Will mandatory health insurance force you to leave Thailand?

[kellersphuket]

been reading few reports that health insurance is becoming mandatory within this year for non imm visas. also have some friends who work in the government that have confirmed this.

 

How will this impact you? Will you stay or will you go?

I have many old timer buddies who cant get any health insurance due to their age and pre existing conditions.

 

Looks like Phuket gonna be even quieter than it is now!

[Pattaya46]

4 minutes ago, kellersphuket said:

health insurance is becoming mandatory within this year for non imm visas.

Not true.

 

4 minutes ago, kellersphuket said:

How will this impact you? Will you stay or will you go?

Would have no impact.

I wouldn't live as an expat without such insurance anyway.

[BestB]

The cover required is so minimal, highly unlikely to cost much and would cover all ages with tiny payouts 

[Dmaxdan]

No because I have an extension of stay, not an O A visa. I personally have never even met a fellow expat who lives here permanently on an O A visa.

[kellersphuket]

9 minutes ago, Dmaxdan said:

No because I have an extension of stay, not an O A visa. I personally have never even met a fellow expat who lives here permanently on an O A visa.

I know many.

 

Not just old guys, young guys too..

 

The younger ones shouldnt have much trouble gettin covered, its the older guys with families who I feel for.

[JaiLai]

The agents will have a workaround


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

[Pattaya46]

20 minutes ago, kellersphuket said:

30 minutes ago, Dmaxdan said:

No because I have an extension of stay, not an O A visa. I personally have never even met a fellow expat who lives here permanently on an O A visa.

I know many.

Not just old guys, young guys too..

How could a young guy get a non O-A ??

You must be 50+ to get such visa...

 

http://www.mfa.go.th/main/en/services/4908/15385-Non-Immigrant-Visa-"O-A"-(Long-Stay).html

[CharlieH]

Before any scaremongering or panic sets in, Just remember this:

"As of today, the mandatory health insurance requirement has only been proposed for Non-Immigrant O-A visas and not for other visa types or extensions of stay"

 

 

 

[Puchaiyank]

Healthcare insurance (real or imagined) is a major concern for expats reaching their golden years...so far my research has uncovered several policies offering little coverage with high premiums, high deductibles and no coverage "ever" for pre-existing conditions...????

[NCC1701A]

no. nothing has changed at immigration for me in six years.

 

 

[Don Mega]

You'd have to have mental health issues to NOT already have medical insurance.

[mania]

1 hour ago, CharlieH said:

Before any scaremongering or panic sets in, Just remember this:

"As of today, the mandatory health insurance requirement has only been proposed for Non-Immigrant O-A visas and not for other visa types or extensions of stay"

 

Not to scare monger but it would be hard to believe it will only be O-A obtained in your home country.

 

What would be the reason or thinking for that?

 

Looking at the O-A application for the USA

https://thaiembdc.org/consular-services/non-immigrant-visas/non-immigrant-category-oa/

you can see the requirements are basically exactly the same as a type O extension done in Thailand except maybe a couple extra things like Police check & Medical

 

But, that aside think of what Thailand is saying the reason for enforced medical insurance is ?

Then think why would it be limited to expats that get their visa outside the country

( again with same requirements) & not include all expats staying long term in Thailand?

 

The only thing I can think is if they went ahead & enforced this only for O-A obtained in your own country is that the 800k can be in a foreign bank & if this is the reason they require only them to insure....then eventually I can see them locking local expats on type O extensions 800K or at least 400K of it year round as a self insured proof of ability to pay in lieu of insurance

 

If their reason for wanting insured expats is as they say then surely they will get to all expats sooner than later

Edited August 18, 2019 by mania

[Skallywag]

1 hour ago, kellersphuket said:

its the older guys with families who I feel for.

 

1 hour ago, kellersphuket said:

many old timer buddies who cant get any health insurance due to their age and pre existing conditions.

So these guys are old, have pre existing conditions, came to thailand and started families? (more than one 55) 

 

Not what expats in retirement and with unhealthy pre-existing conditions should not be doing IMO 

 

As mentioned, most insurers will sign you up until the age of 70.  Pre-existing conditions not covered for several years or ever

 

Other than that take solace that they have 800,000 baht in the bank to start over in a neighboring country

[gearbox]

1 hour ago, Dmaxdan said:

No because I have an extension of stay, not an O A visa. I personally have never even met a fellow expat who lives here permanently on an O A visa.

I'm here on O-A visa, and it was easy for me to get one in Sydney. At the moment I don't want Thai health insurance, so yes, it will be a nuisance but not a showstopper. Apparently there are other ways to get 1 year visa, I'll have a look when the time comes. At this time I don't want to put money in a Thai bank. 

[CharlieH]

There used to be a Govt. insurance policy around 2500 baht. It seems to me the Govt. are missing a golden opportunity here to get a huge revenue for their Health service.

The Thais pay a fixed 30 baht and extras dependent on care etc. Why don't they charge us say 300 baht per visit (they like x10 for farangs) and an annual fee ?

They then get the revenue and it goes where it's needed in to healthcare and not into the coffers of the Insurance companies.

 

[mania]

3 minutes ago, CharlieH said:

There used to be a Govt. insurance policy around 2500 baht. It seems to me the Govt. are missing a golden opportunity here to get a huge revenue for their Health service.

The Thais pay a fixed 30 baht and extras dependent on care etc. Why don't they charge us say 300 baht per visit (they like x10 for farangs) and an annual fee ?

They then get the revenue and it goes where it's needed in to healthcare and not into the coffers of the Insurance companies.

 

I also thought about that a few times but....... I have also been to some govt hospitals to take Thai family members in

Nakorn Ping Hospital

 

Man-O-Man they are so crowded in the mornings with lines of Thai's waiting & on the 30baht schemes

That aside I did see a few falangs on beds in the lobby for some reason...not sure why as it was obvious they were not leaving yet

But thought to myself I would not want to be in their place. They were literally soaked in sweat

 

The Thai govt hospitals did get some nice income from Toon a few years back 33 Million USD...That is a lot of Baht ????

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/thai-celebrity-toon-bodyslam-completes-2-215km-marathon-to-raise-9526558

[Isaanben]

25 minutes ago, kellersphuket said:

Rubbish. 

 

http://www.mfa.go.th/main/en/services/4908/15385-Non-Immigrant-Visa-"O-A"-(Long-Stay).html

[kellersphuket]

4 hours ago, Isaanben said:

http://www.mfa.go.th/main/en/services/4908/15385-Non-Immigrant-Visa-"O-A"-(Long-Stay).html

anyone any age can get a NON O visa.

 

That site has either got it totally wrong or they are just advertising to retirees. 

 

A NON O visa is not a retirement visa. It is a multi purpose visa under the OTHER category of NON Immigrant visas. 

[Jip99]

12 minutes ago, kellersphuket said:

anyone any age can get a NON O visa.

 

That site has either got it totally wrong or they are just advertising to retirees. 

 

A NON O visa is not a retirement visa. It is a multi purpose visa under the OTHER category of NON Immigrant visas. 

 

 

O-A is for over 50’s.

 

Other categories of Non O Visas ie marriage, visiting family are available to anyone.

 

 

 

[Isaanben]

1 hour ago, kellersphuket said:

anyone any age can get a NON O visa.

 

That site has either got it totally wrong or they are just advertising to retirees. 

 

A NON O visa is not a retirement visa. It is a multi purpose visa under the OTHER category of NON Immigrant visas. 

NON O visa and NON O-A visa are not the same! Is that so hard to understand?

[1FinickyOne]

20 hours ago, CharlieH said:

Why don't they charge us say 300 baht per visit

Hi Charlie - surely the 30 baht does not come close to covering charges... my wife's dad just had 30 baht heart surgery for 11 hours... that 30 baht could not come close to covering even a small fraction... nor would 300 baht..   

[alanrchase]

I had a quick look at one of the 400,000/40,000 policies. When you read a bit closer the coverage was actually a max of 100,000 per treatment. I suspect there were plenty of other restrictions but I gave up reading it after I saw that.

[Laza 45]

I saw an article yesterday saying that then new rules for health insurance on an OA will be announced on the 22nd.. 3 days from now.   I've been here on an OA for many years now ... it has been very convenient for me.  I'm 75.. no serious pre-existing conditions.. but insurance would be unaffordable for me.. 100,000 a year and just about anything that may happen is excluded.. fortunately I've got some $$ in the bank and should be able to take care of myself for the foreseeable future.. I'll probably be shopping around for a different visa next time.. which will probably mean border runs... not a showstopper but very inconvenient.. we shall see..

[paulbrow]

No, won't impact me at all as I already have and maintain health insurance. I don't see this as a major issue and not significantly different from other countries that require medical insurance even for short term tourist visas.

[vukovar77]

22 hours ago, BestB said:

The cover required is so minimal, highly unlikely to cost much and would cover all ages with tiny payouts 

Not true.It will cost too much and it will not cover a lot.Elder people should pay much more as well.

[Jip99]

1 minute ago, vukovar77 said:

Not true.It will cost too much and it will not cover a lot.Elder people should pay much more as well.

 

 

Elder people....................... like the village headman ?

[Laza 45]

https://thethaiger.com/hot-news/expats/mandatory-health-insurance-details-for-some-visas-announced-this-week

[elgenon]

Yes, I don't understand how the gov't could require policies for old guys who, because of their age, would have a hard time getting a good policy.

[TKDfella]

20 hours ago, CharlieH said:

There used to be a Govt. insurance policy around 2500 baht. It seems to me the Govt. are missing a golden opportunity here to get a huge revenue for their Health service.

The Thais pay a fixed 30 baht and extras dependent on care etc. Why don't they charge us say 300 baht per visit (they like x10 for farangs) and an annual fee ?

They then get the revenue and it goes where it's needed in to healthcare and not into the coffers of the Insurance companies.

 

I may be wrong but I understood that this 2500 Baht insurance was originally meant for Asians not westerners but hospitals began to use it for anyone other than Thai. I think you'll find that when the Junta found out, the hospitals were told 'only Asians', hence it stopped for westerners. A few months back the General Hospitals lobbied the Junta to rethink because of many foreigners (they said) couldn't pay. The result was this new rule for non O-A holders. However, this was not really what the hospitals wanted (I was told by admin friends in Udornthani). The hospitals wanted to offer insurance plans of their own (although linked to insurance companies) similar to, but perhaps a little more expensive, than the plan for Asians. I understand there has yet been no decision on this.

[kwak250]

About 8 years ago i went to get my driving licence i was told i needed a medical certificate.

 

Outside the test centre was a row of tents and i asked one lad who was about 14 and he said 100 baht and signed some paper and gave me it.

 

I am now thinking i might see him again as he was so efficient in giving me a full medical certificate mind you might cost 200baht.