Health insurance mandatory for long-stay foreigners in Thailand

[Fairynuff]

2 hours ago, Badrabbit said:

And that's why the NHS is in trouble due to scammers who have no Morals!!

Sent from my SM-G610F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

Nothing to do with cutting funding, driving out EU medical staff and the mass privatization of services then, just a few expats telling lies. DUH

[Time Traveller]

1 hour ago, robertson468 said:

Hi Everybody, have a look at Thailife medical insurance company.  I can get 400,000 baht in patient and 40 baht outpatient coverage at the age of 75 years old for 41,800 per annum, which I assume can be paid monthly at 3,484.  Other policies quotes are either way higher than this and one of them has a couple of very poor reviews on Google - buyer beware!  Another one will not even download.  Not quite the "death knell" (excuse the pun) that I initially thought.  Cheer up you grumbling geriatrics, life, in my opinion is still better in Thailand.

I got a feeling that 41,800 baht policy ain't worth the paper it's printed on.

As a 75 yr old, expect to be paying a lot more than what your policy will provide for. Insurers don't insure you out of the goodness of their hearts. They do it to make money.

[the guest]

21 minutes ago, Lenny Jones said:

Thailand needs to realize this. I - for one - put over a million baht/year into this country to live here..  I'm not a burden on the country.  I am an asset and I'm not alone.  This moron for a minister needs to do his sums or get out of the chair - - - - - - - -

Sorry to say Thailand doesn't acknowledge foreigners as assets. I have been living here for over 20 years, and my status is no higher than the first day I arrived in the country, if you don't accept this, then you are in the wrong country. 

 

If you want status, apply for Thai nationality ! (good luck with that one)

[Gecko123]

4 minutes ago, chezy86 said:

Great!!!!! more frigging hoops to jump through????

I know I need to get more exercise, but I don't think that's what the doctor had in mind. 

 

[me4175]

1 hour ago, Kerryd said:

I have a Health 1st policy issued through Bangkok Bank. When I first got it (in 2015) I didn't need an examination at all (massive thunderclap just happened - coincidence ?).

However, last year I missed the renewal date by a couple weeks (I thought it automatically renewed but apparently I was supposed to go into the bank and sign a paper or something). 

Anyways, I had to go do an exam. They were very good about it. I told them I used Bangkok-Pattaya hospital, they (the Bank's insurer) set up the appointment, a rep from the bank met me at the hospital and when it was done she paid the bill (I thought they would pick the hospital or use a clinic and that I was going to have to pay for it.)

Have to renew again next month. Will make sure I renew before the expiry date this time. I expect I won't need to do another exam. If so, great. A free medical check every year !

ps: The Health 1st (plan 1) more than meets the requirements noted in the news article and costs 29,000 per year.

pss: I note that the ThaiVisa link included in the original article leads you to a page that shows you different packages and their benefits, but no quotes. You have to contact them (or whoever the info is sent to).

https://www.bangkokbank.com/en/Personal/My-Family-and-Me/Bancassurance/Life-Insurance/Health-1st

Plan 1 doesn't cover any Outpatient expenses, only Plans 3 and 4 do, and only Plan 4 is high enough (30 x 1,500 Baht).

Plan 8 would be interesting, but I'm not sure if the deductible would be accepted, even it's very low (5,000 Baht, for Inpatient only).

[yang123]

3 hours ago, BestB said:

400000 is not exactly a high cover , highly unlikely will cost a fortune , even less if you chose a deductible.

for all those worried, maybe even look at accident insurance as payout amount required is very low.

 

my full health insurance cover has a payout of 50 or so million with premium of 55000 baht.

Name of company, please.

[BritManToo]

5 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

You're tripping. If it doesn't cover pre-existing conditions then it's not the panacea you sell it as.

I've always paid cash for my medical costs in Thailand. I don't see how that poster previous claims he's paying my bills.

And as you pointed out, people with pre-existing conditions effectively have no insurance.

[david555]

1 minute ago, fforest1 said:

So it looks like to me if you buy heath insurance in Thailand and your 70-75 your paying 100,000 baht a year for 400,000 baht of coverage...

Same amount I have with Axa expat for 450€ a year ( 12500€ cover each incident ) included repatriation & bail I f needed (advanced , must pay back) except out patient 

[pookiki]

1 hour ago, robertson468 said:

Hi Everybody, have a look at Thailife medical insurance company.  I can get 400,000 baht in patient and 40 baht outpatient coverage at the age of 75 years old for 41,800 per annum, which I assume can be paid monthly at 3,484.  Other policies quotes are either way higher than this and one of them has a couple of very poor reviews on Google - buyer beware!  Another one will not even download.  Not quite the "death knell" (excuse the pun) that I initially thought.  Cheer up you grumbling geriatrics, life, in my opinion is still better in Thailand.

Do you have the web address?  Please PM me if possible.

[hashmodha]

I think we all start a petition ......fast to reverse this....I am not able to....can anyone put it up on change.org.....and we all sign...

[Fairynuff]

2 hours ago, bkk6060 said:

Sorry.

Smart people rent maybe that is the issue..

And smarter people buy their homes and sell at a profit....just sayin

[Storekeeper]

3 hours ago, Mango Bob said:

Any other American Retired Military here with Tricare for Life?  What do you think about this?  We have better covers than what needed here but it not 400,000/40,000.  I pay 25% of the cost both outpatient and inpatient up to a max of $3,000 a year.  I go to an international hospital for all my care.  I also have a letter from Tricare saying I am covered and the Federal Tax for that is required stating I have health insurance.  I like to know what others who have this think?

Join the VFW Post 9951 group on Facebook. 

[maxcorrigan]

Have'nt got time to go through 30+ pages so my apologises if this has been covered, but how does this new ruling impact on marriage extensions to an ex-government worker thai wife as in my case where i am mostly covered by her government insurance, as said sorry if this has been covered but got to page 6 and saw no mention of this, and had to leave!

[MRToMRT]

To give some an idea of costs - this was not a "local" hospital but Bumrungrad ........

 

My heart attack which did not require invasive surgery but 3 weeks in hospital and lots of post testing and care over the following year had a total bill of nearly 2,000,000 baht.

 

Its worth looking at how much a heart attack or stroke would cost (at your local hospital) becuase thats probably the main risk for most of us these days that has to be dealt with immediately.

[JDGRUEN]

I suspect this will apply to all "Retirement" Visas and Extensions of Stay based on being age 50 or over a.k.a. "Retirement" and even perhaps apply to an Extension of an O visa for marriage if the Expat is age 50 or over. In my opinion the only reason the mention of the O-A Visa was made is because it is the only visa example some of these decision makers know or can discern as related to "Retirement". 

[pagallim]

35 minutes ago, FritsSikkink said:

According to Nattawuth, the new rule applies to both new applicants for the non-immigrant visa (O-A), which offers a stay of up to one year, and those wishing to renew their visa. : http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30369323

Again, the article is specific about O-A visas, which can only be obtained external to Thailand, and though not in every case, are usually obtained by people who split their time between their home countries and Thailand, and for whom an extendable 60 day Tourist visa is insufficient for their needs, and don't wish to use an annual extension using the Retirement/Marriage/Dependent options.

[Jumbo1968]

14 minutes ago, the guest said:

Long overdue, they should extend this to tourists as-well. Scrap the VOA, and ensure that all visa applications include valid insurance. EU visa applications require mandatory insurance, don't see why thailand should be any different.

Impossible too ‘police’, the queues at Immigration at the airport are bad enough, imagine the I.O. checking every tourist to check if they had Insurance.

[jollyhangmon]

2 hours ago, Pedrogaz said:

I am not giving my hard earned money to insurance company thieves. Te problems here are to do with tourists not carrying insurance and doing risky things like ferry rides or driving or being driven on the roads. Legal long term residents (whom are the targets of the bills) are not a driver of unpaid bills here......how can they be? 

 

I have money in the bank and self insure....if this doesn't satisfy the authorities here, I'm off to somewhere more welcoming with less bullshit. I'll start scoping out the possibilities immediately.

 

+ 1 ... parasites on society at best, now add the `squeaky clean` reputation of this place - l.o.l.  

[Time Traveller]

1 hour ago, Dellboy218 said:

What's the point of the 800k that I have had in the bank for 20 years then?

To keep the Thai banks healthy. 

And this is to keep the Thai insurance companies healthy.

[Storekeeper]

1 minute ago, Storekeeper said:

Join the VFW Post 9951 group on Facebook. 

Even better there is a group on Facebook called TRICARE Overseas Program (TOP) you can join.

[Fairynuff]

2 hours ago, stanleycoin said:

Nah.

Best shags in the world. 

 

 

Are STIs covered?

[yang123]

3 hours ago, Peterw42 said:

Lots of companies do over 75, its just more expensive, one of them does up to 100 years old.

Please name that company.

Thanks!

[Badrabbit]

Nothing to do with cutting funding, driving out EU medical staff and the mass privatization of services then, just a few expats telling lies. DUH

One problem of many. DUH

Sent from my SM-G610F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[MRToMRT]

If, or not, the ext of stay methodology is not included yet (dependant on how you read the articles selective "quotes"), what possible reason would there be for excluding it?

[Dmaxdan]

I've no idea whether these new rules will affect people living here on extensions and do you know what? Neither does anyone else at this point in time. It is all assumptions and reading between the lines. I'm sure it will be clarified one way or another in time.  

 

 

[gamini]

This is an excellent idea. Thailand allows discrimination against the elderly as far as health insurance is concerned . I believe in other countries insurance companies are obliged to ensure anyone at any age. So if Thailand was to enforce health insurance for retirees, then they could compel the insurance companies to ensure them. I for one would be delighted, I could then get insurance because presently I am too old to qualify.

[brianbbb]

Thailand is getting a place not to be any more losing it's shine 

[fforest1]

1 minute ago, MRToMRT said:

If, or not, the ext of stay methodology is not included yet (dependant on how you read the articles selective "quotes"), what possible reason would there be for excluding it?

Because 800,000 in the bank is your insurance...

[Snow Leopard]

5 minutes ago, Jumbo1968 said:

Impossible too ‘police’, the queues at Immigration at the airport are bad enough, imagine the I.O. checking every tourist to check if they had Insurance.

No, it isn't. You buy it at the airport. By far the biggest burden on the Thai health care system is tourists with no medical insurance. 

[rexall]

They specify inpatient and OUTPATIENT coverage.  If you are relatively healthy, out patient is an unnecessary, expensive ripoff!