Will mandatory health insurance force you to leave Thailand?

[Joe Mcseismic]

So many people threatening to leave. Wonder how many actually will and how many are just drama queens.

Personally, don't know of a single person that has left due to new visa requirements, or, possible mandatory health insurance.

[Joe Mcseismic]

26 minutes ago, rocketdave said:

This suggestion is a non starter for working people (Brits that is) as we pay National Insurance till we retire and I only retired two years ago.

You can't have a "one size fits all" mentality when you come to medical care, just look at the current mess in the USA.

You do know that if you are not resident in the UK, you can't just fly back and get on the NHS. You have to be back for six months first.

[Catoni]

23 hours ago, Don Mega said:

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

And if you can’t afford to buy it, then stay in your own home country until the day you die. Forget about your dream of travel or living in the tropics. 

    Such people should not be even allowed to get on a plane or ship. Who do they think they are??? 

[TigerandDog]

23 hours ago, Skallywag said:

 

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

Most insurers will not touch you after age 60 and then will only cover you to age 70, that's why the 6 or so insurance companies were given the green light to instigate policies for the over 60's and at ridiculously exhorbitant premiums at that.

[DUNROAMIN]

23 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.

 

Now, now, stop thinking using common sense, it might spread to Thais.

[worgeordie]

Thailand did provide health coverage for Farangs,actually introduced by Thaksin,

all you needed was a yellow book,had two years free coverage,until the then

Government cancelled it,either as it was been abused by Farangs coming here

to get high cost surgery, or just because it was a Thaksin project,one or the other,

 

The  Government introduced a paid health care program for Farangs,you had to 

pay 2,500 THB, and get a basic health check at the hospital,the coverage was done

by some company,that when the name was Googled nothing came up !, this lasted

a few weeks, and was cancelled, money was returned less 800 THB for the health

check.

 

After that I got coverage from BUPA, paid a lot of money every year,and never

claimed anything, at age 65 ,no more coverage,so now it's just hope you stay

fit and well, and when the time comes,you die peacefully in your sleep.

 

I used to go Private hospital for treatment for Hypertension and Diabetes,

but i felt they just looked on you as a money bank,always trying to get you

to do more tests,and high price of medizine,the Doctor did not like it when

i said just give me prescription and I will get tablets at Chemist,so after

that i have just gone to Government hospital,the service s just as good as

the Private hospital,Doctors ,nurses friendly,I am the only Farang that is

there ,at least when I go,and costs of medicine and treatment very reasonable.

 regards worgeordie

[brewsterbudgen]

You do know that if you are not resident in the UK, you can't just fly back and get on the NHS. You have to be back for six months first.

You just have to show you are now resident in the UK. Treatment will still be provided.

Sent from my SM-G930F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[AAArdvark]

On 8/18/2019 at 9:45 AM, BestB said:

highly unlikely to cost much and would cover all ages

The prices have already been available a while now.  For older people they are already known to be VERY expensive especially for very limited coverage.

[AAArdvark]

25 minutes ago, Catoni said:

And if you can’t afford to buy it, then stay in your own home country until the day you die. Forget about your dream of travel or living in the tropics. 

    Such people should not be even allowed to get on a plane or ship. Who do they think they are??? 

They are people who have the cash to pay for their medical care or are prepared to return to their home country for advanced care if needed.

[Pattaya46]

1 hour ago, Max69xl said:

1 hour ago, JDGRUEN said:

Minimum age to obtain a Non Imm O-A Multi-Entry Visa is 50

50 years old + you have to be retired. 

50+ yo : required

Retired : not required by MFA  but a few annoying Thai Embassies may require it 

[Expat Brad]

I'd say that we can be guaranteed that mandatory cover will come in across the board on all long stay visa's. Too much money in it!!

Now, for those that say it's not too expensive...... How about pre existing conditions, over 70 years etc. equals around 100k per year. So, on top of the perpetual 800k locked up in a Thai bank, that's another 100k to find. Many have lived here for 20 years or whatever quite comfortably on their aged pensions. Now, no way.

Some are suggesting self funded insurance..... that has not been mentioned at all by lmmigration as a fix and if, they did how much?

So, where will that put us all???

 

[fxe1200]

Thai insurance policies for the elder are about double as much as the premiums for the state controlled German insurance. The difference though: The German insurance does not know any restrictions, and the Thai insurances with their premiums and limitations in coverage are legalized fraud.

[nickmondo]

I dont know why people are moaning about this insurance.

I am moving back to Spain in November, and it is mandatory to have some kind of Health Cover there also.

Depending on your situation, ie, your age, work status, etc, you either have to have Private Health Care, form S1 which is recipricol cover for UK pensioners, or pay into the Spanish System, 

[thasoss]

37 minutes ago, vinniekintana said:

Nah....for most it's a money issue. ????

yes it's all about the cost.No one would disagree that it makes sense to have coverage,but people do tend to put off things like health insurance if they can..The problem is the high cost for people who are in their sixties and seventies,and to make it mandatory just adds another cost on top of 800,000.

[Joe Mcseismic]

1 hour ago, brewsterbudgen said:

You just have to show you are now resident in the UK. Treatment will still be provided.

Sent from my SM-G930F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

Incorrect.

https://www.surreyandsussex.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Entitlement-to-NHS-Hospital-Treatment-for-Non-Resident-UK-Citizens.pdf

[Pedrogaz]

AS for me mandatory insurance will not 'force' me to leave...but depending on what it is, I may well choose to leave. I have ample funds to fund my own healthcare and resent being forced to purchase insurance from thieving insurance companies to boost their profits. If there is an opt out, whereby you can pledge to keep money in a special account, then I will stay....if I am forced to deal with the thieves I will leave.

My view on the whole affair is that it is corruption in action. The cost to the country of non payment of bills has been quoted as 300 million baht in 2018, or 1 billion baht from 2016 to present day.....ie about $10 million US per year....this is peanuts compared to what tourists and expats contribute to the economy....absolutely peanuts. I would also like to see if these losses are in private hospitals or government hospitals...if they are in private hospitals then the figure is massively inflated due to dual pricing. BY my logic people actually residing here will have the lowest amount in unpaid bills because they usually have assets in the country that can be used in recovery actions for unpaid bills.....tourists are probably the worst offenders as they can just pick up and leave.

The proposed amounts for coverage....40,000 for outpatient and 400,000 for inpatient are inadequate for any serious illness or accident. And I am guessing you will be paying 100,000 per year if you are 65 and over with a preexisiting disease. I have diabetes so coverage for diabetes, heart attack, stroke, blindness, amputation secondary to the diabetes will not be covered. 

[Estrada]

On ‎8‎/‎18‎/‎2019 at 11:25 AM, Don Mega said:

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

You have to be mental to pay for medical insurance if you have enough money to put aside in investments to cover medical expenses. I have plenty of money put aside to cover any of my medical expenses. Went into ICU in Australia and paid B975,000 cash for medical expenses.  I checked what BUPA would have paid out and they would have covered just B95,000 due to the limits on each day in ICU etc. The annual BUPA premium was B89,000. Insurance companies are not here to lose money.

[adam1948]

On 8/18/2019 at 9:47 AM, 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.

Oh well, if you haven't met an expat who lives here on a O A Visa then I guess there are none ...... case solved ... you must get around a lot! knowing all the expats who live in Thailand WOW! you must get tired with all your traveling

[Joe Mcseismic]

And just how are you going to get to the airport, go through formalities and fly home after:-

 

A serious road accident.

A heart attack.

Pneumonia.

A stroke and a myriad of other conditions.

 

People seem to forget that it maybe impossible to fly back and/or the airline will not allow you to fly back as you are a risk.

[madmen]

3 hours ago, peter14 said:

30 people I know have left

OK

[hansnl]

On 8/18/2019 at 11:16 AM, Puchaiyank said:

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...????

Quite

Had insurance, paid 25,000 a year, reached 71, was cleaned out.

Now was offered the "new" insurance for 9600 Baht per month, but of course with a few deductibles.......

[ChouDoufu]

if insurance were required for in-country (retirement) extensions?

depends on immigration requirements.

 

i already have insurance.  renewable for life.  already past the exclusion period for pre-existing conditions.  half a million bucks coverage in-patient and repatriation coverage.  no out-patient coverage.  my deductible is $2000 --- more than the suggested out-patient cover of 40k baht.

 

i don't plan on canceling this policy in favor of a scam policy to appease the authorities, so would have to purchase in addition.  at some point, the cost of remaining in thailand exceeds the benefits.  i suspect adding out-patient to my existing policy would double the premiums, currently just over $1k/year.

 

with dozens of insurance companies, hundreds of policies, there's no way for immigration to confirm/approve more than just a few.

 

and even if they were to accept other policies, what documentation would be needed?  i'm sure they would require the policy to cover the entire period of the extension, but unless your insurance renewal date matches your (retirement) extension renewal date, you're out of luck.  i'm thinking most policies with annual renewal won't let you change the re-up date.  to do that you have to cancel and sign a new contract.

 

[natway09]

If you live in Thailand as an expat (age immaterial) & don"t have any health insurance 

you are walking a tightrope.

As to those who complain that too expensive because I am old & have too many preexisting

conditions ,,, did you not think this through before deciding to make Thailand your home?

You can't have the chicken & the egg always.

Scenario, get knocked over as an innocent streetwalker  by a speeding bike going through a red light He has no money, nor a licence) & you need 

2 operations & traction for 8 weeks  cost 2.3 million With no so called health cover 

are you in a position to pay ? If not ,, think seriously if you should be living here.

The above scenario did happen & was resolved by the Police Hospital accepting a 12 month pay off but what if not ?

[superal]

Why was the non o/a visa singled out for mandatory insurance ?   

 

Some insurance policies state that if you are able to travel back to your country of origin ( travel insurance ) then that is the rule . I mention this because there are westerners living here half of the year . I had a quote for 6 months at 465 pounds which included previous and existing illnesses . I am 72 now . Normal medical insurance out of reach . 

Fake medical insurance certs can be bought on line and who is going to check them out ?   

[khunPer]

On 8/18/2019 at 4:39 AM, kellersphuket said:

been reading few reports that health insurance is becoming mandatory within this year for non imm visas...

Very interesting news, do you have any source links?

[StevieAus]

On 8/18/2019 at 11:40 AM, 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 think the reason is that even though Thais pay 30 baht the revenue collected does not meet the overall cost of health care and has to be supported from general revenue.

Its the same with the compulsory Medicare Levy in Australia and I suspect whatever people pay in the UK towards the National Health System.

I cannot imagine the Government here providing unlimited health care for aging expats at little or no cost.

Thats why private health cover is more expensive as you age.

[Speedhump]

So there are people over the age of 50 that apply for a new OA visa every year, instead of just obtaining an extension to stay stamp every year? That's what someone above has said. Why would anyone need to do that? If the insurance is only mandatory for those on a one year OA visa, then it doesn't affect me or anyone else with the 'extension to stay' stamp in the passport. And I thought that's what Immigration said earlier this year? I'm so confused after reading this post where I was clear before. ????

[ThaiBunny]

4 minutes ago, Speedhump said:

So there are people over the age of 50 that apply for a new OA visa every year, instead of just obtaining an extension to stay stamp every year? 

It's every two years and it's for the very simple reason that you don't have to show any money in Thailand.  An O-A gives you up to two years if you do a visa run just before the end of the first year. You're then stamped in for a further year

[Krataiboy]

6 hours ago, ThePioneer said:

If you don't like the proposal, you could always move elsewhere

 

https://www.insubuy.com/countries-that-require-travel-medical-insurance-for-entry/

 

 

You don't, by any chance, work for Immigration?

[Skeptic7]

In a word...

 

No