Firstly let me say i really feel for you guys relying on monthly income for extension renewals since the embassies stopped verifying these, i hope it works out for everyone, you don't need hassle like that when you're retired.

My question is, does anyone know or has anyone heard anything about Thai authorities insisting on compulsory health insurance when renewing retirement extensions in the future? Obviously i read about the requirements for O - A visas, but to me it just seems a natural progression that the Thais would then start milking the retirees and those on marriage extensions for all they can get.

Thanks in advance

No requirement for health insurance being required for extension has been mentioned anywhere. 

Even the requirement for having if for a OA visa has not been approved yet. It was only proposed.

Answer... NOT required... ????

No one knows the future...

Edited January 6, 20197 yr by BertM

Six government branches and three insurance branches will meet later this month to see if they can make it work, until then its just conversation

Edited January 6, 20197 yr by JESSVANPELT
typo

Hi Ubon Joe. Let me first of all thank you for your very informative information. On the matter of mandatory health insurance I am very unclear. Is an extension to a retirement extension or marriage extension different to an OA visa

4 minutes ago, Poppin said:

Is an extension to a retirement extension or marriage extension different to an OA visa

A OA visa can only be applied for at a embassy or official consulate in your home country if you are 50 or over. Extension of stay are applied for at immigration here.

Wish they would just work out a cost and let us married guys get on the 30 baht plan, of course it would cost much more and should include more.  Make it a government plan.  This would increase funding for public hospitals.  Wait, i forgot its Thailand sorry for wasting your time.  555555

2 hours ago, Geordieabroad said:

My question is, does anyone know or has anyone heard anything about Thai authorities insisting on compulsory health insurance when renewing retirement extensions in the future?

Just rumours. IMO it’s not going to happen.

1 hour ago, jimmyyy said:

Wish they would just work out a cost and let us married guys get on the 30 baht plan, of course it would cost much more and should include more.  Make it a government plan.  This would increase funding for public hospitals.  Wait, i forgot its Thailand sorry for wasting your time.  555555

Why just you "married guys", do you think that you deserve it more than everyone else?

15 minutes ago, Just Weird said:

Why just you "married guys", do you think that you deserve it more than everyone else?

supporting  a  thai wife/national?

16 minutes ago, kannot said:

supporting  a  thai wife/national?

What's "married" got to do with it, anyone can do that, can't they?  I support my three Thai children but I'm no longer married.

2 hours ago, elviajero said:

Just rumours. IMO it’s not going to happen.

Dream on. A lot of countries require this and Thailand should (and will) too. It’s only a matter of time.

5 minutes ago, dcnx said:

Dream on. A lot of countries require this and Thailand should (and will) too. It’s only a matter of time.

Why "should" they?

5 minutes ago, dcnx said:

Dream on. A lot of countries require this and Thailand should (and will) too. It’s only a matter of time.

The majority of nations in the world that offer formal retirement visas (most are in Latin America) actually do not require health insurance cover. 

18 hours ago, elviajero said:

Just rumours. IMO it’s not going to happen.

Chickens...1.2.3.4?

19 hours ago, jimmyyy said:

Wish they would just work out a cost and let us married guys get on the 30 baht plan, of course it would cost much more and should include more.  Make it a government plan.  This would increase funding for public hospitals.  Wait, i forgot its Thailand sorry for wasting your time.  555555

Logical 'farang' thinking not allowed in the Kingdom.

Can you imagine the chaos that would ensue at the Immigration desks if they had to check each passengers 'Health Insurance document' written in the language of the passenger? Also, do they have any idea (or care) about old people who CANNOT get health insurance either due to pre-existing conditions or the extremely high costs of obtaining it. I for one would be more than willing to contribute to the Thai National health service on a monthly or yearly basis. I live in Hua-Hin and have had excellent service from the local hospitals here, at a fraction of the cost of the 'Farang' hospitals. Example:- A few years ago I had a brain bleed and I was quoted 1 million B for the operation and 1 million B for aftercare which I could not afford and eventually paid a grand total of 46,000B after being operated on at the local hospital with whom I was registered. I was transferred from the local Military Hospital to the HH General hospital on the advice of my doctor at the Military Hospital and arrived at about 1400 and was operated on at 2000 the same day. The Neurosurgeon that operated on me came every day including weekends to see how I was getting on, so I for one have only praise for the Thai National Health services. May I close by wishing all our members all the best for the coming year, especially your good health.  

23 hours ago, Geordieabroad said:

Thais would then start milking the retirees and those on marriage extensions for all they can get.

As opposed to irresponsible retirees, et al who refuse to pay for insurance and expect to milk the hospitals for all they can get when treatment is required,  without the need to pay?

 

Thailand isn't quite the nanny state to which you're accustomed.

 

 

 

Edited January 7, 20197 yr by Suradit69

1 minute ago, Suradit69 said:

As opposed to irresponsible retirees who refuse to pay for insurance and expect hospitals to treat them for free?

 

Thailand isn't quite the nanny state to which you're accustomed.

No, as opposed to responsible retirees who have more than enough money in Thailand to take care of ANY medical treatment necessary and therefore view health insurance as a waste of money.

Find out a person's circumstances before you refer to them as a freeloader

1 hour ago, lvr181 said:

Logical 'farang' thinking not allowed in the Kingdom.

Fortunately logical farang thinking ... not to be confused with the typical me me me farang thinking ... is seldom in evidence in Thailand and almost nonexistent here at TV.

Just now, Geordieabroad said:

No, as opposed to responsible retirees who have more than enough money in Thailand to take care of ANY medical treatment necessary and therefore view health insurance as a waste of money.

Find out a person's circumstances before you refer to them as a freeloader

Oh please spare me the self indulgent "everything is about me" whine.

 

You weren't speaking of some individual person or some individual's circumstances. You claimed all retires and farang married to Thais would be milked for all they could get and, given all the brouhaha from all those unable to manage Baht 65,000 a month or to put Baht 800,000 in a bank, there are a lot of retirees here who can barely make it from month to month let alone take on major medical expenses.

 

You're clearly trying to play the Great White Hope versus "the Thais" who are out to fleece the poor (literally) farang.

 

23 hours ago, Geordieabroad said:

that the Thais would then start milking the retirees and those on marriage extensions for all they can get.

 

 

 

 

 

 

1 minute ago, Suradit69 said:

Oh please spare me the self indulgent "everything is about me" whine.

 

You weren't speaking of some individual person or some individual's circumstances. You claimed all retires and farang married to Thais would be milked for all they could get and, given all the brouhaha from all those unable to manage Baht 65,000 a month or to put Baht 800,000 in a bank, there are a lot of retirees here who can barely make it from month to month let alone take on major medical expenses.

 

You're clearly trying to play the Great White Hope versus "the Thais" who are out to fleece the poor (literally) farang.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Not worthy of a reply

21 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

A OA visa can only be applied for at a embassy or official consulate in your home country if you are 50 or over. Extension of stay are applied for at immigration here.

The visa I applied for and received in my home country was/is a "Non-Immigrant O" visa. It was good for 90 days, then had to be extended based on retirement. What is the difference between this visa and a "Non-Immigrant OA" visa??

Can you imagine the chaos that would ensue at the Immigration desks if they had to check each passengers 'Health Insurance document' written in the language of the passenger? Also, do they have any idea (or care) about old people who CANNOT get health insurance either due to pre-existing conditions or the extremely high costs of obtaining it. I for one would be more than willing to contribute to the Thai National health service on a monthly or yearly basis. I live in Hua-Hin and have had excellent service from the local hospitals here, at a fraction of the cost of the 'Farang' hospitals. Example:- A few years ago I had a brain bleed and I was quoted 1 million B for the operation and 1 million B for aftercare which I could not afford and eventually paid a grand total of 46,000B after being operated on at the local hospital with whom I was registered. I was transferred from the local Military Hospital to the HH General hospital on the advice of my doctor at the Military Hospital and arrived at about 1400 and was operated on at 2000 the same day. The Neurosurgeon that operated on me came every day including weekends to see how I was getting on, so I for one have only praise for the Thai National Health services. May I close by wishing all our members all the best for the coming year, especially your good health. 

 

 

  Perfectly agree with you, if the government of Thailand were smart, it would require all foreigners to pay health insurance for the state as for its citizens, private hospitals are sharks

12 minutes ago, davhend25 said:

What is the difference between this visa and a "Non-Immigrant OA" visa??

A OA visa allows unlimited one year entries for a year from the date of issue. By getting a new one year entry just before it expires you can get almost 2 years of total stay from it.

21 hours ago, jimmyyy said:

Wish they would just work out a cost and let us married guys get on the 30 baht plan, of course it would cost much more and should include more.  Make it a government plan.  This would increase funding for public hospitals.  Wait, i forgot its Thailand sorry for wasting your time.  555555

Hopefully that might include Thai PR holders.

 

Do any other PR holders have any new information this is point, please share.

 

 

9 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

A OA visa allows unlimited one year entries for a year from the date of issue. By getting a new one year entry just before it expires you can get almost 2 years of total stay from it.

Thanks, ubonjoe...I couldn't seem to find an answer for this anywhere. Seemed like a simple enough question, but multiple "Google" searches just turned up more confusing answers. Thanks! DH

19 hours ago, dcnx said:

Dream on. A lot of countries require this and Thailand should (and will) too. It’s only a matter of time.

I can't see that happening.  Most retirees here are visitors for 12 months.  And 12 months is just temporary or short term.  A travel insurance that can cover a whole year would make better sense.

 

22 hours ago, jimmyyy said:

Wish they would just work out a cost and let us married guys get on the 30 baht plan, of course it would cost much more and should include more.  Make it a government plan.  This would increase funding for public hospitals.  Wait, i forgot its Thailand sorry for wasting your time.  555555

since thailand has signed the compact of immigration in marakesh 11.12.18 every expat should make his claim to the 30 baht scheme.

 

wbr

roobaa01

9 minutes ago, roobaa01 said:

since thailand has signed the compact of immigration in marakesh 11.12.18 every expat should make his claim to the 30 baht scheme.

 

wbr

roobaa01

Oh, please don't do that. If TI stop extending an extension which can be done without reason, there is no recourse ....