Medical insurance for foreigners on the cards again

[webfact]

Medical insurance for foreigners on the cards again

By Barry Kenyon

 

 

They want to go back into the water as soon as possible.

 

The Thai tourist authority this week announced its plan to subject all visitors to a premium charge to pay for travel insurance. The sum per person would not be higher than 300 baht per visit which could bring in revenue as high as 12 billion baht annually if the number of visitors ever reaches the 40 million targeted by the government before the Coronavirus outbreak.

Details are sketchy at the moment but the fee, if approved by the Thai Cabinet, would likely be added to the cost of the air ticket as a supplement. Visitors by sea and land would likely have to pay at the border or port. A government spokesman spoke mainly of the threat posed by the virus and the need to reduce the problem of foreigners seeking medical treatment in Thailand without proper financial cover.

 

Travel insurance, of course, is far from comprehensive. Its purpose is to protect to some extent holidaymakers from cancellations, loss of personal belongings and emergency medical treatment. Few policy holders read the small print, but phrases such as “pre-existing condition” or “claiming against an unapproved medical condition” or “known event” can veto the claim. The bigger is the claim, the more intense the scrutiny by the policy brokers and issuers.

 

Full story: https://www.pattayamail.com/coronavirus/medical-insurance-for-foreigners-on-the-cards-again-299522

 

-- © Copyright Pattaya Mail 2020-05-13

 

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[Canuck1966]

12 billion for the trough

Mia noi's rejoicing across the kingdom

[Misterwhisper]

7 minutes ago, webfact said:

Details are sketchy at the moment

As per usual with these government-concocted schemes.

 

10 minutes ago, webfact said:

added to the cost of the air ticket

So how will they distinguish between visiting tourists and foreign residents? Will I still have to automatically pay that embedded fee although I, a resident of some 30 years, hold a comprehensive first-class health insurance policy?

 

I travel very frequently for business (well, I used to before Covid). Does that mean I'll have to shoulder that compulsory fee each and every time I purchase a ticket, i.e. 12 - 15 times a year?

[Pilotman]

fair enough. Actually, a wise measure, considering how many tourists, especially back packers and some of the younger travellers, who seem to travel with little or no insurance. 

[Mango Bob]

As always they pick a good time to bring this subject up.

[MikeyIdea]

9 minutes ago, Misterwhisper said:

So how will they distinguish between visiting tourists and foreign residents?

I doubt they will. It'll probably be included in the airplane ticket price. And Thai's would probably also have to pay. My guess anyway

[worgeordie]

So is this they same 300 Thb charge that was reported as a tourist tax

on people entering Thailand,nothing was mentioned about it been used

for insurance, 

regards Worgeordie

[geriatrickid]

10 minutes ago, Misterwhisper said:

As per usual with these government-concocted schemes.

 

So how will they distinguish between visiting tourists and foreign residents? Will I still have to automatically pay that embedded fee although I, a resident of some 30 years, hold a comprehensive first-class health insurance policy?

 

I travel very frequently for business (well, I used to before Covid). Does that mean I'll have to shoulder that compulsory fee each and every time I purchase a ticket, i.e. 12 - 15 times a year?

Consider it as another tax to offset some of the public expense/subsidy given to the airports. Did you make this sort of fuss over the  former airport improvement fees?

 

If you travel for business then you will understand that this will become another  business expense that can be taken as a deduction against  taxable income. 

 

300 baht is the least of your worries for air travel. Airfares will need to increase 25% to 50% if airlines are to survive without increased subsidies. 

 

[Phuketshrew]

30 minutes ago, webfact said:

The sum per person would not be higher than 300 baht per visit which could bring in revenue as high as 12 billion baht annually if the number of visitors ever reaches the 40 million targeted by the government before the Coronavirus outbreak.

So the 12 billion in premiums will be banked with no insurance payouts?

[Blumpie]

No thank you.

[Thomas J]

37 minutes ago, webfact said:

Medical insurance for foreigners on the cards again

Tourism is dead, the country is on lock down, the economy is on life support.  Government response.  Oh lets impose a tax on foreigners coming.  

[Justgrazing]

44 minutes ago, webfact said:

 

The Thai tourist authority this week announced its plan to subject all visitors to a premium charge to pay for travel insurance. The sum per person would not be higher than 300 baht per visit which could bring in revenue as high as 12 billion baht annually if the number of visitors ever reaches the 40 million targeted by the government before the Coronavirus outbreak.

Thought it a while since we'd had a load of pollocks offa TaT .. They've made up for lost time .. 

 

[kotsak]

52 minutes ago, Canuck1966 said:

12 billion for the trough

Mia noi's rejoicing across the kingdom

and some car dealers.. ????

 

[Pilotman]

If you think this is bad, wait until all World governments start to recoup the economic costs incurred by Covid 19 and start to lower the massive debts being incurred right now, £500 billion in the UK's case, to date and still rising.  Prepare for massive tax rises across the board in all jurisdictions, weak western currencies, expensive air travel and hotel prices and a massive hike in all classes of insurance, Worldwide. And expect this to go on for many many years.  Welcome to the new World.  This small price to enter Thailand is a lot less that a drop in the ocean, it's nothing in comparison with what's coming.  

[Youlike]

I already have a very good travel insurance, why would i pay again by my airline ticket? Getting tired of thailand and their greed.

[spidermike007]

Not a good time to be bringing up this subject again. It is going to take alot to get Thailand back onto the tourism map. If tourism returns, they will continue to get more Indians and Chinese, but they will be lower, and lower middle income tourists. Thailand just cannot attract higher end tourists anymore. The focus on quantity over quality will continue to erode the nation on countless levels. More is rarely better. It just lowers the quality of life for nearly everyone, creates more congestion, more smog, more traffic, longer lines at immigration, and makes life difficult, especially in the big cities. Quantity over quality is never a good thing, unless you are selling one dollar items at a swap meet. It just lowers the quality of the experience for all.

 

And crowds will have a far different connotation now, than they did before, with social distancing considered to be of concern. 

 

 

Edited May 13, 2020 by spidermike007

[Enzian]

My experience with credit card travel insurance is that the last thing they want to do is pay out on a claim. This if it happens will likely be similar. I'm pro-business but those guys give it a bad name.

[mok199]

Never let a good disaster go to waste

[smedly]

1 hour ago, Pilotman said:

fair enough. Actually, a wise measure, considering how many tourists, especially back packers and some of the younger travellers, who seem to travel with little or no insurance. 

it is all well and good until they start complaining about a paltary Bt30 million of medical bills unpaid by foreigners/tourists in 3 years time and we will all be asking - hang on - where did the 36 billion go ?   

[ThailandRyan]

1 hour ago, Mango Bob said:

As always they pick a good time to bring this subject up.

Nothing like kicking themselves in the forehead with a new knee jerk reaction, because they used the other trough money for go knows what...

[RichardColeman]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

The sum per person would not be higher than 300 baht per visit

If just 300 baht covers all hospital per visit payable on ticket or at immigration, I'm all for it.

[Pilotman]

I imagine that following this pandemic, most if not all countries in the World will introduce such compulsory medical insurance for all visitors and maybe not as cheap as here. I suggest that people here need to wake up and smell the antiseptic. 

[ThailandRyan]

1 hour ago, Phuketshrew said:

So the 12 billion in premiums will be banked with no insurance payouts?

I know, right? It is because it will be to offset the losses they have accumulated so far, and re-fill their personal coffers, sorry I meant the Governments coffers, sorry I know both the same, stupid of me to think they are different...Looks like they are expecting at a minimum 40,000,000 visitors each year then.  Wait that means that each migrant worker will be also paying this fee as well.....Oh man tons of money...

Edited May 13, 2020 by ThailandRyan

[Pilotman]

4 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

I know, right? It is because it will be to offset the losses they have accumulated so far, and re-fill their personal coffers, sorry I meant the Governments coffers, sorry I know both the same, stupid of me to think they are different...Looks like they are expecting at a minimum 40,000,000 visitors each year then

You mean like UK National Insurance payment, NI, which was introduced to fund personal care in a NHS and social care outside, neither of which it did adequately, or does adequately now, as it is now considered in general taxation? 

Edited May 13, 2020 by Pilotman

[Traubert]

37 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

Not a good time to be bringing up this subject again. It is going to take alot to get Thailand back onto the tourism map. If tourism returns, they will continue to get more Indians and Chinese, but they will be lower, and lower middle income tourists. Thailand just cannot attract higher end tourists anymore. The focus on quantity over quality will continue to erode the nation on countless levels. More is rarely better. It just lowers the quality of life for nearly everyone, creates more congestion, more smog, more traffic, longer lines at immigration, and makes life difficult, especially in the big cities. Quantity over quality is never a good thing, unless you are selling one dollar items at a swap meet. It just lowers the quality of the experience for all.

 

And crowds will have a far different connotation now, than they did before, with social distancing considered to be of concern. 

 

 

Maybe they're happy to do that and leave the handful of 'high end' tourists to Monaco and the like?

 

I wouldnt lose any sleep over it. There's plenty of money in China.

[Canuck1966]

1 hour ago, Pilotman said:

fair enough. Actually, a wise measure, considering how many tourists, especially back packers and some of the younger travellers, who seem to travel with little or no insurance. 

Believe me, the money will be long gone before any claims are submitted

Pandemics like this happen about once every century too

[Pilotman]

Just now, Canuck1966 said:

Believe me, the money will be long gone before any claims are submitted

Pandemics like this happen about once every century too

Just look upon it as an extra  visa fee. If people are still stupid enough to travel without adequate medical and personal insurance, then that  is their lookout.   I just hope that idiots like that don't try to con people on Crowdfunding websites, to cover their medical bills, when they fall off their rented bike that they have no license to ride. 

[Pilotman]

1 hour ago, Youlike said:

I already have a very good travel insurance, why would i pay again by my airline ticket? Getting tired of thailand and their greed.

because they say so? 

[ezzra]

Somebody has to put up the bills to restart the economy pay for the governments hands outs and oh yeah, save  Thailand's national Carrier Thai from going tits up, and once again foreignness are the perpetual cash cow...

Edited May 13, 2020 by ezzra

[Chelseafan]

1 hour ago, Pilotman said:

If you think this is bad, wait until all World governments start to recoup the economic costs incurred by Covid 19 and start to lower the massive debts being incurred right now, £500 billion in the UK's case, to date and still rising.  Prepare for massive tax rises across the board in all jurisdictions, weak western currencies, expensive air travel and hotel prices and a massive hike in all classes of insurance, Worldwide. And expect this to go on for many many years.  Welcome to the new World.  This small price to enter Thailand is a lot less that a drop in the ocean, it's nothing in comparison with what's coming.  

UK is already £1.8 trillion in debt, whats another half a billion....????