Mandatory health insurance for foreigners aged over 50 in Thailand - why it may not affect you

[RotBenz8888]

51 minutes ago, Mike Teavee said:

Sorry but It's myopic or naive to believe that the mandatory health insurance won't be applied to (almost?) everybody who's over 50 & is on a long term (1 year) visa  

 

Think about it... the (Perceived) "Problem" is long term stayers over 50 running up unpaid medical bills, so what difference does it make whether they're on a Non-OA or extension of it or extension of a Non-O (>50 or Retirement) or even on a Thai Elite visa?

 

The only exception I can see that makes sense is for people who use the money in the bank method, why would you need to be able to prove you have 400k/40k of Insurance coverage when you show that you have that in the Bank 

 

However it's not always the immigration rules makes sense....

[brewsterbudgen]

Sorry but It's myopic or naive to believe that the mandatory health insurance won't be applied to (almost?) everybody who's over 50 & is on a long term (1 year) visa  
 
Think about it... the (Perceived) "Problem" is long term stayers over 50 running up unpaid medical bills, so what difference does it make whether they're on a Non-OA or extension of it or extension of a Non-O (>50 or Retirement) or even on a Thai Elite visa?
 
The only exception I can see that makes sense is for people who use the money in the bank method, why would you need to be able to prove you have 400k/40k of Insurance coverage when you show that you have that in the Bank 
 

Maybe it will. But that's not what is being proposed by the Cabinet. Let's see what the official Police Order says when it is published.

When the law was changed to make insurance mandatory for OX visas, many speculated that it would affect Extensions and other visas as well. It didn't. Now OA visas are being affected. Who knows what will happen down the line? It's all just speculation.

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[wimpy]

I'd prefer to put an additional 400k on deposit, rather than wasting 40k a year on a crappy insurance policy.

[Peterw42]

12 minutes ago, brewsterbudgen said:

Maybe it will. But that's not what is being proposed by the Cabinet. Let's see what the official Police Order says when it is published.

When the law was changed to make insurance mandatory for OX visas, many speculated that it would affect Extensions and other visas as well. It didn't. Now OA visas are being affected. Who knows what will happen down the line? It's all just speculation.

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There wont be a police order, OA visa are nothing to do with immigration, they dont issue them, renew them or extend them. Immigration does extensions of stay for after the visa is finished and the police orders have already been written for that.

[Peterw42]

I dont know how many times this has to be said before it sinks in

 

IMMIGRATION DOES NOT ISSUE, EXTEND OR RENEW VISA'S

(exception being a temp O visa, to generate a stay that can then be extended)

 

Immigration issues 2 things, permission to stay stamps and extension of stay stamps.

 

Once you enter Thailand using a visa issued (by the Ministry of foreign affairs), outside Thailand, you are not hitting the bars and beaches with a visa in your back pocket, you are hitting the bars and beaches with a permission to stay stamp in your back pocket. When that runs out you are hitting the bars and beaches with an extension of stay in your back pocket.

 

The visa you entered the country with is irrelevant to the separate extension of stay.

 

[Searat7]

I think this is being done in steps...first step is requiring insurance for O-A visas issued outside Thailand but a year down the road I can see this required for extensions of stay issued in Thailand. Looking back at all the changes made in the last year this is a no brainer. 

[tingtongtourist]

14 hours ago, ianezy0 said:

Thanks for the reply.

i already had a Thai bank AC from when I was working over here so I transferred the 800k before my application. I printed off an online statement which was then signed by a JP in Cairns. 

I have put 800k into a FD account thinking I would need to show this when it came to renew. But, as you inform me, I will not be able to extend or renew the OA visa in Thailand. Do I understand you correctly? Cheers

I did think you can exit just before the O-A expires and come back in to get a second year, but after the second year you cannot do again, and must get another O-A from your own country again.

my opinion, others might clarify

[brewsterbudgen]

There wont be a police order, OA visa are nothing to do with immigration, they dont issue them, renew them or extend them. Immigration does extensions of stay for after the visa is finished and the police orders have already been written for that.

Thanks I didn't know that. What is the next stage in this Cabinet decision becoming law? A Royal decree?

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[luckyluke]

13 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

There wont be a police order,

We don't want to believe bad news, 

we have doubts about the veracity of good news,

we hate to be kept in the dark.

[Valentine]

A little confused. If currently on a single retirement extension of stay can ot be converted to extension based on marriage without leaving the country & will this require health insurance which I already have

[Primo D]

As an expat we all want to abide by the laws of the land.

But is difficult to conform/comply when the laws are constantly in flux.

Simplification, clarification and continuity would help both immigration officials and visa holders.

[Ricebarnandrooms]

10 hours ago, AYJAYDEE said:

how will that guy guarantee to the thai immigration that he in fact has the money in the bank and that it will be there at a moments notice if required?

If he is on a retirement visa he has 800000 in the bank if he is married visa then he has 400000 in the bank. Enough said.

[Ricebarnandrooms]

12 minutes ago, Valentine said:

A little confused. If currently on a single retirement extension of stay can ot be converted to extension based on marriage without leaving the country & will this require health insurance which I already have

I believe that you can simply go to immigration and change your retirement visa to married.  Your visa will continue as an extention.

Unlike retirement one stop service, a married visa requires investigation and checks. Dont be afraid to go to immigration and ask how to do it. Dont sit at home or search the internet. Get it right first time.

[Ricebarnandrooms]

37 minutes ago, tingtongtourist said:

I did think you can exit just before the O-A expires and come back in to get a second year, but after the second year you cannot do again, and must get another O-A from your own country again.

my opinion, others might clarify

Why dont you just apply for a non o visa from the Thai embassy, reason retirement. When you arrive you go to immigration within  a month, with letters from the bank. That way you are not getting a O-A but a normal one.

[zydeco]

1 hour ago, tingtongtourist said:

As i understand, the O-A applicant must show equal to 800k in bank account in his own country.

many would probably be more cashed up than TV guys screaming about having to keep 400k in the bank a few months

The 400K is kept permanently, not just a few months. And if your 800K equivalent is not in a Thai bank, then maybe they want that money in a Thai bank. That's what happened with the letters of income. Income did not have to be deposited in a Thai bank. Now, it does.

[tingtongtourist]

6 minutes ago, Ricebarnandrooms said:

Why dont you just apply for a non o visa from the Thai embassy, reason retirement. When you arrive you go to immigration within  a month, with letters from the bank. That way you are not getting a O-A but a normal one.

It was not for me, just answering another poster.

But im not sure if you can get non O, from an outside embassy? 

I think they offer O-A.

Anyway, your plan would work even if just come in on tourist visa then apply for O later, as you said.

But I think many would have a problem about putting 800k in a Thai bank because some exchange rates are now very poor.

 

I guess this is why people prefer the O-A from own country as you can show equal to 800k baht in your own country bank account currency.

Im sure now they will have nobody get this visa if you must pay a fortune for what is useless insurance cover.

 

The whole thing is a completely useless exercise anyway

some foriegner who didnt pay bills would have racked up millions in some cases..

but this insurance covers what? 400k? 

LOL

 

so the hospital is gauranteed to get back 400k frim insurance company, but what about if is a majour surgery that cost

3million? 

the foriegner is then ok to run away without paying the other 2,600,000?

  lol

[Pib]

1 hour ago, brewsterbudgen said:

Maybe it will. But that's not what is being proposed by the Cabinet. Let's see what the official Police Order says when it is published.

When the law was changed to make insurance mandatory for OX visas, many speculated that it would affect Extensions and other visas as well. It didn't. Now OA visas are being affected. Who knows what will happen down the line? It's all just speculation.
 

 

For an 10 year (really 5 + 5) OX Visa a person still needs to report annually to immigration to prove he/she still meets the qualifications....one of which is having medical insurance.

 

See below Thai Embassy-Washington D.C. webpage and partial quote regarding OX visa requirements.  Note the requirement to prove each year you still have the required medical insurance.   You can plan on the same occurring with the update the O-A Visa requirements....like when you report annually to immigration to get an extension of stay renewal.

 

https://thaiembdc.org/non-immigrant-visa-category-o-x-long-stay/

Quote

 

– Foreigners must report, in person, to the immigration officer every 1 year for the examination of the qualifications and supporting documents.

– Stay permit of the Non-O-X visa holders may be revoked due to following conditions:

1) Foreigners do not have financial evidence as per stipulated by above qualifications such as:

– The sum of money in the bank account is less than 3 million Baht at the end of the first year of stay period in Thailand.

– the sum of money in the bank account is less than 1.5 million Baht at the end of the second year of stay period in Thailand, and/or the money in said account was spent outside Thailand.

2) Foreigners do not have insurance as per stipulated by above qualifications.

3) Foreigners pose threat to peace and security of Thailand.

4) Foreigners work without permission.

 

 

[mosan]

6 hours ago, NokNokJoke said:

I did a cursory look at the insurance application forms with the intention of trying to get coverage before I leave the US, but at least one carrier wanted a thai address.   So, not an address for immigration purposes.

 

Straying off topic, but on the O-A forms for DC, they have spaces for flight number.     I was not intending to book a flight until I had the O-A visa.  Any problem leaving blank or just putting something in there?  

I left that blank, because If I remember correctly, they wanted flight information for the Non Immigrant O VISA, but not for the Non Immigrant O-A VISA...

[zydeco]

3 minutes ago, Pib said:

 

For an 10 year (really 5 + 5) OX Visa a person still needs to report annually to immigration to prove he/she still meets the qualifications....one of which is having medical insurance.

 

See below Thai Embassy-Washington D.C. webpage and partial quote regarding OX visa requirements.  Note the requirement to prove each year you still have the required medical insurance.   You can plan on the same occurring with the update the O-A Visa requirements....like when you report annually to immigration to get an extension of stay renewal.

 

https://thaiembdc.org/non-immigrant-visa-category-o-x-long-stay/

 

Looks terrible. Why would anyone get an OX then? If you still need to spend a day at immigration, coughing up what looks like MORE paperwork, what's the point of keeping 3 million, instead of 800K?

[luckyluke]

11 minutes ago, zydeco said:

That's what happened with the letters of income. Income did not have to be deposited in a Thai bank. Now, it does.

For 3 nationalities, yes.

Not for all the other ones.

So far.

Of course it can change today.

Everything is subject to change here.

There is no certitude.

[Carolina Reaper]

Does anybody know if there's such a thing as an outpatient-only insurance policy in Thailand? I currently have an inpatient/ambulatory-surgery-only policy (annual limit of USD 2M, coverage for private room, many other things that put the Thai policies to shame). To add outpatient to that international plan seems not to be cost-effective, at least for seeking care in Thailand, and I'd be getting an outpatient coverage limit of around THB 800K instead of 40K, which I don't really need.

 

I'm fairly sure the answer is no, unfortunately.

[tingtongtourist]

3 minutes ago, zydeco said:

The 400K is kept permanently, not just a few months. And if your 800K equivalent is not in a Thai bank, then maybe they want that money in a Thai bank. That's what happened with the letters of income. Income did not have to be deposited in a Thai bank. Now, it does.

 

we are talking about when you apply for visa in your own country.

The consulates there will except the proof in the currency of your country OR Thai baht, i dont think that will ever change.

 

IMO, This really is nothing to do with medical bills or they would also include it for all foriegners over 50y.o on extensions or whatever permit to stay they use.

 

No, they are clearly aim at the visa applicant who get a visa showing proof of funds in another country/currency.

 

Who is gonna get O-A visa from your own country if you gotta pay 50k baht for useless insurance?

 

of course people will now do it the way you suggested.. to get O visa for Thailand by showing 800k in thai bank. 

job done!

[Jano22]

15 hours ago, Huckenfell said:

But they still have to show 800.000 bht which should be enough to get them home for medical treatment. if necessary

Doesn’t help you much if you need a urgent treatment , and your condition not allow you to get on a plane.

[Jano22]

10 hours ago, the guest said:

Not sure what the fuss is about. Anyone entering Thailand should obtain mandatory insurance, whether you're a tourist or long stay visitor. It's very simple, and in line with most other countries.

Agreed

[CharlieH]

Defamatory post removed in accordance with forum rules.

[mercman24]

this out-patient thing 40,000 is an absolute bloody joke.  run this by you, went to Pattaya gov hospital, 22/04/18 with excruciating lower pain, got called over to the cashier, had to pay 1500, (ok i thought, thats a deposit) see a doc, he said a gallstone, then off to x ray, urine test, back to the doc, show me the x ray, spot on, wait, get tablets,then called to cashier,i think ok , time to cough up, i went over and she gave me 300 baht back, i have the bill in front of me now, in fact the total was 1210 baht. BREAKDOWN -- Drugs 70 baht-Lab Investigation 200 - Radiology/x,ray - Diagnose 440 - DOCTOR 500,  TOTAL 1210 Baht, where the hell does 40,000 baht come into it, LOS land of scams.

[sumrit]

21 hours ago, malagateddy said:

I am not a gossip monger..

But you are. Unless you provide accurate facts and sources to back up your comments, what you have written in your post is just pure gossip, plain and simple.

[madmen]

1 hour ago, tingtongtourist said:

It was not for me, just answering another poster.

But im not sure if you can get non O, from an outside embassy? 

I think they offer O-A.

Anyway, your plan would work even if just come in on tourist visa then apply for O later, as you said.

But I think many would have a problem about putting 800k in a Thai bank because some exchange rates are now very poor.

 

I guess this is why people prefer the O-A from own country as you can show equal to 800k baht in your own country bank account currency.

Im sure now they will have nobody get this visa if you must pay a fortune for what is useless insurance cover.

 

The whole thing is a completely useless exercise anyway

some foriegner who didnt pay bills would have racked up millions in some cases..

but this insurance covers what? 400k? 

LOL

 

so the hospital is gauranteed to get back 400k frim insurance company, but what about if is a majour surgery that cost

3million? 

the foriegner is then ok to run away without paying the other 2,600,000?

  lol

Its clearly stated that you can have insurance from your own country. you do NOT have to take out Thai insurance. For some reason farang choose to ignore this factual statement

[giddyup]

3 minutes ago, madmen said:

Its clearly stated that you can have insurance from your own country. you do NOT have to take out Thai insurance. For some reason farang choose to ignore this factual statement

As long as that insurance covers you whilst in Thailand.

[mercman24]

update on my post 296, just been in talks with a close friend, he had skin cancer on his arm, a few years ago,  two biopsy operations, and his total outlay was 6,500 baht so i ask once again, who concocted this this rediculous figure of 40,000 baht for out patient care. they havent got a bloody clue.