required. They should be complete, but remember that the Immigration Officer can sometimes require something in addition.  I use the 65k baht per month method and used that checklist. All were accepted an nothing additional was required.  

The Jomtien Immigration Office now requires you to show evidence that you have a TM.30 on file - if you cannot provide the evidence, they will most likely require you to file a new one.  I did a TM.30 early his year upon moving to a new residence. I included a copy of the TM.30 receipt with my documents and noted that the Immigration Officer looked it over and used his marker to highlight some of the information shown on it (likewise on other documents submitted).

The PCEC's checklist can be found here: https://pcec.club/CHECKLISTS-Extensions-of-Stay

The Pattaya City Expats Club has a webpage listing the documents required and process at Jomtien Immigration Office: https://pcec.club/ResidencyCertificate/

As noted, if being used for both car and motorcycle license, tick only one of those on the request form and you can use it and a photocopy at the Dept of Land Transport Office to obtain both licenses.

However, you will probably need a another original certificate for purchasing a vehicle especially if the transfer is being handled by an auto dealer.  If buying from the owner, the section in the Land Transport Office that handles it is separate from the driving license section and will most likely want an original residence certificate.

7 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

That's correct and the last time an extension will trigger a 90 day report.

There are few offices that sync ongoing extensions with a 90 report.  Not common 

 

 

Agree! When doing your first extension of stay to a Non-Immigrant O Visa, Jomtien will set up your next 90 day report to be 90 days from date of extension application.  Future renewal(s) of your extension will have no relationship to the 90 day address reporting date.  When you do the 90 day report Jomtien gave you, your next report will be 90 days from the date you report which can be from 14 days before to 7 days after the due date.   The fine for late filing can be up to 5000 baht but Jomtien normally fines 2000 baht.

I did my annual extension at Jomtien on Thursday morning (20 June) arriving at 8:30 am.  There was no line at the info desk and my queue number for desk 8 was #3.  They did give me two documents to sign along with blank copies to "use next year" - the acknowledgement of penalties for overstay and similar one for knowing the need to visit Immigration if any changes in my status for obtaining the extension.

It was then direct into the main building to to desk 8 for a 5 minute wait for the IO (one was processing another person and mine wasn't at the desk yet).  He went through the documents (I use 65k monthly income - USA, so no Embassy letter).  I obtained my bank letters the previous day (Bangkok Bank - passbook not kept up to date during the year so I had ordered bank statements one week previously which the teller used to prepare the letter listing foreign deposits for the preceding 12 months).

I did do a transaction that morning at the Bangkok Bank branch near Immigration and then updated passbook - I don't recall the IO even looking at it (the previous year I didn't update on the day I renewed and there was no question raised).  The only issue was in the past they were satisfied with copies of passbook pages (even though not regularly updated) and bank letter listing foreign deposits.  However, this time, the IO wanted the bank statements (which I had with me and gave to him).

I departed at about 8:45am with instructions as usual to pick up passport the next day after 2pm.  One change was he said I did not have to return in person and that my Thai companion could pick up the passport for me - which they did the following day. 

16 hours ago, Tod Daniels said:

If you still have a TM6 you make a copy of it (although it was discontinued quite a while ago by air and recently at most land crossings too).

I always use the "fill in the blank" PDF for the TM7 so that it's legible to the officer

If you're going to fill it out online and print it, print it front to back on ONE piece of paper, some offices are known for turning you away if you have it printed on two pages
 

If applying at Chonburi (Pattaya) Immigration, you do not have to have it printed front to back - they will accept it as 2 separate pages.  Also, if doing it there, the photo can be handed to them separately and they will do the attaching.  They do require that you include your telephone number on the form - usually at the bottom of the 2nd page.

13 hours ago, joealx said:

https://www.fepblue.org/our-plans/medicare/medicare-reimbursement

That link notes it applies to those using the FEP Basic plan:

"For Part B, you pay a premium. FEP Blue Basic members who have Medicare Part A and Part B can get up to $800 with a Medicare Reimbursement Account."  

I and I would expect many of the FEP insured residing overseas have the Standard option. Thus it appears that would not apply to them.

5 hours ago, jas007 said:

 I thought about dropping Medicare Part B, as that would currently save me a few hundred dollars a month.  But there’s a premium penalty to pay if I opt to resume coverage at a later date.  And for all I know, I might do just that.  

Yes, there is an increase. For each year you have opted out, it is 10%.   Since I opted out 15 years ago, that would mean a 150% increase in the Part B premium if I should return to USA. If I recall correctly, you can opt back in March of each year.  Since I did not pay a premium during those 15 years, it would take some time before I hit the break even point.

When I researched the matter at the time I made the decision to opt out, FEP Blue would still cover any USA medical costs at  85% up to the amount on medicare's fee schedule; and I would be responsible for 100% of any charges in excess of the fee schedule.   I also found that by law that if you are medicare eligible but do not have Part B, outpatient costs allowed to be charged to you cannot exceed 115% of the medicare schedule.  

Considering the above and that I did not intend to return to USA, I decided that opting out of Part B was the best course of action. 

15 hours ago, jas007 said:

Follow up on Geo Blue:

 

I had to fill out some forms for the hospital to request a guarantee of benefits, but once I did that, it only took GeoBlue about a week to send the Guarantee of Benefit approval to the hospital.  They’ll be paying 100% of the charges.  450,000 baht.  I’m glad I don’t have to pay that.  Anyway, the policy seems to be for 100% payment for people on Medicare who use the FEP benefits overseas where Medicare doesn’t pay.

I presume this was for non emergency treatment.  

As for FEP covered inpatient treatment when you have medicare, yes they cover 100%.  Once you are on medicare Part A, FEP Blue offers supplemental cover paying inpatient medical costs not covered by medicare.  Since medicare generally does not cover you outside the USA, FEP Blue will cover 100%.   In my case, I opted out of Part B as I was living in Thailand and saw no reason to pay the monthly premium for Part B.  FEP Blue continued to be my primary health care insurer for outpatient care paying 85%.  If you opt out of Part B, the only change is that FEP Blue must use the medicare schedule for limitations on cost.  Considering that medical care in Thailand is considerably less than USA, limiting the cost to the medicare schedule has no adverse affects. 

16 hours ago, Digitalbanana said:

 

You could use the old pp number until you moved the stamps to new pp. Then it needs in person visit to imm to do 90 day for first 90 report on new pp. Best to try and fit it into one imm visit if possible so transfer stamps about time 90 day is due.

I did just that. I waited until the 90 day was due within the two week before period. The stamps were transferred, then the 90 day report.  This was about 2 weeks ago, so hopefully my next 90 day report can be done online with no problems.

I received an almost identical letter in February regarding my claim submitted in January indicating a 15 day delay. That claim was eventually approved an paid over 2 months after it was submitted.

I received a letter dated 11 May from BCBS FEP stating:

Quote

Due to unexpected claims volumes, processing of the claim listed below has been delayed . . . Please allow up to fifteen (15) additional days for us to finalize the claim.

I expect the claims volume is normal and the cause really is either the inexperience of the GeoBlue processors, insufficient staff, or both.  If I recall correctly, GMMI had similar issues when the started. Adding to that, when they first started, BCBS FEP was performing a second review to assess their the quality of GMMI's processing of the claim before giving final approval for payment.  This may also be the case with GeoBlue.  With GMMI,  it sorted out after a while, but I don't recall the delays lasting 5 months as it now has with the change over to GeoBlue.

As to the guarantee letter, I request the hospital to direct bill for inpatient care only. For outpatient, I pay the  bill and file a claim for reimbursement.  This reduces my out of pocket cost as my Hospital, if they are direct billing my USA health insurance substantially increases the cost from what I incur if I "self" pay. Thus my 15% copay for outpatient care is more if I have them direct bill FEP. .

16 hours ago, Sheryl said:

Gabapentin and similar drugs are serious medications and long term use carries significant risks. For people needing th3m to control seizures or intractable nerve pain the benefits may outweigh the risks   but these drugs should not be used just to get to sleep.

Thank you Sheryl.  I fully agree.

I use Circadin (melatonin) as a sleep aide.  It was prescribed for me a few years ago when I was an inpatient at Bangkok Hospital Pattaya for a lung infection.  At the time, it was also suspected I had sleep apnea and this was confirmed by tests supervised by their doctor that specialized in in sleep disorders. She prescribed the cirdadin to help me sleep.  I have used it ever since when I have trouble sleeping.

Although not 100%, I have found it to help me sleep more often then not. So this thread was of interest, especially if there were other medicines that might be 100% effective.  Yesterday, I had another medicine suggested to me by a fellow expat. He says he uses hydroxyzine. 

Looking up both hydroxyzine and gabapentin online, I noted they are used primarily to treat other medical conditions and not as a sleep aide.  Also, they are not recommended for those with certain medical conditions without first consulting with a physician.  Since I do have more than one of the cited medical conditions, for now, I will continue with melatonin.

Yes, they are exceedingly slow in processing claims.  My claim last January took over 2 1/2 months to process and then it took over 2 weeks from the "date paid" until the bank transfer was rec'd in my Thai bank account (normally, that took 5 days when GMMI was processing).   My current claim they rec'd on April 10 shows as still "in process" in their online tracking system.

3 hours ago, KhunBENQ said:

At least for the letter I can confirm. Any branch.

For the statement I haven't tried.

6 month statements are available on the spot.

I think it should be possible to combine two or three statements for proof of transfer?

Chonburi (Pattaya) Immigration:

If using the 65k monthly income method will want a letter from your Thai  bank listing all the foreign deposits to your account for the past 12 months. They will then check to make sure there was a deposit of at least 65k in each of those months. It is my understanding that Bangkok Bank can provide the letter using your passbook - listing the deposits with an FTT code. Otherwise, they can use bank statements for each month (I don't keep my passbook regularly updated, so I have always ordered statements for the preceding 12 months and they use those to prepare the letter.  In addition to the letter listing the deposits, they will also want the usual bank letter verifying the account (required whether using 800k deposit or 65k monthly income).

If using 800k in your Thai bank account for renewal, they will accept copies from your passbook showing all transactions (no net entries which occur if you do not keep the passbook regularly updated).  They will check to make sure that your balance remained at 800k for 3 months after your previous extension and for the 2 months before your current application and that in the months in between, the balance never went below 400k.     If you have net entries, they will want to see bank statements for the 12 previous months; it is my understanding these have to be certified by the bank.

I have always obtained the both letters the day before going to Immigration (early morning before bank branches open) with no difficulty.  They may want to see your passbook showing a transaction on the day you apply (apparently depends on the Immigration Officer as last year I didn't do so and there was no problem).

3 hours ago, andygrr said:

I have done the letter at a few different branches with no problems. So does not have to be your own branch.

Correct.  My branch is on Phratamnak Road (2nd road becomes Phratamnak once you go past South (Pattaya Tai) Road traveling toward Jomtien).  For the past several years, I have obtained my bank information from the counter at Tesco Lotus South (now closed - so next month when I need to obtain again, I will get from another branch).

As mentioned, if you will need 12 months of statements, give yourself time - Bangkok Bank Branches can only provide 6 months, so they must order more than that from Bangkok HQ. This takes at least 5 business days.