Social Security health insurance option for retired government school workers?

[sanooki]

Hello, I've been teaching at a Rajabhat for almost 7 years, but planning to retire soon. Apparently, government workers do not get put into the Social Security system, I recently discovered. They have a different health system, that I've made use of in the past, mistakenly assuming I was in SS. I tried asking the HR department about what happens after retirement for us, but couldn't get through the language barrier. It seemed she said there was nothing.

 

Can someone here please shed light on what happens regarding healthcare for retiring government employees, and of course, specifically farang government employees? It seems, from another post I read, that it is possible to buy in to the Social Security system while I still have a work permit. But, surely, government employees have some other option?

[Madgee]

There are three main 'health care systems in Thailand:

 

The Universal Care System (UCS) covers the majority of the population not covered by other social health protection schemes.

 

The Social Security Scheme (SSS) for private sector employees.

 

The Civil Servant Medical Benefit Scheme (CSMBS) for government employees and government retirees, as well as their spouses, dependants under 20 years old and parents.

 

Government employees do not have periodic contracts. (Gov. officials) Teachers, nurses, military, police etc.

Government contract workers; refuge collections, some admin positions, some teachers etc. do.

 

You are not a Gov. official. You do not wear a Gov. uniform (on Mondays) I presume.

I guess you are in the SSS as you have a contract?

When you retire you can cash this in (it's like a life policy) or continue paying to receive healthcare as you are in the system.

  

[Preacher]

A Thai civil servant who retires stays insures under the civil servant. You are not a civil servant, so you will not be on the civil servant medical insurence, (unless you have a Thai wife who is a civil servant). Check with your university which healthcare plan you are under. Might be private insurence. If you are under the social security system they will deduct 750 baht a month from your salary, which you deduct on your tax form.

 

As far as i know you can only continue social security if you are employed and already are in se soccial security system when you lose your job or retire.

 

 

[sanooki]

Thanks, guys. As far as I think I've been told, I'm not in the SSS. They apparently never enrolled me. I think their system is private, or at least to them. I was told I won't have anything with them when I retire, which is consistent with the fact I'm not a government official. Yes, I'm a contractor.

 

I'm going to go check again to make sure, as I've been using something there. I assumed it was SSS or a  CSMBS-type thing, but I guess not, and I don't have a card for either. I was in SSS about 8 years ago when I had a company job, and I do still have my old card. Not sure if I could just re-activate? It's odd if I'm using those now but would not be able to continue. I don't think I'm in UCS, as I'd likely have a card like my wife's (she's not a govt official.

 

I believe they've told me to go to the local SSS office to enroll. It was news that I'd need to do that before I retire, so I'm relieved I decided to check while I'm still employed. That's probably the solution for me. 750 I guess is not bad considering the alternatives.

 

Thanks again

[Neeranam]

I'd go to the SS office to check. I expect you are already on the SS. 

If not, do this 1 year before you retire. I just reached 55 and got a lump sum(180,000 ish) and pay 432 baht a month. 

[sanooki]

Thanks much. I'll plan to do that.

[sanooki]

Deleted.

Edited November 12, 2020 by sanooki
Quote missing

[sanooki]

1 hour ago, Neeranam said:

I'd go to the SS office to check. I expect you are already on the SS. 

If not, do this 1 year before you retire. I just reached 55 and got a lump sum(180,000 ish) and pay 432 baht a month. 

By the way, are you American? I'm wondering if your lump sum payment would count as foreign SS and invoke the WEP penalty?

 

I don't think I'm participating monthly now, but I was in for about 6 months, so I doubt I'll get much out. I'll be happy if I just get the cheap insurance.

[sanooki]

For anyone who stumbles onto this thread, my wife discovered a phone line to the SS office and just got off the phone with them. Bad news, in that it appears foreign teachers do not have the option of buying into the Thai SSO scheme. I could have signed up within 6 months of switching my job-- back when I had coverage 8 years ago. So now, it looks as I may put in another year or so of work at a private school to get back in. Anyone looking for a great teacher? ????

[sanooki]

12 hours ago, Neeranam said:

I'd go to the SS office to check. I expect you are already on the SS. 

If not, do this 1 year before you retire. I just reached 55 and got a lump sum(180,000 ish) and pay 432 baht a month. 

Neeranam, were you a teacher? On further reflection on what I've found out, it seems foreign teachers are not eligible for SSS. So, if you were a teacher, I would be interested to learn how you did it. Thank you.

[CrunchWrapSupreme]

11 hours ago, sanooki said:

private school to get back in. Anyone looking for a great teacher?

Couldn't have picked a better time. All the private schools in and around BKK have been stealing each other's teachers as many farangs still cannot get in. You'd better hurry, some are coming out of retirement for this reason, and a few have been trickling in through state quarantine.

[Madgee]

These are the past and present contribution costs into the Social Security Fund.

Reductions were made in lieu of covid19. due to end in November.

Many Gov. school foreign teachers in my area pay into this fund (but still paying THB 750) deducted from salary.

 

Statutory monthly SSF contribution rates:

✓   Employers contribute 5% of wages with a cap of THB 750.
✓   Employees (under Section 33) contribute 5% of wages with a cap of THB 750.
✓   Voluntarily insured persons registered under Section 39 contribute THB 432 per month.

March 2020 – May 2020 reductions: 

✓   Employers contribute 4% of wages with a cap of THB 600.
✓   Employees (under Section 33) contribute 1% of wages with a cap of THB 150.
✓   Voluntarily insured persons registered under Section 39 contribute THB 86 per month.

September 2020 – November 2020 reductions:

✓   Employers contribute 2% of wages with a cap of THB 300.
✓   Employees (under Section 33) contribute 2% of wages with a cap of THB 300.
✓   Voluntarily insured persons registered under Section 39 contribute THB 96 per month.

[Neeranam]

4 hours ago, sanooki said:

Neeranam, were you a teacher? On further reflection on what I've found out, it seems foreign teachers are not eligible for SSS. So, if you were a teacher, I would be interested to learn how you did it. Thank you.

Yes, I was a teacher(British). Foreign teachers are eligible.

The SS office often say foreigners are not eligible for things as they're too bloody lazy to do it. 

Teachers at private schools can't enter the SS scheme. Any other job you get for 1 year, they have to put you on it by law. This is why I'm surprised you're not on it already. 

[Neeranam]

If I were you I'd speak to the HR dept in your uni. Take a lawyer or a translator.

Also, you should go to the Labour Dept and check your rights.

Something fishy here. 

[Preacher]

I work at a rajapbat demonstration school and I am enrolled into the social security fund.  (According to my school radjapat is a private institution, not a government one).

[sanooki]

These are very interesting responses, and encouraging. I have been in many shopping situations where I've been told they don't have something when I knew for a fact they just couldn't be bothered. It's surprising to get that from a supposed help line.

 

I had seen a few posts online alluding to teachers getting SS, and that's why I opened this topic. So, it's good to get confirmation here.

 

I don't think a Rajabhat can be considered a private school. They are the King's universities, and they all wear the uniforms, etc. Not sure the disconnect. My wife said HR told her the funds for my current insurance come from, what she translated as, กรมบัญชีกลาง The Comptroller General's Department. I'm not sure if that's for all Rajabhats or just mine. She thinks it's all of them.

 

I have another contact here I will check with in the international relations office, but he hasn't been the most helpful on several issues in the past. I might ask some other teachers around, as well, and go to labour. I don't have a lawyer, though I have a cert. in legal tech. It's really frustrating to not be able to grill people myself. Everything needs to be deciphered.

 

I really appreciate the advice here guys.

[bbabythai]

I also worked at a govt uni in issan. After I quit I registered with the SS health scheme. They deduct around 400 baht  a month from my account. I have full access to the large local govt hospital in my city. If you move to a new city you can simply fill out forms and nominate a new govt hospital. I will have this for life here in thailand as long as the money keeps coming out. 

[sanooki]

1 hour ago, bbabythai said:

I also worked at a govt uni in issan. After I quit I registered with the SS health scheme. They deduct around 400 baht  a month from my account. I have full access to the large local govt hospital in my city. If you move to a new city you can simply fill out forms and nominate a new govt hospital. I will have this for life here in thailand as long as the money keeps coming out. 

Sounds great. I'm guessing you were already in the system before you quit?

[sanooki]

A perhaps final, sad note for the ending of my story. I ran around a bit today. We called the local SS office (last night we spoke to the national number) and they confirmed what folks are saying here. You can indeed get SS as a teacher. So, I got my hopes up, printed out their form, and went back to HR. HR, I'm not sure why they didn't say anything last time about this, maybe they didn't want to see me angry. But this time, they told me I could not sign up because I had passed the age of 60. (I'm 61 and have been able to keep my job, which I was thinking was a good thing here.) I called back the local SS office and they confirmed this is indeed the case. A potentially very expensive mistake.

 

One moral to this story, I suppose, is that Thailand is not like your country. Never assume people will tell you what you need to know. HR is not your friend and they are not bound to follow any disclosure rules, as you might be accustomed to. There's no safety net. If you make a wrong move, you will fall and be hurt.

 

Good luck and thanks again for the help.

Edited November 13, 2020 by sanooki
Added agree

[Preacher]

Sorry to hear that. But there is one thing you could try and find out:

 

In some cases it is an option to be in the social security system, in other cases you have to be enroled by your employer by law and not doing so is an offence, with a small penalty. If your employer didn't do enrol you while they were supposed to do so, they are liabel for the damages that costs to you: that you don't have medical ensurence.

[sanooki]

On 11/13/2020 at 3:45 PM, Preacher said:

Sorry to hear that. But there is one thing you could try and find out:

 

In some cases it is an option to be in the social security system, in other cases you have to be enroled by your employer by law and not doing so is an offence, with a small penalty. If your employer didn't do enrol you while they were supposed to do so, they are liabel for the damages that costs to you: that you don't have medical ensurence.

Thank you. It would seem that way. I might pursue that route. They were lying to me to get me out of their hair. The first time, saying I should go check at the SS office, the second, first insisting I had to sign up after I quit work. When it was apparent I was not going to take that answer, that's when the truth came out. I let them have a piece of my mind, saying I taught here 7 years and they never considered to inform me.

 

I'm not sure they're required, since they have their own health insurance that they provided me, but I had a thought to check at the labour office. Another thing is that I think the 60 rule's intention is to not allow those who have already retired to sign up. Most Thais retire at 60. However, my case is clearly different, as I can work up to 70 years old. It seems there should be an exception for my case. However, also, that is likely wishful thinking, as rarely do Thais have much consideration for us lowly farang. The bureaucrat clerks could never be bothered to consider exceptions. The least they could do is inform people.

 

Regards.