Health insurance mandatory for long-stay foreigners in Thailand

[OJAS]

20 minutes ago, brewsterbudgen said:

Fabulous 103 isn't official.

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk
 

And, having listened to their clip, it strikes me that they're largely repeating what's been said in the OP - which, likewise, isn't official! 

[ianezy0]

Well.....It was only November last year when I jumped through the hoops to obtain my retirement visa. Then a few months ago I cleared the jump bars to ensure I had the 800k. Now....they want me to be insured in case I injure myself on all these hurdles.

what next!!!!!

[metisdead]

An off topic post has been removed. 

[aqua4]

2 minutes ago, ianezy0 said:

Well.....It was only November last year when I jumped through the hoops to obtain my retirement visa. Then a few months ago I cleared the jump bars to ensure I had the 800k. Now....they want me to be insured in case I injure myself on all these hurdles.

what next!!!!!

 

Stool sample and DNA test. They already did the fingerprint thing. 

 

 

[Inn Between]

13 hours ago, Mango Bob said:

I wonder if this will be a problem if you are a retired American military with Tricare for Life coverage.   You pay 25% of the bill and no more than $3,000 a year.  After that Tricare covers the total cost.  This is better than any plan they list here.

 

13 hours ago, gunderhill said:

Using THAI  LOGIC bound to fail 100%  guaranteed.

 

I have to agree that the likelihood of any Thai bureaucrat getting his head around that scheme is unlikely, but if there enough of you in Thailand in that situation, perhaps the embassy can get involved to catch an ear high enough up the Imm. police ranks to get someone who can understand.  

 

 

I'd like to see the demographics by nationality of foreigners that don't pay their hospital bills. Is it usually people from Western nations or more likely to be a poor Cambodian, Laotian, or Burmese immigrant? How are immigrant workers treated in this area? Do they get basic Thai health care, or will they be required to have the same type of insurance as say a Brit coming into Thailand? 

 

It will be interesting to see how this is all handled once the rules are fully in place and how much effect it will have on tourism numbers.   

[canukbob1]

More More and even More when is this going to stop, as if it wasn't enough with the new Visa laws now this unbelievable.

There will be a mass exodus of this place, many are leaving now just over the new visa regs but this puts the nail in the coffin for many Expats, just sucking you dry like leeches wanting more and more of your hard earned money. Most Expats spend a lot of money here every month be it with a Thai Wife, or GF also 99% of the time supporting their Thai Families every month. I've been here 15 years and had enough of this I'm outta here ASAP. Sooner the better Cambodia here I come, should have done it years ago.  

[newatthis]

1 hour ago, happy chappie said:

It seems like the whole country of expats are being forced into paying out billions of baht because there's a couple of dozen incidents where a tourist has no insurance.i think I read that the hospitals were complaining that they lose 60 million baht a year in unpaid bills by tourists.A vary small amount of loss considering how much the tourist pour into the country.with this new rule they will probably lose 100 times much more trade to another destination but that's Thai thinking for you.how about sticking 50b on everyone who enters the country that are staying over a day in Thailand.that would easily cover the loses.

There has been a few posters on here talking about the old expats skipping out on hospital bills (without any actual proof, of course). 

Yet, the hospitals have clearly pointed the finger at the tourists and not the expats.

Too many on TVF love to condemn others without even knowing them. 

[rabas]

3 minutes ago, ianezy0 said:

Well.....It was only November last year when I jumped through the hoops to obtain my retirement visa. Then a few months ago I cleared the jump bars to ensure I had the 800k. Now....they want me to be insured in case I injure myself on all these hurdles.

what next!!!!!

My sympathies. You come at an unusually difficult time, bare with it, the hoops will seem easier as you learn, you will get the hang of it.

 

Imm officer: Jump.

Farang: How high?

Imm officer: Too high.

[GeorgeCross]

3 minutes ago, Inn Between said:

I'd like to see the demographics by nationality of foreigners that don't pay their hospital bills. Is it usually people from Western nations or more likely to be a poor Cambodian, Laotian, or Burmese immigrant? How are immigrant workers treated in this area? Do they get basic Thai health care, or will they be required to have the same type of insurance as say a Brit coming into Thailand? 

 

It will be interesting to see how this is all handled once the rules are fully in place and how much effect it will have on tourism numbers.   

 

not seen many 90 year old burmese migrants around - maybe they went home.. or the work killed them, who knows

 

[inThailand]

Just talked to a few Thai ladies who have falang husbands. They said good, because he's past his expiration date and wont die, this may do him in. Happy days are here again. 

[BritManToo]

3 minutes ago, newatthis said:

There has been a few posters on here talking about the old expats skipping out on hospital bills (without any actual proof, of course). 

Yet, the hospitals have clearly pointed the finger at the tourists and not the expats.

Too many on TVF love to condemn others without even knowing them. 

It's the "I have loads of money and already buy insurance" crowd looking down on everyone without insurance.

They'll be crying when they find out only the crappy Thai insurance is recognised, and they'll have to buy twice.

[JWRC]

After wading through all the speculation on here, I see quite a few have asked when this will start and as far as I can tell, no one has answered that.

If there is not a start date then the article started by webfact is misleading in as much as it gives the impression this is a done deal.

 

I have had a very stressful day as a result of this misleading post and now going through some of the posts it appears that the requirement is not yet in place.

 

Perhaps our most intelligent of visa advisors namely Ubon Joe could shed some light on this, my personal situation is that my visa extension is due at the beginning of June and I would like to be prepared,

[DUNROAMIN]

8 hours ago, Jingthing said:

The elite card visa requires health insurance? Link please.

Sent from my Lenovo A7020a48 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

These are the requirements for long stay visas.

http://www.thaiembassy.ca/en/visiting-thailand/visas/types-visas-periods-stay-fees/visa-ox-10yrs-long-stay

[BritManToo]

2 minutes ago, JWRC said:

Perhaps our most intelligent of visa advisors namely Ubon Joe could shed some light on this, my personal situation is that my visa extension is due at the beginning of June and I would like to be prepared,

It says only O-A VISAs, nothing mentioned about extensions.

Why are you worrying about nothing?

[canukbob1]

5 minutes ago, newatthis said:

There has been a few posters on here talking about the old expats skipping out on hospital bills (without any actual proof, of course). 

Yet, the hospitals have clearly pointed the finger at the tourists and not the expats.

Too many on TVF love to condemn others without even knowing them. 

Never seen anyone go to In Patients without paying first otherwise no treatment Period

[Myome]

Has anyone seen anything official about this? Wasn't the news clip from a health official, not immigration?

 

[evadgib]

8 minutes ago, canukbob1 said:

More More and even More when is this going to stop, as if it wasn't enough with the new Visa laws now this unbelievable.

There will be a mass exodus of this place, many are leaving now just over the new visa regs but this puts the nail in the coffin for many Expats, just sucking you dry like leeches wanting more and more of your hard earned money. Most Expats spend a lot of money here every month be it with a Thai Wife, or GF also 99% of the time supporting their Thai Families every month. I've been here 15 years and had enough of this I'm outta here ASAP. Sooner the better Cambodia here I come, should have done it years ago.  

Yet this is your first post...?

[aqua4]

10 minutes ago, Inn Between said:

I'd like to see the demographics by nationality of foreigners that don't pay their hospital bills. Is it usually people from Western nations or more likely to be a poor Cambodian, Laotian, or Burmese immigrant? How are immigrant workers treated in this area?

They have work permits so they are covered by social security. ????

 

7 minutes ago, newatthis said:

There has been a few posters on here talking about the old expats skipping out on hospital bills (without any actual proof, of course). 

 

Mate, you dont get to leave the hospital when you cant pay. They call immigration on you. 

 

 

[inThailand]

And there is a mandatory beneficiary clause which must be a ex thai gf or wife. That's hitting below the belt. 

 

[kritsana77]

9 hours ago, Melbun said:

Life is unfair - But you chose to live in THEIR country.

Yes it is Their country, and don't you forget it farang. I am taking my money and retiring in a country with a safer roads, a more stable government and with a society that is not so xenophobic. You can kiss a## to them all you want. I lived in Thailand for 15 years and I know the society quite well my friend. But hey, enjoy your time there. I did and I am moving on.

[granuaile]

Really people need health insurance here. I had Blue Cross Blue Shield before from my retirement system, that covered me here and had a network, I now have a Medicare Advantage plan through my retirement system (turned 65 alas) that covers me here for emergencies and hospitalization and also up to about 120,000 baht annually for routine things such as office visits. I made the decision to leave after the changes with the U.S. Embassy and pension letters. bought my ticket home a couple of months and leave in a few weeks - I think I made the right choice, even if I agree with requiring health insurance I don't see any certainty in what documentation will be accepted. For me a few months back home, then Ireland for a month, then U.S. and Canada, followed by Ireland again. I just don't need hassles as I get older, will visit here for sure but I don't think moving back anytime soon is in my plans.

[JetsetBkk]

11 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

It says only O-A VISAs, nothing mentioned about extensions.

Why are you worrying about nothing?

 

Nothing about extensions?

 

"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."

 

 

[edwinchester]

14 minutes ago, canukbob1 said:

Never seen anyone go to In Patients without paying first otherwise no treatment Period

I've been an in patient two times in the last three years and both times completed my treatment before paying the bill.

[DrTuner]

8 hours ago, Jingthing said:

The elite card visa requires health insurance? 

I got PE (the visa that you get when in the elite program) and no insurance (got enough cash to cover anything except perhaps a brain transplant). I don't know if anybody ever bothers to extend the permission to stay when having a PE visa, as it gives 1y every entry. The extension would probably have to be on the usual terms so any insurance requirement would apply.

 

The only reason I'd take an insurance is to satisfy yet more hoops. Cold hard cash works better.

[Puchaiyank]

Add insurance to 800000 baht visa requirement, rent, utilities, home and auto maintenance, constant phone calls to the misses to squeeze the ATM machine, ever changing visa requirements, 90 day reporting, finger printing and facial scanning at airports...AND a population that is turning their attention to the Chinese...and you have the perfect time to activate plan B...????

[JetsetBkk]

14 hours ago, gunderhill said:

15 hours ago, webfact said:

might consider requiring them to have higher deposits in bank accounts

Well  surely  this would mean at least another 400k and  another 40k for outpatients in the bank which would suit me  just fine.

 

I'll go for that. 

 

[DrTuner]

Just now, Puchaiyank said:

Add insurance to 800000 baht visa requirement, rent, utilities, home and auto maintenance, constant phone calls to the misses to squeeze the ATM machine, ever changing visa requirements, 90 day reporting, finger printing and facial scanning at airports...AND a population that is turning their attention to the Chinese...and you have the perfect time to activate plan B...????

Plan B should have been activated a couple of years ago if stuck with a home & family. I did. Now it's starting to be late to initiate the escape.

[Inn Between]

1 minute ago, kritsana77 said:

Yes it is Their country, and don't you forget it farang. I am taking my money and retiring in a country with a safer roads, a more stable government and with a society that is not so xenophobic. You can kiss a## to them all you want. I lived in Thailand for 15 years and I know the society quite well my friend. But hey, enjoy your time there. I did and I am moving on.

 

I lived and worked in Thailand for many years but am back in Canada due to family circumstances. I had every intention of returning to the place I enjoyed very much, for the most part, but I have to admit that facing what seems to be increasingly negative aspects of immigration routines and other inconveniences has me questioning whether Thailand is a good choice again at this stage in my life. 

 

The potential need for mandatory insurance isn't the deciding factor for me, as I think people should have it anyway if not financially able to handle any medical emergency, and sometime even adults need to be told what to do and made to do it. I have started looking at alternative warm locations to live. The strength of the Thai baht makes Thailand a little less appealing as well, but of course that's something that can change down the road.

 

I'll probably look at some of the places outside HCMC to get an idea if Vietnam strikes the right note with me rather than heading directly back to Thailand. Any other suggestions as a better alternative to Prayutland? 

 

 

[onera1961]

16 minutes ago, granuaile said:

I now have a Medicare Advantage

Does medicare advantage covers in Thailand? 

[GalaxyMan]

8 minutes ago, edwinchester said:

I've been an in patient two times in the last three years and both times completed my treatment before paying the bill.

Same. Always pay at the conclusion of whatever I was there for. Did it just yesterday, as a matter of fact.