Health insurance mandatory for long-stay foreigners in Thailand

[stanleycoin]

Just now, Nong Khai Man said:

But I Don't Drink Alcohol Anyway !!

Think his just jealous he can't ever live here. 

[brianthainess]

After my friend has made several phone calls to immigration he has been told it will only apply to O-X visa long stay 10 yr visa,and was told not to read the newspapers.

[david555]

3 hours ago, gmac said:

But then there this :- 

 

"UPDATE: Phuket Immigration Chief Col Kathathorn Kumthieng confirmed to The Phuket News today (May 14) that he has been informed of the new requirement but that he has yet to receive an order for his office to start applying it when processing applications for one-year Non-Immigrant O-A permits-to-stay.

Col Kathathorn also confirmed that the new insusrance requirement applies only to Non-Immigrant O-A "retirement" visas."

Read more at https://www.thephuketnews.com/cabinet-approves-mandatory-health-insurance-for-long-stay-visas-71424.php#pLgXBXuJ2VvlgRuJ.99

 

Apologies if some one has already posted this I'm only up to page 38  so far!  

Then let us hope we ALL can let that chief col Kathathorn  do our  ret. ext. application 

[Tuvoc]

1 minute ago, brianthainess said:

After my friend has made several phone calls to immigration he has been told it will only apply to O-X visa long stay 10 yr visa,and was told not to read the newspapers.

 

Chances are that immigration officer is just speculating as well. Let's wait for further information.

[Huckenfell]

33 minutes ago, Krataiboy said:

Your posting shows little understanding of or empathy with the situation of many long-term, elderly expats like myself, who have raised families with a Thai national in the expectation of spending the rest of our lives here.

 

"Go home, for god's sake" is advice I, for one, am unwilling to take - any more than I relish being blackmailed into buying outrageously expensive insurance which precludes treatment for existing conditions most likely to kill me off!

 

Like many of my sensible and responsible contemporaries, I have set aside part of my modest savings to take care of my medical needs. The rest I was planning to leave to my wife, who has taken good care of me - and our family of five children - for 17 years and will doubtless continue to do so in my dotage.

 

I have no wish to resettle in my homeland (the UK) for any reason - and certainly not on the off chance of receiving better medical treatment than here. Apart from any other consideration, this would mean saying goodbye to the people I love most and the place I call home. 

 

Hopefully, you now understand why your "go home" advice is, for large numbers of us, as impractical as it is arrogant.

 

 

Well said Krataiboy.  This is exactly what is facing so many of us. In my last post i am asking for someone with the ability to post a petition for Thai immigration.

 

[brianthainess]

must read 80939-Non-–-Immigrant-Visa--“O---X”-.html

[Huckenfell]

31 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

Don't keep us in suspense, what do you consider it says?

I am afraid i will have to ask you this question as i cannot safely work it out.

[brianthainess]

7 minutes ago, Tuvoc said:

 

Chances are that immigration officer is just speculating as well. Let's wait for further information.

80939-Non-–-Immigrant-Visa--“O---X”-.html   further info.

80939-Non-–-Immigrant-Visa--“O---X”-.html

[kickstart]

On 5/14/2019 at 8:24 AM, Jeffrey346 said:

I am insured by the Thai Gov.. My co-pay is B280. How can your bill be B77, Makes no sense..

 

How about all those who like to post "My wife is a civil servant, and under the Thai social security system I will get free treatment ", they could well have been chocking on they cornflakes this morning reading this. they now might have to pay for their own health insurance.

 

 

It probably has been said ,what if the hospital  you go to does not take your health insurance ,I had a hip replacement done last year I showed them my UK health insurance card and they would not accept it ,they accepted my AIA card, which paid for some of the costs, but I had to pay upfront then claim it back from the insurance company, and that took 6 months  

[denby45]

On 5/14/2019 at 12:20 PM, jesimps said:

You'll probably get it anyway. I read recently that the hospitals have given up checking the passports of health tourists. Too much work. I'd imagine a Brit with an NHS number will have no problem bluffing his way in.

Not been back to the UK for years so I don't know anything about any NHS number. Even when I lived there I don't remember ever having a number just a file at the doctors. Obviously when I go back I will have to register and get that number. I wonder what they ask for when you register.

 

 

Den

 

 

[Peterw42]

22 minutes ago, Don Mega said:

other than renew the visa what else could it mean ?

There is no visa renewal, ever, a visa expires then you get a new one or apply for an extension of stay (not visa). A visa gives you entry and permission to stay, after the visa expires, and approaching the end of your permission to stay you apply for an extension to the stay.

 

.

[Nong Khai Man]

 I'd imagine a Brit with an NHS number will have no problem bluffing his way in........But You wouldn't have to BLUFF You're Way in....

[Nong Khai Man]

3 minutes ago, denby45 said:

Not been back to the UK for years so I don't know anything about any NHS number. Even when I lived there I don't remember ever having a number just a file at the doctors. Obviously when I go back I will have to register and get that number. I wonder what they ask for when you register.

 

 

Den

 

 

Everyone has an NHS Number Mate,If You had a Doctor in The U.K Then YOU Certainly DID Have one !!

[Jingthing]

5 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Zero pollution (beyond the normal Asian trash thrown around).

Air was completely clear, there was a bit of field burning between Poipet and Siem Reap, but it didn't seem to hang around.

Very similar to Chiang Mai ten years back in the social 'feel', I really liked it.

That's interesting because when I was deciding where to live in Thailand, CM was my top choice, but I rejected it based on the smoky season, and of course it's gotten much worse since then (so that was a wise decision for me). 

[Don Mega]

3 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

There is no visa renewal, ever, a visa expires then you get a new one or apply for an extension of stay (not visa). A visa gives you entry and permission to stay, after the visa expires, and approaching the end of your permission to stay you apply for an extension to the stay.

 

.

yeah... righto.

[ICELANDMAN]

Ok I lost the bad news yesterday, today any bad news or I have to waiting tomorrow ?

[Jingthing]

6 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

There is no visa renewal, ever, a visa expires then you get a new one or apply for an extension of stay (not visa). A visa gives you entry and permission to stay, after the visa expires, and approaching the end of your permission to stay you apply for an extension to the stay.

 

.

But people say visa renewal all the time to describe extensions and that includes the press, visa agent adverts, and even immigration officers. So pretending there is any certainty indicated in the language coming in the press now is simply FOOLISH. 

[Henryford]

1 hour ago, Tuvoc said:

 

Of course you have to be truthful on any insurance application, if not then you are throwing your money down the toilet as the cover would be void. However I assume they have no access to your overseas medical record, so in that scenario unless you were diagnosed in Thailand how would they know ? 

The policies are useless anyway. They will find a reason not to pay out. It's just another visa tax.

[brianthainess]

8 minutes ago, Nong Khai Man said:

Everyone has an NHS Number Mate,If You had a Doctor in The U.K Then YOU Certainly DID Have one !!

Or ever legally worked.

[dcnx]

Told you all this was coming.

[stanleycoin]

Just now, dcnx said:

Told you all this was coming.

+ 1 

[brianthainess]

2 minutes ago, dcnx said:

Told you all this was coming.

READ MY POST.

[Jingthing]

So which is it? O-A visas only or also extension of O and O-A?

 

 

 

[ivor bigun]

Its hard to understand the thinking ,the response to the question "what about people who cant get insurance?" More than likely have more money deposited to cover it ,well they just told us we cant use 400k of our own money any longer,thought that would have been for "emergencies" crazy Thailand

 

Sent from my SM-A720F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

 

 

 

 

[brianthainess]

43 minutes ago, Tuvoc said:

 

Chances are that immigration officer is just speculating as well. Let's wait for further information.

80939-Non-–-Immigrant-Visa--“O---X”-.html

[Jingthing]

Just now, ivor bigun said:

Its hard to understand the thinking ,the response to the question "what about people who cant get insurance?" More than likely have more money deposited to cover it ,well they just told us we cany use 400k of our own money any longer,thought that would have been for "emergancies" crazy Thailand

Sent from my SM-A720F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

Yes, true, but that is only for the bank method. Income method people don't even need a local bank account if they can still get an embassy letter. 

[brianthainess]

49 minutes ago, brianthainess said:

After my friend has made several phone calls to immigration he has been told it will only apply to O-X visa long stay 10 yr visa,and was told not to read the newspapers.

80939-Non-–-Immigrant-Visa--“O---X”-.html80939-Non-–-Immigrant-Visa--“O---X”-.html

[ICELANDMAN]

2 hours ago, Peterw42 said:

Its not so much skipping and not paying, its also just the extra burden on the public system. Ex-pats without insurance (even when they pay) tend to use the cheaper public hospitals that are already stretched, have lots of patients and waiting lists etc.

Make ex-pats get insurance and it moves them into private hospitals freeing up the public system.

I see you never have experience for scammers privates hospitals, good Luke

[rott]

1 hour ago, Huckenfell said:

This latest hurdle that they have found for us to jump over needs to be questioned.  Someone with the ability needs to organise another petition explaining to the government that many of us long term visa holders cannot get insurance because of our age. Asking them what is the reason for the 800.000 bht  required in the visa application. Explaining the incompassionate cruelty, that many will have to leave and desert their Thai families. This petition should be only open to those concerned and certainly not the likes of teenage tourists or in fact anyone who is not a retirement visa holder. Unless they are going to apply for one.

 

And you seriously think they are interested in having explanations from foreigners or foreigners telling them how to do their job?

Sorry.

[Mango Bob]

Read this:   https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1100622-mandatory-health-insurance-for-foreigners-aged-over-50-in-thailand-why-it-may-not-affect-you/