Interview w/ Pacific Cross about health insurance requirement

[Martyp]

Hmmmm. At 29 minutes into the video the Pacific Cross guy clearly says they would prefer to offer better insurance than what the Thai government has asked for. The process is being driven by the Thai government.

[Felt 35]

Excuse me but don't tell me I'm taken with my pants down!???? My extension comes up soon and I thought these new requirements for insurance when extending retirement visa so far not yet was clarified and a demand from the Immigration?

[Martyp]

40 minutes ago, Felt 35 said:

Excuse me but don't tell me I'm taken with my pants down!???? My extension comes up soon and I thought these new requirements for insurance when extending retirement visa so far not yet was clarified and a demand from the Immigration?

There has never been any proposal to require health insurance for a 1 year extension. The proposal, not yet implemented, only will apply to people purchasing an O-A visa outside of Thailand. 

[marcusarelus]

10 minutes ago, Martyp said:

There has never been any proposal to require health insurance for a 1 year extension. The proposal, not yet implemented, only will apply to people purchasing an O-A visa outside of Thailand. 

At 18:57 Pacific cross director says, "If you are on an O-A visa and your renewal is imminent you are required to get this insurance."

 

30:48 Pacific cross director says, "The gentleman that came in and had a renewal for July was told by Immigration he had to have the policy."  I'm assuming O-A

 

I have no idea what a renewal means.  Seems the Pacific Cross director would know what an extension was but what is a renewal and why use a word that has no meaning to the Immigration process - or one I don't know.  If anyone knows what a renewal means in conjunction with an O-A visa please let me know.  

[Martyp]

15 minutes ago, marcusarelus said:

At 18:57 Pacific cross director says, "If you are on an O-A visa and your renewal is imminent you are required to get this insurance."

 

30:48 Pacific cross director says, "The gentleman that came in and had a renewal for July was told by Immigration he had to have the policy."  I'm assuming O-A

 

I have no idea what a renewal means.  Seems the Pacific Cross director would know what an extension was but what is a renewal and why use a word that has no meaning to the Immigration process - or one I don't know.  If anyone knows what a renewal means in conjunction with an O-A visa please let me know.  

It’s a little difficult to understand but he may be saying O-X. I’m not entirely sure about that. An O-X is currently the only visa that does require insurance and it can be renewed after 5 years for another 5 years. In any case he is saying that the 40,000/400,000 insurance coverage is lousy coverage no matter who gets it and is expensive because it is only available to a small pool of older people. 

[marcusarelus]

9 hours ago, Martyp said:

It’s a little difficult to understand but he may be saying O-X. I’m not entirely sure about that. An O-X is currently the only visa that does require insurance and it can be renewed after 5 years for another 5 years. In any case he is saying that the 40,000/400,000 insurance coverage is lousy coverage no matter who gets it and is expensive because it is only available to a small pool of older people. 

Not difficult to understand.  They don't know what they are talking about.  What is a renewal?

[Martyp]

37 minutes ago, marcusarelus said:

Not difficult to understand.  They don't know what they are talking about.  What is a renewal?

I think you already know that you cannot renew a visa whatever you/we heard in the video. 

[Neeranam]

21 hours ago, WeekendRaider said:

health cover is already required.... even if you have a Thai Soc Sec card, which ajarn typically have and.... 

Not sure why you use the Thai word here, but assume you mean teachers. 

It is all occupations that typically have this cover, and actually they have stopped issuing such cards.

[wgdanson]

13 hours ago, asiaexpat said:

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. 

I have just had an offer from PC for Premium Policy, 71 yrs old, very good test & Investigation results. Now't wrong with me.

They are excluding ANY prostate issues and 3 year wait for kidney/urinary and joint/back problems, which would then attract a 30% co-pay.

Surely the increase in premiums from 66k to 99k at age 70 is supposed to be for these percieved age-related conditions.

[Martyp]

5 minutes ago, wgdanson said:

I have just had an offer from PC for Premium Policy, 71 yrs old, very good test & Investigation results. Now't wrong with me.

They are excluding ANY prostate issues and 3 year wait for kidney/urinary and joint/back problems, which would then attract a 30% co-pay.

Surely the increase in premiums from 66k to 99k at age 70 is supposed to be for these percieved age-related conditions.

I got a cataract exclusion with a three year wait. Basically you tell them what pre-existing conditions you have and they will probably give you a waiting period. If you lie and cover up a pre-existing condition then they may not cover you later. There is nothing nefarious about that. Cards on the table, that is how the insurance system has always worked.

[wgdanson]

4 minutes ago, Martyp said:

I got a cataract exclusion with a three year wait. Basically you tell them what pre-existing conditions you have and they will probably give you a waiting period. If you lie and cover up a pre-existing condition then they may not cover you later. There is nothing nefarious about that. Cards on the table, that is how the insurance system has always worked.

Totally agree with you. But I have never had any prostate or joint problems so cannot understand the exclusions.

However my broker just explained to me that all men actually have prostate 'cancer' lurking down below, and if it hasn't shown itself before age 70, you will probably die WITH it as opposed to FROM it. So that's why insurance companies tend to exclude it after 70 years old....but still increase the premium!

[puchooay]

39 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

Not sure why you use the Thai word here, but assume you mean teachers. 

It is all occupations that typically have this cover, and actually they have stopped issuing such cards.

It is only compulsory for government organisations to get Thai social security for their employees.

 

When did they stop issuing cards? 

[xylophone]

15 minutes ago, wgdanson said:

They are excluding ANY prostate issues and 3 year wait for kidney/urinary and joint/back problems, which would then attract a 30% co-pay.

What surprised me with my policy offer was the amount of issues which were totally excluded, for example eye diseases, which I've never had a problem with in my life.

 

I quite expected exclusions to do with the prostate and bladder and even the lower urinary tract, but was very surprised at the three-year stand-down period for joint and back issues, moles and skin lesions and so on.

 

The way it was going I would have been covered for just about stuff all, and although this may be suitable for some folks, I declined to take the offer. 

[marcusarelus]

1 hour ago, Martyp said:

I think you already know that you cannot renew a visa whatever you/we heard in the video. 

My question is why wouldn't they know?  My god, they are supposed to be insurance experts, no?

 

Would you buy insurance from a fellow who does not know the basics about immigration? 

[marcusarelus]

23 minutes ago, xylophone said:

What surprised me with my policy offer was the amount of issues which were totally excluded, for example eye diseases, which I've never had a problem with in my life.

 

I quite expected exclusions to do with the prostate and bladder and even the lower urinary tract, but was very surprised at the three-year stand-down period for joint and back issues, moles and skin lesions and so on.

 

The way it was going I would have been covered for just about stuff all, and although this may be suitable for some folks, I declined to take the offer. 

Did you get the physical exam and tests?

[wgdanson]

36 minutes ago, xylophone said:

What surprised me with my policy offer was the amount of issues which were totally excluded, for example eye diseases, which I've never had a problem with in my life.

 

I quite expected exclusions to do with the prostate and bladder and even the lower urinary tract, but was very surprised at the three-year stand-down period for joint and back issues, moles and skin lesions and so on.

 

The way it was going I would have been covered for just about stuff all, and although this may be suitable for some folks, I declined to take the offer. 

Exactly the same here. But what is your alternative please?

[xylophone]

17 minutes ago, wgdanson said:

Exactly the same here. But what is your alternative please?

Sticking with my existing Aetna policy (at 133k baht) which will cover my pre-existing conditions, and later perhaps looking at self funding??

[wgdanson]

22 minutes ago, xylophone said:

Sticking with my existing Aetna policy (at 133k baht) which will cover my pre-existing conditions, and later perhaps looking at self funding??

I wish I could, but Aetna stopped my 7 year old policy when I hit 71, saying I did not take it out before I was 60. 

[wgdanson]

57 minutes ago, marcusarelus said:

Did you get the physical exam and tests?

I did Marcus, at the Govt hospital for Bht 2100. All results and tests Normal or better, but still the exclusions.

[Martyp]

1 hour ago, marcusarelus said:

My question is why wouldn't they know?  My god, they are supposed to be insurance experts, no?

 

Would you buy insurance from a fellow who does not know the basics about immigration? 

Up to you 

 

Its an interview with a couple of insurance guys about a topic of interest. I found it of interest. If you don’t fine. You will have to decide for yourself  whether they are credible or not and what to take away from this discussion. I never had any expectations about people’s reaction to the discussion. I just put it out there as something different from the usual speculation, paranoia, and cynicism of the Thaivisa discussion threads. Fuel to the fire.

[Martyp]

35 minutes ago, wgdanson said:

I did Marcus, at the Govt hospital for Bht 2100. All results and tests Normal or better, but still the exclusions.

I got my Pacific Cross policy with no physical exam. Just a questionnaire. I’m “only” 63 years old though.

[wgdanson]

1 minute ago, Martyp said:

I got my Pacific Cross policy with no physical exam. Just a questionnaire. I’m “only” 63 years old though.

Through a broker or direct. And which Plan please?

[marcusarelus]

7 minutes ago, Martyp said:

Up to you 

 

Its an interview with a couple of insurance guys about a topic of interest. I found it of interest. If you don’t fine. Take from it what you will or nothing all.

I really enjoyed the interview and thanks for posting it.  Enlightening how little they know about what they are selling.  

[Martyp]

33 minutes ago, wgdanson said:

Through a broker or direct. And which Plan please?

Direct. From Jamie in the video. I chose a 10,000,000 baht plan with a $1200 deductible (appropriate). It is fairly comparable to my previous US insurance. Basically I’m paying out of pocket for routine care which I consider very inexpensive in Thailand. The policy is what I would call a catastrophic policy for the really big stuff. It is about $70/month cheaper than my US policy.

 

I checked my email history. I looks like I talked to Aetna too. Their plans were very expensive (to me) in part because they didn't offer any plans with large deductibles like Pacific Cross did. 

[smedly]

so just have a deductible of 400k baht - means the insurance company is covering you for nothing - simple

 

12 month policy 500baht for the cert and postage - leaving them liable for nothing

 

that is how stupid this whole charade is

[Neeranam]

5 hours ago, puchooay said:

When did they stop issuing cards? 

Over a year ago.

 

You can still be found in the system, well I could.

[jacko45k]

20 hours ago, Martyp said:

I got my Pacific Cross policy with no physical exam. Just a questionnaire. I’m “only” 63 years old though.

Any exclusions? I got one too at 64 without a medical, but they seem to insist on reducing their liability and weaseled out of prostate cancer, (no history), cataracts and for some strange reason follow up and complications from a broken wrist of many years ago, as if they think I might do it again on purpose. 

I ended up paying more than I wanted!

[Martyp]

32 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

Any exclusions? I got one too at 64 without a medical, but they seem to insist on reducing their liability and weaseled out of prostate cancer, (no history), cataracts and for some strange reason follow up and complications from a broken wrist of many years ago, as if they think I might do it again on purpose. 

I ended up paying more than I wanted!

Cataracts (because of my age?) and kidney stones because I told them I had several incidents of them already. I think there is a 3 year wait and then these are covered. I ended up paying less than my US insurance because I selected a large deductible. Even with the deductible I figure I'm not paying more than my US insurance. Everyone's needs are different. It's hard to make and apples to apples comparison.

[Uptooyoo]

I've followed this guy for a while and he puts out some good information, but beware, he makes his living selling Thailand; and being a pitchman, he touts the superficial aspects of his product, much like a car salesman focusing your attention on the shiny paint job and the chrome rims; but when you point out the bald tyres, the oil puddle, and the black tape over the "check engine" light, he falls back on his "values pitch."  

[marcusarelus]

19 minutes ago, Martyp said:

Cataracts (because of my age?) and kidney stones because I told them I had several incidents of them already. I think there is a 3 year wait and then these are covered. I ended up paying less than my US insurance because I selected a large deductible. Even with the deductible I figure I'm not paying more than my US insurance. Everyone's needs are different. It's hard to make and apples to apples comparison.

VA pays for any medical care related to my military disability.  How do I tell the insurance company I don't need coverage in that area - didn't see anything in the paperwork that covered this.  Perchance do you know?