Mandatory health insurance for non-immigrant O-A retirement visa holders likely to take effect in July

[AYJAYDEE]

6 minutes ago, Andrew Dwyer said:

Unfortunately Huckenfell gets a new OA from OZ every 2 years so without a doubt is affected by this new rule.
Of course he can get an extension by depositing or transfers to a Thai bank account, which I presume he has been avoiding, hence getting a new OA.
The loophole which the OA provided has been sussed !!

Options now are, pay the mandatory health insurance ( if possible ) or extend and deal with the financial requirements.
I don’t believe mandatory health insurance is required for extensions............yet !!

didnt the guy in phuket say it applied to "renewals"?  he may have meant extensions

 

[Andrew Dwyer]

didnt the guy in phuket say it applied to "renewals"?  he may have meant extensions
 

Yes, it’s still a very grey area IMO.

I am routing for it only to apply to new OA applications for 2 reasons :

a) I am on a retirement extension

b) the “ I told you so “ posts from Marcus would be unbearable !!

[ThaiBunny]

3 minutes ago, Andrew Dwyer said:

Yes, it’s still a very grey area IMO.

I know TiT but it makes no sense to insist on medical insurance to get the initial visa then drop the requirement once you're actually settled here

Edited May 18, 2019 by ThaiBunny

[Andrew Dwyer]

I know TiT but it makes no sense to insist on medical insurance to get the initial visa then drop the requirement once you're actually settled here

Yes, I agree, plus as 2 years can be gotten from an OA, how would they monitor the OA holder has cover for the second year.
Someone who gets repeat OA’s would have to pay on and off years !!

Makes no sense at all !!

[Jip99]

6 hours ago, AYJAYDEE said:

only? you dont know that. they mentioned renewals and no one knows what that means.

 

 

I know.

 

They are talking about visas.

 

Extensions are not visas.

[ThaiBunny]

1 minute ago, Jip99 said:

I know.

They are talking about visas.

Extensions are not visas.

I know too. They are talking about visas and "renewals". Most Thais say renewals when technically they mean extensions (someone on TV should take them aside). So they are talking about visas and extensions

[steve73]

Thee problem with making it a requirement even for an O-A visa is that you'll only be covered for the first year, unless they either make the insurance requirement for 2 years, or they check when you "come back in" just before the visa expired for your 2nd entry that you have renewed your insurance.

 

So you may need to pay upfront for 2 year.. for some this would be over 200k, for just 400k of cover (probably much of which would be excluded anyway).

 

Or, the border Immigration would need to check you have renewed your insurance for the 2nd year before granting your permission to stay. (Perhaps permission to stay date should be limited to the validity of any insurance..?)  

 

How does the insurance requirement for the O-X visa work... and does anyone actually use the O-X visa? 

[steve73]

All very well for those extending their permission to stay and requiring to keep 400k minimum throughout the year to say that this "replaces" the insurance requirement (actually it FAR exceeds the insurance benefit, since it could be used for any treatment, including pre-existing conditions, that wouldn't be covered under any insurance).  If you spend your 400k on health issues, then this should not create problems for the following year's extension, providing you have topped it back up within a reasonable timeframe... (I know, in an ideal world...)

 

But what about those using income?  So you may have 65k per month coming in, but not a bean spare to pay for any hospital cost.  So perhaps those using income SHOULD need to show adequate cover.

 

Also, it would not be too onerous a task for the authorities to keep a record of anyone with outstanding hospital bills, and until any outstanding account is settled either be refused exit from the country (or black-listed from subsequent re-entry), or their next extension denied.  The only ones that would then manage to "get away without paying" would be those who leave in a box of ashes.

 

The manner in which the current proposal is being made suggests that it's simply a money grabbing exercise for no real benefit to either the hospitals or the individuals concerned, just the "insurance" companies..  Why doesn't this surprise me at all..? TIT. 

[totally thaied up]

As I see it, they have priced out the O-A via doing the insurance. It will be a dodo Visa now with such requirements added to it. They will force more people to go to extensions and the 800/65K route. At a later date they may force insurance onto extensions but that is at this stage, just pure speculation. Let's wait to see what happens.

[ThaiBunny]

4 minutes ago, steve73 said:

All very well for those extending their permission to stay and requiring to keep 400k minimum throughout the year to say that this "replaces" the insurance requirement (actually it FAR exceeds the insurance benefit, since it could be used for any treatment, including pre-existing conditions, that wouldn't be covered under any insurance).  If you spend your 400k on health issues, then this should not create problems for the following year's extension, providing you have topped it back up within a reasonable timeframe... (I know, in an ideal world...)

Much as I hate to be pedantic, most insurance policies make the cover for a specified amount for each visit, not a specified cap for a period of time. It's entirely conceivable that someone has two or more hospital stays in a year, each costing close to 400K. I would expect the insurance to cover each visit, not the first but not the second or subsequent ones

[steve73]

9 minutes ago, ThaiBunny said:

Much as I hate to be pedantic, most insurance policies make the cover for a specified amount for each visit, not a specified cap for a period of time. It's entirely conceivable that someone has two or more hospital stays in a year, each costing close to 400K. I would expect the insurance to cover each visit, not the first but not the second or subsequent ones

Good point, but in my personal experience of Thai insurance companies they didn't even pay the first time (having initially stated that I was covered), so I ended up with a 200k bill to pay before I was allowed to leave the hospital... So I would fully expect even the first 400k claim to be denied, let alone any further ones...!!!

Edited May 18, 2019 by steve73

[ThaiBunny]

Just now, steve73 said:

Good point, but in my personal experience of Thai insurance companies they didn't even pay the first time (having initially stated that I was covered), so I ended up with a 200k bill to pay before I was allowed to leave... So I would fully expect even the first 400k claim to be denied, let alone any further ones...!!!

I think that about all insurance; the default position is "but you're not covered for that"

[SNowtiger]

Is there a difference between O-A and O Visa ? I checked my Passport and I have an old Non Immigrant O Visa inside ( Used ). I got 3 times extention 1 year Retirement stamp.

Do I need a health inssurace ?

[totally thaied up]

I already have in my Facebook feed agents saying in their advertising ”No bank statements and NO insurance requirements needed”

[Jingthing]

15 minutes ago, SNowtiger said:

Is there a difference between O-A and O Visa ? I checked my Passport and I have an old Non Immigrant O Visa inside ( Used ). I got 3 times extention 1 year Retirement stamp.

Do I need a health inssurace ?

Once you begin with annual retirement extensions there is no difference whatsoever whether you started with an O or O-A.

As of now it seems real that people applying for new O-A visas in their home countries will need the health cover starting in July.

Beyond that, such as for annual extensions whether started with O or O-A, there isn't certainty yet. Right now -- no need. Later -- maybe. 

[SupermarineS6B]

Just another way of milking the Farang...... Get it soon boys because there's shed loads leaving......

[marcusarelus]

22 hours ago, Pattaya46 said:

Sorry but who make stuff up? You! You take second hand article (TheNation) as if it was the official announcement; it's not! My previous quote come from the original article who says that foreign insurance "may be considered for approval", it's a conditional expression, nothing sure.

No article published said, "health insurance for foreign companies may be considered for approval."  Quite the opposite they all said foreign insurance would be accepted. You have linked a Thai language article. I believe your first quote said foreign insurance would not be accepted - no maybe about it.

Edited May 18, 2019 by marcusarelus

[brewsterbudgen]

Just another way of milking the Farang...... Get it soon boys because there's shed loads leaving......

That's a bit unfair. The OX visa which was the first visa to require insurance is only available to 12 selected nations ("farang" ones). Most countries cannot get this 5/10 year visa. I don't believe OA visas are restricted to "farangs", so much like my own country (UK) it's just a case of governments milking immigrants!

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[SupermarineS6B]

2 minutes ago, brewsterbudgen said:

That's a bit unfair. The OX visa which was the first visa to require insurance is only available to 12 selected nations ("farang" ones). Most countries cannot get this 5/10 year visa. I don't believe OA visas are restricted to "farangs", so much like my own country (UK) it's just a case of governments milking immigrants!

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I'm British and i just hope that our government do the same to Thais living in Britain who i know are using the NHS...... and loving it..... This is just another twist of the screw to milk the Farang, which i am one of..... for the time being..... "It's not what it was, nor ever shall be again" Such a shame to see a once great country brought down by a bunch of plastic action men..... who we all know are robbing the place white......

[brewsterbudgen]

I'm British and i just hope that our government do the same to Thais living in Britain who i know are using the NHS...... and loving it..... This is just another twist of the screw to milk the Farang, which i am one of..... for the time being..... "It's not what it was, nor ever shall be again" Such a shame to see a once great country brought down by a bunch of plastic action men..... who we all know are robbing the place white......

Thais living in the UK legally are entitled to use the NHS. That's why they pay a NHS fee when getting their visa and then pay it again when getting Leave to Remain.

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[Scott]

An inflammatory post has been reported and removed.  

[utalkin2me]

On 5/17/2019 at 1:20 PM, GeorgeCross said:

anyways we should know soon enough 

THey could very easily realize how big a headache this is going to be for THEM too, and reverse their decision. 

 

I wonder what the true vegas odds on this would be, along with the over or under on the timing. I am betting both are going to be WAY off what is currently being stated, I just have no idea which way off they will be. 

[inThailand]

It looks like agents will be in the insurance policy fabrication business? 

[DUNROAMIN]

On 5/18/2019 at 12:54 AM, Huckenfell said:

When will your O-A visa expire.

My O-A visa expires in December, however, due to the recent Immigration changes regarding income, I am going to change from my retirement visa to marriage visa, so not sure what will happen at the end of the year.

[KhaoYai]

16 hours ago, inThailand said:

It looks like agents will be in the insurance policy fabrication business? 

No, probably real policies with 400,000 cover and a 399,000 excess????.

Edited May 19, 2019 by KhaoYai

[jaffas21]

Can someone tell me how this applies to teachers generally our insurance is with a designated hospital but the amounts of actual insurance are so low in some cases you have to pay it all yourself and then of course. If you don't have the money what happens then.  i reckon the government just figures we are all covered but frankly its rubbish my outpatients cover is 800 baht a day so i had to spend 3000 baht myself on anti biotics ... its frankly a waste of time

[brewsterbudgen]

Can someone tell me how this applies to teachers generally our insurance is with a designated hospital but the amounts of actual insurance are so low in some cases you have to pay it all yourself and then of course. If you don't have the money what happens then.  i reckon the government just figures we are all covered but frankly its rubbish my outpatients cover is 800 baht a day so i had to spend 3000 baht myself on anti biotics ... its frankly a waste of time

It doesn't apply to teachers. It only applies to people applying for the one year OA visa or 5/10 year OX visa for which you have to be over 50 and which does not allow you to work.

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[AYJAYDEE]

3 hours ago, brewsterbudgen said:

It doesn't apply to teachers. It only applies to people applying for the one year OA visa or 5/10 year OX visa for which you have to be over 50 and which does not allow you to work.

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the article said it applied to "renewals" as well

[brewsterbudgen]

the article said it applied to "renewals" as well

How does that affect teachers?

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[Olmate]

4 minutes ago, brewsterbudgen said:

How does that affect teachers?

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Retired teachers,that’s makes sense!