Health insurance mandatory for long-stay foreigners in Thailand

[thelovedone]

41 minutes ago, thelovedone said: 

My visa is a Non O retirement visa.



I also have a Social Security Office health care card for free treatment in the Thaii hospital system. Curious if people in my position will now  be required to have additional insurance?

  

24 minutes ago, bannork said:

I'm still working but like you I have a SS Health card. A Thai lady told me the cover depends on how much you put in every month. I don't think mine will reach 400,000 baht! 40,000 perhaps. 

 

My contribution whilst working was 750 Baht per month.

 However im not aware that the SS health card has a scale of benefits coverage dependant on contributions.

My understanding is that the health care benefit is free hospital inpatient and outpatient cover for those who pay the applicable contributions.

[Destiny1990]

A mandatory personal accident insurance policy for tourists up on arrival is needed.

This would only cost 500 bht a month and would cover up too 250,000 for hospital visit and 1 million baht for relatives in case of death.

[david555]

1 minute ago, brewsterbudgen said:

Then why refer to OA visas? OX visas require health insurance and now they plan to apply this to OA visas. That is all. The rest is just speculation.

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk
 

Simple answer = they refer to BOTH...all long stayers ….I know in first I liked it neither , but now i am already in the stage of acceptance and correcting it in my way , just the same I did always in my home country with the tax people….solve it at my satisfaction ,if possible bypass it.

Just take a 400k + outpatient cheap insurance and you are O.K. again  , forget full cover if before you did not had it anyway , topic is drifting to medical insurance ...,while it started about application for long stay /retirees changes 

[SOUTHERNSTAR]

An oa is obtained outside Thailand in your home country. Its valid for 1 year but if you do the correct things you can get nearly 2 years out of it.

So how many are going to be leaving now, what exactly s a NON O -A I have a visa which just states NON O married to a  Thai (no other letters  after it) been on it for 6  years.
Perhaps someone can clarify if  it  will  apply to me?

Sent from my SM-A730F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[Joe Mcseismic]

33 minutes ago, giddyup said:

How old are you now?

Nearly 61. Started when I was 57.

[connda]

15 minutes ago, 4MyEgo said:

Covered, don't see a problem, can't see what everyone is whining about, ooops sorry, didn't realise this was TVF....lol

I'll say this one time.  

If you are gloating - you are trolling.  Mods?

This is serious business for a lot of us.  We do not need to be the focus of cyber-bullying in the form of gloating by status conscious TV members.  

 

Please disengage.  

[Peterw42]

19 minutes ago, PatOngo said:

Read into it what you like, I see ALL long stayers having to have insurance.

People said the same thing when they introduced compulsory insurance with the OX visa's.

[mommysboy]

10 hours ago, gunderhill said:

https://www.thaihealth.co.th/2012/product_wealthy_eng.php

I am insured with this company.  They paid out in total for an operation I had at a private hospital and I have been with them for a few years so I now get a discount.

[connda]

7 minutes ago, Destiny1990 said:

A mandatory personal accident insurance policy for tourists up on arrival is needed.

This would only cost 500 bht a month and would cover up too 250,000 for hospital visit and 1 million baht for relatives in case of death.

So the real question should be: "Why is the policy not available to long-stay expats. 
That is a rhetorical question.  The answer is obvious.  Long stay expats, especially those with family, are a 'captured audience' who can be milked and whose personal wealth can be harvested.  

[Kasset Tak]

I just don't trust insurance companies...

First I had one international insurance from back home... they refused to cover an aggressive skin infection (10 days in the hospital with intravenous antibiotics) stating that as I have psoriasis they won't cover anything regarding my skin.
Secondly I got an insurance via my Thai Bank (not expensive) and when I tried to claim from that one... they told me that they only cover Thai people... still they where happy to take my money for over 3 years...

 

[Joe Mcseismic]

I see this new mandatory insurance policy the same way as I see motorbike crash helmets.

You can buy a cheap, rubbish helmet that will get you through police checkpoints, but, it'll be of little use when you actually need it. Better to buy a good helmet that will serve both functions.

[Peterw42]

40 minutes ago, holy cow cm said:

HEALTH insurance has been made mandatory for foreigners aged 50 years and above seeking long-term stay in Thailand.

 

Long term is defined as what is. We would be seeking a new extension for long term and would thus need the insurance rip off bend over and take the 12 inches policy. If your grunt the more they like it..

That is the headline, read further into to story and which long term is clarified.

 

"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. Each renewal is valid for one year."

[Assurancetourix]

10 hours ago, gunderhill said:

Next people  will  buy coverage for the  amount specified and to reduce premiums to as  small as  possible get a massive excess smacked on it.

Be prepared for the longest ever tv  thread!

Already 50 pages and the subject  has only 10 hours 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

For the various people who have been asking, we had a thread started earlier this year on the topic on health insurance for older folks, and that included info from Sheryl on various insurers that will write new policies for older folks (beyond age 65) and won't automatically cancel as you get older.

 

Keep in mind, these are regular health insurance policies with pretty decent coverage amounts, not the stripped down 400K/40K policies being promoted by the Thai Government's "Long Stay" program that originally started with the O-X visas...  

 

One thing that will be interesting as this fleshes out is to see just how the pricing compares between the bare-bones 400/40K policies specifically aimed at farangs vs. the general Thai health insurance policies with higher coverage limits that also are available to older farangs.

 

Anyways, here's the link to that thread:

 

 

Especially starting with Sheryl's post #18 and onward...

 

One of those listed is the insurer I deal with, Pacific Cross, which has the following rules for their policies:

 

 

Quote

 

I just checked with Pacific Cross Thailand directly, and they confirmed they will write new policies up to and including age 75, renewable to age 99, and a medical exam requirement kicks in if you're applying new age 65 and older!

 

https://www.pacificcrosshealth.com/en/health-insurance/

 

 

So the point being, it is possible for expats in Thailand to get health insurance coverage once they are older than 65.... 

 

It may have exclusions based on past medical history. But at this point, we have no idea how or even if Thai MFA and Immigration are going to deal with the "exclusions" issue....

[connda]

8 hours ago, alfalfa19 said:

does medicare parts a and b work in thailand, does anyone know?

No.  Considering that health care cost in the US are 10 time plus those in Thailand, they would be ahead by covering Thai expats.  But......

[david555]

7 minutes ago, Joe Mcseismic said:

I see this new mandatory insurance policy the same way as I see motorbike crash helmets.

You can buy a cheap, rubbish helmet that will get you through police checkpoints, but, it'll be of little use when you actually need it. Better to buy a good helmet that will serve both functions.

You are right , but if you only wish to avoid the police ticket any salad bowl helmet is O.K. ….so comparing to stay in line for the requirements for extension a cheap 400k + outpatient insurance would get away the headache about this new rule

[elliss]

10 hours ago, gunderhill said:

dont  forget  the 10  copies  required  all  signed and  within 1  minute  of  applying.

 

 Not forgetting , the medical certificates confirming,

   you are healthy enough to apply for medical insurance.

 

 

 

[Thaidream]

3 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

That is the headline, read further into to story and which long term is clarified.

 

"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. Each renewal is valid for one year.

However- does he mean it applies to the OA Visa and those who then want to extend that Visa or those already in Thailand on an extension of their prior Non O or those in the future who obtain a Non O (no O-A) and then extend the regular O.  Two different Visa's- and much confusion what he means or does not mean.

[Nong Khai Man]

So I Have a Non-Imm " O " Visa ( Based on Marriage ) so have to leave every 90 Days or Less,Obviously I DON'T have sufficient funds in the Bank,Plus How Can I Afford these RIDICULOUS Insurance Premiums,& Even If I Could just Who is going to insure me as I'm "Over 70 Years of Age " Over to the " Experts "

[NCC1701A]

7 hours ago, Jingthing said:

When does the rule go into effect?!?

two months after it is required.

[Joe Mcseismic]

1 minute ago, david555 said:

You are right , but if you only wish to avoid the police ticket any salad bowl helmet is O.K. ….so comparing to stay in line for the requirements for extension a cheap 400k + outpatient insurance would get away the headache about this new rule , make go away 

Yes, but, one day you are going to need that health insurance and 400k is not going to go very far.

[Lee man]

Will this new rule on Insurance Apply on a short term 30 day stay..?

 

[elliss]

 

  Serious  health issues or over 75,  be advised to return home. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Peterw42]

1 minute ago, Lee man said:

Will this new rule on Insurance Apply on a short term 30 day stay..?

 

No

It probably should though as that where the big hospital bills and non-payers come from.

[UKresonant]

6 hours ago, MellowYellow101 said:

Just a quick question, what are the laws / rules on the NHS not being 'free' to UK citizens after having left the UK for a set amount of time? 

Start at - do not leave the UK for a continuous period of more than 90 days - then start reading the rest of the regs to see if you get longer.... I don't think its policed down to the hour and days, but that's the starting point....

[NCC1701A]

i am paying Aetna Thailand (formally Bupa) 117,000 baht a year for platinum coverage at 63 no preexisting conditions, except Irritable Bargirl Syndrome.

 

i am sure i will need a letter just like the bank because showing them my Aetna card makes too much sense.

[david555]

Just now, Joe Mcseismic said:

Yes, but, one day you are going to need that health insurance and 400k is not going to go very far.

I know and understand your point and that is why I have my Axa expat with repatriation  12500€ as only my home country national insurance shall keep me alive as long possible (lol) 

 

Remember Schumacher coma time …. you think your expensive insurance can pay that time in Thailand Bangkok hospitals ....... Are you a Schumacher $$$$$$ one  All insurances have a limit 

I only try to keep up with immigration requirements ...

[Destiny1990]

16 minutes ago, connda said:

So the real question should be: "Why is the policy not available to long-stay expats. 
That is a rhetorical question.  The answer is obvious.  Long stay expats, especially those with family, are a 'captured audience' who can be milked and whose personal wealth can be harvested.  

Any long stay expat can buy a personal accident policy insurance it cost about 4,000 bht a year.

You can buy them at your local bank however they not yet available for short staying tourists.

Many tourists end up in hospitals for some accidents often not even their own fault.

[NE1]

If the asking price is 400,000 baht cover .  Does not the 400,000/800,000 baht you need for an extension in your bank cover this ?

It is for living allowances etc. It does not stipulate that you cannot use it for medical bills .

 

 

[holy cow cm]

15 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

That is the headline, read further into to story and which long term is clarified.

 

"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. Each renewal is valid for one year."

I did read into it. And it just basically amounts to everyone over 50 whether new visa or renewal which is an extension will have to pay. If one was to go get a new visa, it is not renewal. It is a totally new visa. So let's see what they come up with in final rules, but I don't see it changing much at all. The biggest thing is having a better plan for government coverage of insurance offered rather than what is offered now at very high rates that don't add up to squat..