Medical Card

[nicknick28uk]

I work full time for a Thai company. I have a work permit and non-b. Each month they deduct 750 baht for a social security payment. I have not been given a medical card or any paperwork. I had a small slip on my bike and hurt my head. I attended the hospital and went to the lane need card. Had to pay and gave the receipt to my company. They have told me that motorbike crashes are not covered on Thai medical. Can somebody advise of this is true? They also informed me that cards are no longer given. 

[Preacher]

After 6 months of employment you qualify for the medical card and should receive it by mail. It might be send to your employer if not send to your home address. 

 

Sometimes motorcycle accidents are not covered by insurance, I know that is true for the civil servants healthcare card. But I do not know if it is true for the card from the SSO where you are talking about. You could ask them.

[Sheryl]

First of all, SS covers you only at one specific hospital and you usually have a choice as to which one, though it varies with where in Thailand you live. Hospitals vary greatly here so it is an important choice and one that should not be left to your company's admin /HR staff to make (though it is not unusual for company staff to go ahead and register foreigners at a hospital without asking them which hospital they prefer. This will usually be the hospital with the most space for more SS clients and that is usually for a reason. )

 

The better hospitals often have wait lists for enrolling new SS clients and it is usually worthwhile getting on one.

 

I am not sure whether or not SS cards are still issued but with or without one you have to be registered in the SS system at 1 specific hospital. So find out from your company which hospital you are registered at under SS and also what the alternatives are (once registered initially there are certain times of the year when you can switch hospitals)...and if necessary get wait listed at a better one. Better in the case of SS is usually the largest government hospital on the list. Private hospitals which accept SS are for the most part best avoided.

 

Note that registration at a hospital under SS and having a hospital card are not the same thing.

 

Secondly SS operates on a capitation not fee for service basis and you receive your care for free. It is not the case that you pay first and then get reimbursed and your company cannot reimburse you or obtain reimbursement for you.

 

Now as to motor vehicle accidents. Medical costs of these are covered under the compulsory 3rd party vehicle insurance, and contrary to what one would assume that includes costs of treatment for yourself if at fault or no other person at fault i.e. your motorcycle insurance will cover it. You should have applied at the hospital cashier but, unlike SS, you can get reimbursed after the fact based on receipt. So contact your insurance company.

 

There is a fairly low cap on how much the compulsory insurance covers and I am not sure if SS will pick up the rest or not but in this instance it sounds like the costs would be small enough for this not to be an issue.

 

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[CM4Me]

Several months back my Thai partner mentioned that the Thai Government had stopped using the SS Card as the details are now linked to their ID Card. As for falangs, who knows

[Sheryl]

They are trying to move towards more paperless approach. Details will be in computer linked to an ID number. Presumably in case of a foreigner that will be passport number. Which may cause problems later as passport numbers change. Might be advisable for foreigners ith work permits to get the pink Thai ID card as then you will have a permanent Thai ID numbet.

 

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[jumbo]

Another reason to get a Pink ID card

[CM4Me]

Coincidently, my partner received a letter from the government today, which stated something like "end of year - do you wish to change your preferred hospital"

[Sheryl]

Sounds like we are entering the time period where changes can be made.