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

[Lacrimas]

2 minutes ago, GrooveRI said:

I was wondering the same thing as I am contemplating going from a retirement extension to a marriage visa. 

I hope they don't touch marriage visas, it will be violation of human rights anyways. 

[emptypockets]

5 minutes ago, WaveHunter said:

With all due respect, that is a silly remark.  If a foreigner is brought into a hospital with a life threatening injury, they are not going to be turned away and allowed to die for lack of funds!  I mean, C'mon, what kind of country do you we're living in anyway?

 

They are supposed to be given a certain level of emergency care without question for a limited time according to the policy published on this forum. Whether that happens in practice is another matter.

[brewsterbudgen]

This is precisely what I feared what was it six or seven years ago when Immigration first tightened the screws for too many visa runs, then ed visas, then digital nomads, and then the people aced out of their income letters. Now, it's hitting all of us. Even a poster above bringing in 275,000 per month will have to leave because he is uninsurable. At the least people should have had sympathy for those effected earlier. Preferably, everyone should have kept together. Now we'll all hang separately.

"All of us"? OA and OX visa applicants are hardly that. Those who live in Thailand on Retirement, Marriage or Work Extensions are not affected.

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

[emptypockets]

3 hours ago, Scot123 said:

I had a feeling this was on the cards and I was shrugged off with your worrying about nothing. This was the reason why we left. Right at the beginning of our stay I looked at insurance for me and my family and just my wife and children. First was a "your F^~&ING joking" the second was a "laughing moment". My health insurance was my wife's credit card, my car and our big bikes so if we could not pay we would sell. 10 years we had 1 x pick up, 1 x Everest and 3 times big bikes and never had to sell any unless we wanted to. Thank god we left. 

You left because of something that does not affect you? Unbelievable.

I think someone might be being economical with the truth here and just jumping on the 'Thailand bad' bandwagon.

[wisperone]

Like I stated months ago, Thailand is the landlord, and farangs are the unwanted tenant. They want the tenant out, but instead of just evicting, they will keep raising the rent and milking the tenant until it is too expensive for them, and they will eventually leave. In the meantime, they have soaked them for as much money as possible, bleeding them slowly. We all have a choice. Up to you as they say.

[emptypockets]

3 hours ago, WaveHunter said:

It is about Thailand!  The discussion is about whether or not US-based Medcare will or will not cover emergency / urgent care needs of a Medicare-covered Expat while outside of USA (in Thailand).

No it is not. Your off topic discussion might be, but the thread is not. Its about insurance requirements for holders of OA visas, none of whom I have ever met.

Edited October 10, 2019 by emptypockets

[BimBoon]

The fundamental nationalism in this country since the elites took over is truly mind blowing. They don't see the bigger picture of the billions of dollars expats never mind tourist add to the economy especially at a time when the baby is so high many are struggling and some won't even visit. Hope and pray it comes back to bite them and there economy sinks. 

[emptypockets]

2 hours ago, Scot123 said:

If you have been in Thailand long enough you will know that in a few weeks sometimes days that can and most likely will change. How can you live like that.?. I couldn't. Have you forgotten this time last year already? Embassies refusing to verify income and the course of events from its only 800,000baht in your account 3 months before and 3 months after to You have to leave 400,000baht in your bank never using it. It was almost like waking every day to worry what next. It was October we decided to leave Thailand and not a decision we made lightly as we have a house we built in Thailand. 

Your wife is Thai?

[emptypockets]

1 hour ago, Alicia Beaudin said:

 

After reading the Thai Immigration Notice published on October 9, 2019 in ThaiVision, I came away with the impression that most retirees 

over 50 years old had to have health insurance.  In the section titled "Criteria for Consideration of Granting an Alien's Extension of Stay...",

sub-section six states "Only for an alien, who has been granted Non-Immigrant Visa Class O-A, must buy a Thai health insurance...."

 

During their first year of stay, I think most retirees had an O-A visa from there embassies in their home countries. They had been granted an O-A.

The fact that the visa is not current is irrelevant. 

 

If the law only meant O-A current holders, health insurance could only be required in the first year. 

 

I wish the law had been written "Only for an alien, who has been granted Non-Immigrant Visa Class O-A after October 31,2019..."

A very small minority of people started off on an OA visa. it is not a pre-requisite to be able to stay a long time in Thailand. If you DO have an OA visa you can fix that quite easily by going to a nearby consulate and getting a single entry tourist visa and applying for an extension of stay based on that. Search the forum for details on how to do it.

Edited October 10, 2019 by emptypockets

[emptypockets]

1 hour ago, zydeco said:

This is precisely what I feared what was it six or seven years ago when Immigration first tightened the screws for too many visa runs, then ed visas, then digital nomads, and then the people aced out of their income letters. Now, it's hitting all of us. Even a poster above bringing in 275,000 per month will have to leave because he is uninsurable. At the least people should have had sympathy for those effected earlier. Preferably, everyone should have kept together. Now we'll all hang separately.

Stop spreading panic and innuendo. If it happens then worry about it then.

It hasn't happened yet, and in my opinion, unlikely to. The bloke you are referring to simply does not understand what the topic is. Not surprising since the amount of misinformation on this topic can be overwhelming.

Apparently he is married with a family. I sincerely doubt the current or any Thai government will introduce any policies that will hurt their own citizens...i.e the wives and families of foreigners. There is no indication that that will happen.

The recent changes to money in the bank was for (single) retirees only, no changes to married people at all.

Relax guys.

[Ireland32]

15 hours ago, ezzra said:

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...

You go BKK Hospital your escorted to Cashier....

[emptypockets]

58 minutes ago, Lacrimas said:

I hope they don't touch marriage visas, it will be violation of human rights anyways. 

Which human rights would those be?

[emptypockets]

59 minutes ago, brewsterbudgen said:

"All of us"? OA and OX visa applicants are hardly that. Those who live in Thailand on Retirement, Marriage or Work Extensions are not affected.

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk
 

Simple comprehension is not a strong point for a lot of people.

[emptypockets]

48 minutes ago, BimBoon said:

The fundamental nationalism in this country since the elites took over is truly mind blowing. They don't see the bigger picture of the billions of dollars expats never mind tourist add to the economy especially at a time when the baby is so high many are struggling and some won't even visit. Hope and pray it comes back to bite them and there economy sinks. 

The elites have always run the country in one form or another, although I hear what you are saying. 

Edited October 10, 2019 by emptypockets
Removed refernce to Germans

[Expat Brad]

Who owns the major Thai health insurance companies? A very high elite that we cannot speak about maybe!!!

Get out......or make us money!!!

I will most likely not be able to afford the premium after 70 so, what to do?

They don't care about any amount of money you have put into the Thai economy or your Thai family or dependants. 

Many will have nowhere to go as it is all here and nothing to go back to anyway........ Options will be ZERO!!!!

 

[emptypockets]

46 minutes ago, whitemouse said:

Few years ago I, and friend of mine had a misunderstanding with a Thai motorcy taxi, iron bar was involved, and results were open cut on my foot (on top of feet, just below knee, bone visible), and my friend's arm. 2am, Pattaya Memorial Hospital would not treat neither of us until we made cash payments, 3500 baht for my 4 stitches, 3000 baht for my friend's 3 stitches. This is what kind of country I think we live in. 

Must have been a helluva misunderstanding? Was the taxi driver fighting for his life against drunken yobbos? There's always a back story. Sorry to hear you come off second best.

[emptypockets]

7 minutes ago, kingofthemountain said:

Considering the fact that the government has in the past (19 may 2010) ordered the shooting of dozens of its citizens with real bullets by the army, I would not be as assertive as you

Don't you think that it is not beyond the realms of possibility that a reasonable man, observing from a distance, may, after due consideration, conclude your comment may be bordering, or indeed, very close to off topic?

[emptypockets]

1 hour ago, BimBoon said:

The fundamental nationalism in this country since the elites took over is truly mind blowing. They don't see the bigger picture of the billions of dollars expats never mind tourist add to the economy especially at a time when the baby is so high many are struggling and some won't even visit. Hope and pray it comes back to bite them and there economy sinks. 

Billions of dollars from expats? Read the forum more widely...many are leaving because they can't scrape together 30,000 USD. We aren't the God given blessing to South east Asia that we think we are.

[Russell17au]

12 minutes ago, Expat Brad said:

Who owns the major Thai health insurance companies? A very high elite that we cannot speak about maybe!!!

Get out......or make us money!!!

I will most likely not be able to afford the premium after 70 so, what to do?

They don't care about any amount of money you have put into the Thai economy or your Thai family or dependants. 

Many will have nowhere to go as it is all here and nothing to go back to anyway........ Options will be ZERO!!!!

 

Why don't you look at the options that you have if you do not like the idea of having health insurance and ignore all the rubbish about they are going to make all the other visa applications have health insurance because there has not been anything said about that except by a few farangs here on TV. They may be going to do that but they may not, nobody knows. But there are other options open to you.

[emptypockets]

16 minutes ago, Expat Brad said:

Who owns the major Thai health insurance companies? A very high elite that we cannot speak about maybe!!!

Get out......or make us money!!!

I will most likely not be able to afford the premium after 70 so, what to do?

They don't care about any amount of money you have put into the Thai economy or your Thai family or dependants. 

Many will have nowhere to go as it is all here and nothing to go back to anyway........ Options will be ZERO!!!!

 

A lot of the insurance companies on the list of insurers are multinationals. Some based in the US.

[Max69xl]

24 minutes ago, emptypockets said:

Simple comprehension is not a strong point for a lot of people.

About 80000 out of hundred of thousands are affected, and they don't have to apply for the O-A if they don't want. Go for the 90 days Non-Immigrant O with the 1 year extension after 60 days instead. 

[emptypockets]

18 minutes ago, Expat Brad said:

Who owns the major Thai health insurance companies? A very high elite that we cannot speak about maybe!!!

Get out......or make us money!!!

I will most likely not be able to afford the premium after 70 so, what to do?

They don't care about any amount of money you have put into the Thai economy or your Thai family or dependants. 

Many will have nowhere to go as it is all here and nothing to go back to anyway........ Options will be ZERO!!!!

 

OK lets be brutally honest.

if you are of an age where you want to apply for an OA visa to visit Thailand for 12 months and cannot get insurance the you WILL NOT get a visa. Is that simple enough?

If you are of a similar age and cannot work how to come to Thailand and apply for an extension of stay which does not require the insurance at this stage THEN YOU ARE TOO STUPID......STAY HOME and do the wider world a favour.

[Max69xl]

23 minutes ago, Expat Brad said:

Who owns the major Thai health insurance companies? A very high elite that we cannot speak about maybe!!!

Get out......or make us money!!!

I will most likely not be able to afford the premium after 70 so, what to do?

They don't care about any amount of money you have put into the Thai economy or your Thai family or dependants. 

Many will have nowhere to go as it is all here and nothing to go back to anyway........ Options will be ZERO!!!!

 

Who forced you to apply for the O-A visa? You do know it only affect long term visas? 

[WaveHunter]

This thread is getting absolutely retarded now.  Time for a mod to close it!

Edited October 10, 2019 by WaveHunter

[Max69xl]

14 minutes ago, emptypockets said:

Billions of dollars from expats? Read the forum more widely...many are leaving because they can't scrape together 30,000 USD. We aren't the God given blessing to South east Asia that we think we are.

Every expat spend more money in 12 months, than a tourist does in a few weeks. 

[RedPill]

1 hour ago, emptypockets said:

No it is not. Your off topic discussion might be, but the thread is not. Its about insurance requirements for holders of OA visas, none of whom I have ever met.

The issue is, when one thing kicks off ... good chance it will go through, in all directions of Immi-O visas, incl. extensions, and then putting an age on it, as well. Over 50. Not only OA!

 

You can put one piece on another, then another piece, and another one ... as long as everything fits, you are fine.

Until it hits everybody at one point in time.

 

I'm not sure myself, I got a Thai health insurance with Axa, now Aetna, for many years here.

Ok & good cover ... helped my family a lot, 1 or 2 nights in a Hospital, 60k, no problem.

 

All reimbursed. No questions asked.

 

But it's only for Inpatients ... I've always forked out those few thousands for a day visit myself. No issue.

 

If there is something serious, they love to keep you overnight anyways. It's a win/win for everyone, myself and incl. the Hospital.

 

Now, I have to a) upgrade my insurance to cover outpatients to 40k, and b) don't even know whether Aetna is part of the accepted list, or do I need to give up my years of good history package and go to a 'pre-selected' new insurance company just to fulfill immigration rules? 

 

Just one example. It's all a little bit too much enforced and over the top.

 

And not even to speak about long term stay Farangs who have a much better insurance abroad, covering a lot more and much better.

They will not be accepted?

 

Come on, that complete thing just doesn't small good ... we all need health insurance, yes, but not enforced in this way!

 

 

 

Edited October 10, 2019 by RedPill

[emptypockets]

26 minutes ago, Max69xl said:

About 80000 out of hundred of thousands are affected, and they don't have to apply for the O-A if they don't want. Go for the 90 days Non-Immigrant O with the 1 year extension after 60 days instead. 

Nonsense. There are not 80,000 OA visa holders in Thailand.

[emptypockets]

23 minutes ago, Max69xl said:

Who forced you to apply for the O-A visa? You do know it only affect long term visas? 

An OA visa is just one of a few visa options. I think you are getting confused. Not every retiree has or started off on an OA visa.

I'm sure there are a few but personally I've never met anyone on an OA visa.

[Russell17au]

3 minutes ago, RedPill said:

The issue is, when one thing kicks off ... good chance it will go through, in all directions of Immi-O visas, incl. extensions, and then putting an age on it, as well. Over 50. Not only OA!

 

You can put one piece on another, then another piece, and another one ... as long as everything fits, you are fine.

Until it hits everybody at one point in time.

 

I'm not sure myself, I got a Thai health insurance with Axa, now Aetna, for many years here.

Ok & good cover ... helped my family a lot, 1 or 2 nights in a Hospital, 60k, no problem.

 

All reimbursed. No questions asked.

 

But it's only for Inpatients ... I've always forked out those few thousands for a day visit myself. No issue.

 

If there is something serious, they love to keep you overnight. It's a win/win for everyone, myself and incl. the Hospital.

 

Now, I have to a) upgrade my insurance to cover outpatients to 40k, and b) don't even know whether Aetna is part of the excepted list, or do I need to give up my years of good history package and go to a 'pre-selected' insurance? Just one example. It's all a little bit too much enforced and over the top.

 

And not even to speak about long term stay Farangs who have a much better insurance abroad, covering a lot more and much better.

They will not be accepted?

 

Come on, that complete thing just doesn't small good ... we all need health insurance, yes, but not enforced in this way!

 

 

 

Then why don't you change your visa from a Non-Imm "O-A" visa to a Non-Imm "O" visa with an extension based on either retirement with the same financial requirements but they must be in a Thai Bank Account or an extension based on marriage if you are married which carries a smaller financial requirement but then again it must be in a Thai Bank Account and there is no insurance required so you would not need to change your insurance cover. A lot of farangs opted for the "O-A" Visa because they did not want to put their money into a Thai bank account. Now they have given you a choice of either buy a health insurance through Thailand or open a Thai Bank Account and change your visa. What ever way it goes your money will come into Thailand. The choice is yours on what way that will happen. 

[RedPill]

1 minute ago, emptypockets said:

An OA visa is just one of a few visa options. I think you are getting confused. Not every retiree has or started off on an OA visa.

I'm sure there are a few but personally I've never met anyone on an OA visa.

And, don't you keep the option open that this will get applied to all other O visas later?

 

Knowing how this goes here, I can see this happening in front of my eyes. I don't need too much imagination for it.