Interview w/ Pacific Cross about health insurance requirement

[Martyp]

The proposed health insurance requirement is a volatile subject. This YouTube vlog is a fascinating discussion with two Pacific Cross administrators about the health insurance requirement.

 

Ignore the title of the video. It's a little misleading or at least uninteresting

 

Whether you like the "Retired Cheap JC" vlog or not or whether you like or hate Pacific Cross I think there are some interesting ideas and information in this discussion.

 

The video is dated July 12th. The interview begins 14 minutes into the video.

 

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Big Changes to Thailand Mandatory Health Insurance | TIMyT 086

I have my major medical insurance through a company called Pacific Cross. I did a video previously explaining why I chose this company that'll put a link to ...

 

Edited July 15, 2019 by Martyp

[marcusarelus]

At this time there is no requirement for insurance to get an O-A visa in your home country regardless of what this guy says.  

[Martyp]

21 minutes ago, marcusarelus said:

At this time there is no requirement for insurance to get an O-A visa in your home country regardless of what this guy says.  

Absolutely true. You obviously didn’t watch the video. But I do need to edit the title for people like you.

Edited July 15, 2019 by Martyp

[marcusarelus]

24 minutes ago, Martyp said:

Absolutely true. You obviously didn’t watch the video. But I do need to edit the title for people like you.

You say O-A a number of times in the beginning of the video and the Pacific cross guy makes an error and says O-A and then corrects it to A-X.  Also Pacific Cross guy says the Immigration people will be checking the insurance.  Which is a first as far as I know.  And the Pacific Cross are talking during the interview that Thai Immigration will be checking the policy.  Very confusing.  BTW what is your new news?

Edited July 15, 2019 by marcusarelus

[WeekendRaider]

immigration requirement.  not "requirement".

 

health cover is already required.... even if you have a Thai Soc Sec card, which ajarn typically have and....  even if you are Bill Gates or Donald Trump.  the hospital doesn't know you will pay up..... and...... it isn't just immigration that requires paperwork to be up 100%.  they all prefer dealing with a Thai health insurer (actually there is only one big one the last time I checked the www.oic.or.th website).   so it's already a requirement.  never leave the house without an insurance card and copy of passport, with or without all those other silly cards they give you at each "anamy" and "payubahn".

it's only not an "immigration requirement".  yes?

Edited July 15, 2019 by WeekendRaider

[fforest1]

JCs videos are ok some times....But his expats living in Thailand is ONLY a glass half full kind of experience does get a little tiring.....

[marcusarelus]

12 minutes ago, WeekendRaider said:

immigration requirement.  not "requirement".

 

health cover is already required.... even if you have a Thai Soc Sec card, which ajarn typically have and....  even if you are Bill Gates or Donald Trump.  the hospital doesn't know you will pay up..... and...... it isn't just immigration that requires paperwork to be up 100%.  they all prefer dealing with a Thai health insurer (actually there is only one big one the last time I checked the www.oic.or.th website).   so it's already a requirement.  never leave the house without an insurance card and copy of passport, with or without all those other silly cards they give you at each "anamy" and "payubahn".

it's only not an "immigration requirement".  yes?

What?  Only required for O-X visa as far as I know.  

[Martyp]

25 minutes ago, marcusarelus said:

You say O-A a number of times in the beginning of the video and the Pacific cross guy makes an error and says O-A and then corrects it to A-X.  Also Pacific Cross guy says the Immigration people will be checking the insurance.  Which is a first as far as I know.  And the Pacific Cross are talking during the interview that Thai Immigration will be checking the policy.  Very confusing.  BTW what is your new news?

Some guy got skewered for his post about something he heard from a couple of IO officers. I didn’t care for that post either. At least there is nothing anonymous about this interview. If you didn’t get anything out of it then fine. I liked hearing a perspective from the insurance industry which is obviously a player in this issue. Wouldn’t we all like to see an interview with the Health Ministry or the Department of Immigration.

 

BTW. I didn’t say anything. I am not in the video. I also allow people to have a slip of the tongue in a live interview and then correct themselves. If you think these Pacific Cross representatives have no idea or opinion about this issue then that is up to you.

Edited July 15, 2019 by Martyp

[Martyp]

13 minutes ago, fforest1 said:

JCs videos are ok some times....But his expats living in Thailand is ONLY a glass half full kind of experience does get a little tiring.....

Noted. That is why I gave the time for the start of the interview. You can skip over JC’s comments though it is JC conducting the interview and I think he does a decent job at it. Interviews always leave people wishing one more question was asked.

[Sheryl]

Is he correct in saying you cannot do an extension of stay from on O-A visa? I had assumed, perhaps wrongly, that O-A was largely replacing the old O visa and that people wanting to newly retire need to get an O-A and then extend it in country. he seems to say that this is impossible. ?

 

[TeaMonkey]

Retire cheap. If only..

[marcusarelus]

17 minutes ago, Martyp said:

If you think these Pacific Cross representatives have no idea or opinion about this issue then that is up to you.

I said I find it confusing with all the mentions about the O-A visa and extensions.  Seems to me at the beginning it should be made clear that there is no new news and that the only mandatory health insurance is for the O-X visa.  I'm sure the Pacific Cross reps know 100% more than I about the whole issue.  

[Martyp]

44 minutes ago, marcusarelus said:

You say O-A a number of times in the beginning of the video and the Pacific cross guy makes an error and says O-A and then corrects it to A-X.  Also Pacific Cross guy says the Immigration people will be checking the insurance.  Which is a first as far as I know.  And the Pacific Cross are talking during the interview that Thai Immigration will be checking the policy.  Very confusing.  BTW what is your new news?

And also to answer your last question, and maybe I should have known this, but I wasn’t aware that insurance companies were being asked to offer a specific 40,000/400,000 policy to O-A applicants. That the 40,000/400,000 wasn’t just a minimum. Resulting in a limited pool of 50+ year old customers and high prices for low value policies. At least that is how I understood what the Pacific Cross people were saying.

[sqwakvfr]

1) I stopped watching JC Videos because he portrays an unrealistic version of life in as his calls it “Rippers”. Retired in Paradise.  He is one of the first people on youtube who started pushing the $500 a month in Thailand lifestyle.  

 

2). Pacific Cross is one of the companies that has been approved by the MFA to offer the new Health Insurance Policies that comply with the new requirements(400K IPD and 40K OPD).  These new policies offer poor value for the money.  Currently I have a Health Insurance policy that does not meet the new Requirements(my OPD portion is not at 20K and my IPD portion is at 1 Million Bath).  For me to purchase one of these new policies I would have to pay 3 times more than what I currently pay.  

[sqwakvfr]

https://longstay.tgia.org/

[ianezy0]

16 minutes ago, Martyp said:

And also to answer your last question, and maybe I should have known this, but I wasn’t aware that insurance companies were being asked to offer a specific 40,000/400,000 policy to O-A applicants. That the 40,000/400,000 wasn’t just a minimum. Resulting in a limited pool of 50+ year old customers and high prices for low value policies. At least that is how I understood what the Pacific Cross people were saying.

That could have been covered in a 2 minute video and not a video droning on for 30 mins

[marcusarelus]

9 minutes ago, sqwakvfr said:

https://longstay.tgia.org/

"All applicants must contact authorized insurance companies directly to apply for Thai health insurance policy. Any inquiries on completing Insurance application can be addressed at each insurance company."

 

Does this mean you can't use an agent?

[Martyp]

32 minutes ago, sqwakvfr said:

1) I stopped watching JC Videos because he portrays an unrealistic version of life in as his calls it “Rippers”. Retired in Paradise.  He is one of the first people on youtube who started pushing the $500 a month in Thailand lifestyle.  

 

2). Pacific Cross is one of the companies that has been approved by the MFA to offer the new Health Insurance Policies that comply with the new requirements(400K IPD and 40K OPD).  These new policies offer poor value for the money.  Currently I have a Health Insurance policy that does not meet the new Requirements(my OPD portion is not at 20K and my IPD portion is at 1 Million Bath).  For me to purchase one of these new policies I would have to pay 3 times more than what I currently pay.  

That is the point Pacific Cross is making. That the Thai government is requesting that they offer low quality policies to a limited older pool of customers. PC can offer better insurance coverage for the same price. This is still an additional new burden and anyone not American has to rethink the concept of a high deductible.

 

Note none of this has anything to do with us if already here even if you are on an O-A visa currently. It is about new applicants outside of Thailand.

 

Yes. Vlogger quality is individual and questionable which is why I gave the location of the interview to skip over the vlog.

Edited July 15, 2019 by Martyp

[Sheryl]

27 minutes ago, sqwakvfr said:

 ....Currently I have a Health Insurance policy that does not meet the new Requirements(my OPD portion is not at 20K and my IPD portion is at 1 Million Bath).  For me to purchase one of these new policies I would have to pay 3 times more than what I currently pay.  

 

You and many others.

 

I have 1 million USD in cover and it costs less than these policies.

 

It is sounding like existing policies may be accepted (including international ones) but remains to be confirmed. And very unclear how the suitability of such policies would be assessed. Insurance policies are complex documents. Mine, for example, covers OPD up to the full 1 mill limit but only in specific situations (for 30 days after hospital discharge, or for cancer treatment or dialysis). Does that qualify? I have just been reimbursed by them foir well over 40K in OPD expenses. But, it is basically in inpatient policy with OPD cover only for specific things.

 

For that matter why the OPD requiremernt at all, makes no sense and vastly ups the premium costs.

 

And of course 400k inpt maximum is way insufficient.

 

The whole thing is very poorly thought out. Expecting people with good insurance to drop their policies in favor of overpriced poor coverage is a non-starter. So is expected people already adequately insured to take out an additional overpriced policy that adds nothing of value.

 

What they ought to do is just require a minimum of at least 1 million baht or foreign currency equivalent in inpt cover, from any insurance company Thai or foreign. Then no need for special products to be developed at high cost and all the rest of it.

[Martyp]

29 minutes ago, marcusarelus said:

"All applicants must contact authorized insurance companies directly to apply for Thai health insurance policy. Any inquiries on completing Insurance application can be addressed at each insurance company."

 

Does this mean you can't use an agent?

You mean an insurance broker? I don’t know and they don’t go into that. I purchased Pacific Cross from Jamie in the video. I’ve only had the insurance 6 months and I’ve never made a claim so I can say anything about how good they are. Hopefully I never have to though I occasionally take a motorbike taxi.

Edited July 15, 2019 by Martyp

[Martyp]

24 minutes ago, ianezy0 said:

That could have been covered in a 2 minute video and not a video droning on for 30 mins

True but they weren’t responding to a question directly from me. 

[Martyp]

5 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

 

You and many others.

 

I have 1 million USD in cover and it costs less than these policies.

 

It is sounding like existing policies may be accepted (including international ones) but remains to be confirmed. And very unclear how the suitability of such policies would be assessed. Insurance policies are complex documents. Mine, for example, covers OPD up to the full 1 mill limit but only in specific situations (for 30 days after hospital discharge, or for cancer treatment or dialysis). Does that qualify? I have just been reimbursed by them foir well over 40K in OPD expenses. But, it is basically in inpatient policy with OPD cover only for specific things.

 

For that matter why the OPD requiremernt at all, makes no sense and vastly ups the premium costs.

 

And of course 400k inpt maximum is way insufficient.

 

The whole thing is very poorly thought out. Expecting people with good insurance to drop their policies in favor of overpriced poor coverage is a non-starter. So is expected people already adequately insured to take out an additional overpriced policy that adds nothing of value.

 

What they ought to do is just require a minimum of at least 1 million baht or foreign currency equivalent in inpt cover, from any insurance company Thai or foreign. Then no need for special products to be developed at high cost and all the rest of it.

I don’t disagree with that but some policy decisions have already been made. It would be interesting if the insurance companies can modify the interpretation of the policy to make a bad situation a little better. Insurance companies may still have some influence unlike those of us just commenting from this Forum.

[ianezy0]

   41 minutes ago,  ianezy0 said: 

That could have been covered in a 2 minute video and not a video droning on for 30 mins

True but they weren’t responding to a question directly from me. 

 

No I meant the video itself. Nothing new just regurgitated rubbish. As I said, a 2 minute video would have sufficed.

 

[MRToMRT]

I usually don't like JC's style but that interview was well worth watching. It reinforced to me that the current plan of approved companies is aimed more at making money for Thai based companies than actually ensuring people are adequately insured. 

 

Very interesting to hear the insurance companies concerns over coverage and methodology.

[elviajero]

2 hours ago, Sheryl said:

Is he correct in saying you cannot do an extension of stay from on O-A visa? I had assumed, perhaps wrongly, that O-A was largely replacing the old O visa and that people wanting to newly retire need to get an O-A and then extend it in country. he seems to say that this is impossible. ?

You’re correct. You can extend the stay of a O-A in exactly the same way as a O; except it’s done within the last 30 days of the 1 year permit to stay.

[asiaexpat]

5 hours ago, Sheryl said:

Is he correct in saying you cannot do an extension of stay from on O-A visa? I had assumed, perhaps wrongly, that O-A was largely replacing the old O visa and that people wanting to newly retire need to get an O-A and then extend it in country. he seems to say that this is impossible. ?

 

Play on words here, JC states O-A visa is not renewable in Thailand, quit true. However, it is possible to get an extension of stay. Visa and extension are different animals. Tricky insurance talk.

[marcusarelus]

30 minutes ago, asiaexpat said:

Play on words here, JC states O-A visa is not renewable in Thailand, quit true. However, it is possible to get an extension of stay. Visa and extension are different animals. Tricky insurance talk.

The trickiest talk was when JC tries to pin him down if you can get a policy with greater coverage than 400 40 and the insurance guys say no.  You have to pay the outrageous fees for the 400 40 and can not get a better policy because the Thai insurance people say no.  This is of course if it is approved for the O-A visa.    

[asiaexpat]

57 minutes ago, marcusarelus said:

The trickiest talk was when JC tries to pin him down if you can get a policy with greater coverage than 400 40 and the insurance guys say no.  You have to pay the outrageous fees for the 400 40 and can not get a better policy because the Thai insurance people say no.  This is of course if it is approved for the O-A visa.    

It would seem Pacific Cross has designed a special policy to extract the most premium while not paying out at a reasonable sum. This is much like the way they will deny a claim using the preexisting condition. 

[marcusarelus]

6 hours ago, Martyp said:

I don’t disagree with that but some policy decisions have already been made. It would be interesting if the insurance companies can modify the interpretation of the policy to make a bad situation a little better. Insurance companies may still have some influence unlike those of us just commenting from this Forum.

JC asked the Insurance guys and they said no.  They only submitted a couple of choices to Thailand and not one with more than the minimums.  

[gentlemanjackdarby]

I would be very cautious about placing a high degree of reliance on any of this channel's videos which address things of a technical nature, such as healthcare, especially for retirement-age folks, finance and banking, visas, etc.

 

At the end of the day, this channel is selling a very narrowly defined narrative and state of mind and facts and experiences which run counter to the narrative or which offer a more complete picture of a specific issue are neither tolerated nor even acknowledged.

 

While I understand that at the end of the day, YouTube (as is Thaivisa) is a private property and channel owners have no obligation to allow 'free speech', or any speech at all, to their viewers, it would seem to me that a channel whose stated objective is to 'help people' would welcome input from those viewers who make the effort to present additional information which helps to complete the available knowledge of a particular subject. 

 

While I don't particularly care for the sometimes caustic and, to be charitable, rough-and-tumble debate that happens on Thaivisa and I sometimes wish the volume of information on the forum was better curated, I think that this forum (as well as others) is the best place from which to get complete information, both pro and especially con, on most Thailand-related issues and it's worth putting in the time to separate the wheat from the chaff

 

In the interest of complete disclosure, I am not a 'Youtuber', have no association with or interest in this forum, nor do I know, to the best of my knowledge, any of the people who own or run this forum.