Thailand to demand proof of health insurance for 'risky' long-term visitors

[webfact]

Thailand to demand proof of health insurance for 'risky' long-term visitors

 

FILE photo

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Foreigners in the “risky” over-50 age group will have to present proof of health insurance when applying for Thai long-term non-immigrant visas, a minister said on Wednesday, so the government doesn’t have to pick up their medical bills.

 

The rule takes effect at the end of the month to ensure the visitors can afford treatment during a maximum one-year stay and the government does not have to foot the bill, Sathit Pitutecha, deputy minister of public health, told Reuters.

 

Thailand, a Southeast Asian tourist destination popular with ageing Westerners, currently has to pay around 500 million baht ($16.49 million) a year in medical bills for foreigners over 50, he said, an age group the government describes as “risky”.

 

“Hospitals have to treat them because of human rights reasons, but when we ask them to pay us back, they can’t,” Sathit said.

“These costs become burdensome for the public health ministry, so we pushed for the insurance policy.”

 

Immigration police data shows Thailand has received more than 80,000 applications for non-immigrant visas so far this year.

 

(Reporting by Panarat Thepgumpanat; Writing by Patpicha Tanakasempipat; Editing by Nick Macfie

Our Standards:The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.)

 

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-10-10

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[tjo o tjim]

The obsession with peanuts is slightly amusing. It is equivalent to 6,000B per non-imm visa applicant, and likely fewer than 750 meaningful hospital bills. But hey...

[Samui Bodoh]

8 minutes ago, webfact said:

“Hospitals have to treat them because of human rights reasons, but when we ask them to pay us back, they can’t,” Sathit said.

“These costs become burdensome for the public health ministry, so we pushed for the insurance policy.”

I do not have a problem requiring visitors to have health insurance; it is simply a good idea.

 

However, the quote above leaves me speechless. Are there any valid figures to show a lack of repayment? Especially by long-stayers? Generally all I hear about are tourists, not long-term stayers, who don't have insurance and end up with a 'Go fund me' page.

 

Add a few Baht tax to all plane tickets/landings, use the money to aid foreigners hurt in the Kingdom, and problem solved.

 

It doesn't need to occur like this, and thus makes me wonder what else is at play...

 

[Soikhaonoiken]

Some long stay ex pats will have difficulty in obtaining medical insurance or if they can it will be at a very high price... 

[dave s]

500,000,000/80,000=6,250. By the figures in the article, on average, every single expat in Thailand stiffs a hospital for over 6,000 baht every single year. Every single expat, not one of whom they can collect from, despite TM28, TM30, TM6, multiple TM47 reports, ad nauseum. And no reporter at this press shindig waved their hand and said, "Yoooo-ooo, Minister Pitutecha, isn't this absolute proof that all the mindless immigration paperwork is useless and should be abolished?"

[davehowden]

Goes on a bit doesn't it, hot air, stamping of feet......

 

<deleted> is the 400,000/ 800,000 baht all about if not for emergency medical care !

[ezzra]

So when this stupidity and paranoia ends? this government is going from the silly to the ridiculous, let the government tell us how many non-o visa holders have treated in Thai hospitals and didn't had the money to pay, numbers and figures please real figures, not made up ones, i have been here for 35 years and i don't know any long term staying foreigners  that has been treated in a hospital and got away without paying...

[Puchaiyank]

This demand for health insurance goes hand in hand with the government demanding hospitals charge expats multiples of what they charge Thais for the same mediocre procedure...

 

Way to go Thailand!  ???? ????

[SkyNets]

I don’t think the number of patients stem from Mr/Mrs Smith, most would be illegal migrant workers injured when being transported by the white vans/pick-ups or industrial accidents.

Edited October 9, 2019 by SkyNets

[mok199]

Define 'risky'...

[Tagged]

6 minutes ago, mok199 said:

Define 'risky'...

Men above 50 year

[ukrules]

I would be quite happy to see changes in the rules to ensure that Thais pay for any treatment they receive in the UK and don't get free treatment like pretty much everyone else in the world.

 

I know they pay nothing right now.

 

I wonder how much free treatment Thais get over in Europe per year and how that figure compares to this paltry sum?

[Jeffrey346]

Now it's men over 50. No mention of O A  VISA'S

[StayinThailand2much]

7 minutes ago, ukrules said:

I would be quite happy to see changes in the rules to ensure that Thais pay for any treatment they receive in the UK and don't get free treatment like pretty much everyone else in the world.

 

I know they pay nothing right now.

 

I wonder how much free treatment Thais get over in Europe per year and how that figure compares to this paltry sum?

I agree, and hope Britain (and other countries) will start charging Thai citizens visiting for their hospital visits.

[steve2112]

1 hour ago, ezzra said:

i have been here for 35 years and i don't know any long term staying foreigners  that has been treated in a hospital and got away without paying...

ditto, i didn't know it was even possible

[steve2112]

what about if you already have a non O and are going for married or retirement extension, are they going to want to see insurance for that? if so, i think my days here full time are over.

[gk10002000]

3 hours ago, Samui Bodoh said:

I do not have a problem requiring visitors to have health insurance; it is simply a good idea.

 

However, the quote above leaves me speechless. Are there any valid figures to show a lack of repayment? Especially by long-stayers? Generally all I hear about are tourists, not long-term stayers, who don't have insurance and end up with a 'Go fund me' page.

 

Add a few Baht tax to all plane tickets/landings, use the money to aid foreigners hurt in the Kingdom, and problem solved.

 

It doesn't need to occur like this, and thus makes me wonder what else is at play...

 

No, there are no numbers that back up the Thai's stated reasons.  yes there are some deadbeat bills out there, but not an enormous amount

[TPUBON]

20 minutes ago, Jeffrey346 said:

Now it's men over 50. No mention of O A  VISA'S

I was wondering the same thing. Yesterday it was o/a. This article says long term. Is it now both o/a and o?

[zyphodb]

3 hours ago, Samui Bodoh said:

I do not have a problem requiring visitors to have health insurance; it is simply a good idea.

 

However, the quote above leaves me speechless. Are there any valid figures to show a lack of repayment? Especially by long-stayers? Generally all I hear about are tourists, not long-term stayers, who don't have insurance and end up with a 'Go fund me' page.

 

Add a few Baht tax to all plane tickets/landings, use the money to aid foreigners hurt in the Kingdom, and problem solved.

 

It doesn't need to occur like this, and thus makes me wonder what else is at play...

 

I'd say what else is in play is someone/s very high up have decided that they dont want a retired ex-pat population here anymore and are looking at any way to make this happen without coming right out and saying it. 

  That's why theres the ridiculous 40,000 Bhts outpatiants clause in it, to push up the premiums to hights which most people will refuse to pay. Also the TM30 nonsense, all part of the plan... ???? 

[Jeffrey346]

3 minutes ago, gk10002000 said:

No, there are no numbers that back up the Thai's stated reasons.  yes there are some deadbeat bills out there, but not an enormous amount

How would you know how many skip out on hospital bills?

[gk10002000]

1 minute ago, Jeffrey346 said:

How would you know how many skip out on hospital bills?

The Thais themselves have posted the numbers in articles on other posts.  It was not that much

[Jeffrey346]

1 minute ago, gk10002000 said:

The Thais themselves have posted the numbers in articles on other posts.  It was not that much

I have not seen the numbers.. BUT if they are low, why would the Gov. get so involved and mandate med ins. Doesn't make sense to me...

[overherebc]

50 minutes ago, mok199 said:

Define 'risky'...

19 year old drunk holiday maker on an uninsured motorbike.

[ChrissUdon]

And then there's pre-existing conditions which will never be covered. Personally the chances of me needing a long term hospital stay would pretty much be related to pre-existing. 50kbht + pa wasted on a health policy that I couldn't use. If 'risky' persons, of which I'm one, are to foot these so called unpaid bills how about letting me legally pay into the Thai health system as a requirement for my long stay and of course have the use of the service as a Thai.

[bkk6060]

80,000 applicants for the Visas.

Gosh, sure kills it for those who claim no one wants to come and many are moving away to Vietnam and Cambodia...

Edited October 10, 2019 by bkk6060

[tjinks]

Although I am a US citizen I agree with the poster who said make the Thais pay in the UK & EU instead of being freeloaders.

Anytime I've ever had a visit to Bumrungrad for any reason I've always had to pay up front. I have no experience with other hospitals so can't comment on their methods of being compensated.

[terminatorchiangmai]

Wasn't the real problem not with the insured tourists that got in to accidents at Thai attractions that not provided mandatory insurance?

Or rental companies that rent out motorbikes to unlicensed / uninsured tourists?

[Jeffrey346]

7 minutes ago, ChrissUdon said:

And then there's pre-existing conditions which will never be covered. Personally the chances of me needing a long term hospital stay would pretty much be related to pre-existing. 50kbht + pa wasted on a health policy that I couldn't use. If 'risky' persons, of which I'm one, are to foot these so called unpaid bills how about letting me legally pay into the Thai health system as a requirement for my long stay and of course have the use of the service as a Thai.

Why would the Gov cover high risk foreigners?  That would cost them more than thos that are skipping out on the Med Bills...

 

[steve2112]

Just now, tjinks said:

Although I am a US citizen I agree with the poster who said make the Thais pay in the UK & EU instead of being freeloaders.

thais have to show proof of medical insurance to get a schengen visa (for EU), and UK will only cover emergency visits and have the option to charge you, and i think have started in some cases

[TheAppletons]

4 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

80,000 applicants for the Visas.

Gosh, sure kills it for those who claim no one wants to come and many are moving away to Vietnam and Cambodia...

I'm relatively certain that 80,000 number includes extensions of stay for retirement applied for within Thailand, not 80,00 new applicants for O-A visas.  Unless you think the number of retirees in Thailand doubles every year.

 

This report (https://news.thaivisa.com/article/38177/the-mystery-of-exactly-how-many-expats-live-in-thailand) says:

 

"According to figures in the 2019 Thailand Migration Report, there are just 150,707 expats residing in Thailand, of those 72,969 are retirees."