Strong disincentive for many or most expats to get tested for Covid-19

[Jingthing]

OK, here is my current understanding of the situation.

 

If you're an expat (not on work permit or in the Thai public health system) and you have some symptoms of infection, the private hospitals don't really want to see you. The ads I've checked are all about for travel purposes and say NOT FOR HIGH RISK people. Cost for such tests maybe 3,500 baht up. 

 

So your option if you want to get tested is to contact the Thai authorities who (if there are currently testing kits available in your area) may tell you where to get tested and there will be a presumably high cost for that. Free to Thais. 

 

If you're specifically traced as having been in a cluster area, then I think you might be eligible for free testing at the same types of locations.

 

Then, if you're positive, they will send an ambulance to where you're at and take you away to wherever they're taking you, as an expat either a hotel or hospital. I've heard the estimate for a typical case of mild symptoms for that is perhaps 100,000 baht.  Of course if you're insured that would hopefully cover. This is even if you have NO symptoms. Of course the understandable public health goal is so that such people don't spread it to others. Some people (Thai and foreign) may be more capable to self isolate than others, but this policy doesn't take such different capabilities into account. 

 

Obviously a more serious case needing intensive care, etc. the sky is the limit on the bill if you survive.

 

So why am I posting this?

Why would an expat in their right mind seek out testing at all under these conditions if they only have mild symptoms or perhaps strongly suspect they've been exposed?

 

The vast majority wouldn't. 

 

They would stay at home and try to self isolate the best they can. 

 

Obviously anyone developing severe symptoms with breathing will have little choice but to seek emergency care. 

 

To add, if you do have mild symptoms and you lose your sense of taste and smell, you probably have it, but it still might be a mild case.

 

I'm not blaming the Thai system or saying it's particularly bad compared to other countries. I'm just pointing out the very strong disincentive for  many or most expats to seek testing. I'm sure other groups of people also have disincentives, but what I've detailed for many or most expats is rather extreme. 

Edited April 17, 2021 by Jingthing

[tgw]

I'm not sure what happens to work permit holders if they test positive.

My guess is that they would send me to a private hospital with a huge bill to pay.

 

My course of action would be to stay at home and avoid any tests under all circumstances, even if I suspect being infected.

 

I am actually still registered under Thai healthcare scheme at a hospital, I wonder if they would send me there, would I have a choice in the matter?

 

In any case, that would be an unnecessary risk, best thing is to just wait it out at home with the occasional trip for food.

[scubascuba3]

Those with insurance will go get tested etc those without will avoid due to mandatory fleecing of farang that will follow.

 

In Phuket they were almost begging foreigners to come forward for testing because they were laying low

 

[ayahuasca]

about 9 months ago I hired a qualified researcher to find out what was really going on (due to the lack of a free press, et. al.) and yes, per that researcher the cases were and are many times what is being reported (this information is also online) and if you test positive as a Thai or foreigner you are forcibly hospitalized for an extended period. 

[rabas]

56 minutes ago, ayahuasca said:

about 9 months ago I hired a qualified researcher to find out what was really going on (due to the lack of a free press, et. al.) and yes, per that researcher the cases were and are many times what is being reported (this information is also online) and if you test positive as a Thai or foreigner you are forcibly hospitalized for an extended period. 

Did your private researcher estimate how many more cases there are? 2X, 3X, etc.?

 

I ask because a certain number of undetected cases exist everywhere. It is unavoidable.

 

You say this information is online. Do you have a link?

 

--Thanks.

[pj123]

If you are forced to be hospitalised and have no symptoms, will your insurance pay? The insurer's medical advisers would say that you don't need to be in hospital if you have no symptoms. Even with mild symptoms the normal medical advise would be to just stay home.

[Sheryl]

6 minutes ago, pj123 said:

If you are forced to be hospitalised and have no symptoms, will your insurance pay? The insurer's medical advisers would say that you don't need to be in hospital if you have no symptoms. Even with mild symptoms the normal medical advise would be to just stay home.

 

For foreign insurers it will depend on what the hospital puts on the insurance form; with Thai hospitals the info provided is usually vague and sketchy.  Wording will be important, if they say "quarantine" that will raise a red flag.

 

i think there is at least a chance of being covered if in a hospital as long as the hospital words things right. But I cannot envision any foreign insurer paying for someone to be quarantined in a hotel which seems to be what they will now do with asymptomatic people.

 

Local COVID only policies are different and will pay all costs as issued by Thai companies with full understanding that all positive cases will be instituionalized.

 

 

[Crossy]

My health insurer have told me that they will NOT cover anything for an asymptomatic +ve test.

 

Thus I'm afraid I will avoid going anywhere near a test unless I'm actually sick!

 

Some useful stuff in this thread.

 

 

[Moonlover]

Well done @Crossy. You have probably encouraged every member of this forum to grab their phone and uninstall Thaichana and as I, like you, have no insurance that would cover me I have done just that. There is no point in putting my head above the parapet. 

 

I shall carry on self isolating in my little corner of rural Issan and hope that the virus passes by as it did last year.

[overherebc]

Having just been shown a video of one of the multi bed facilities that are being used I will be going no further than my front gate until I can get get a vac' shot. Don't care which one.

[scubascuba3]

Have they confirmed how much falang will be fleeced for these field hospitals?

[Jingthing]

1 minute ago, scubascuba3 said:

Have they confirmed how much falang will be fleeced for these field hospitals?

I heard f-rangs won't be sent to those. Instead to hotels or regular hospitals. I heard about 100k baht for a no or low symptom case. Highway robbery?

[scubascuba3]

47 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

I heard f-rangs won't be sent to those. Instead to hotels or regular hospitals. I heard about 100k baht for a no or low symptom case. Highway robbery?

i was reading earlier that they are sending falang to field hospitals, or trying to, some have refused to go.

 

Yeah 100k is robbery as expected, most people will try to avoid

[Peterw42]

53 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

I heard f-rangs won't be sent to those. Instead to hotels or regular hospitals. I heard about 100k baht for a no or low symptom case. Highway robbery?

Do you have a legitimate source for the 100k figure ?

link to a website ?

[Jingthing]

1 hour ago, Peterw42 said:

Do you have a legitimate source for the 100k figure ?

link to a website ?

Definitely a reasonable request.

However I can't relocate the source that I recall that mentioned both the 100K AND that expats would not be sent to field hospitals, but rather to hotels or hospitals. 

I do have this link that mentions the 100K figure but seems to imply that would be on the high end. 

The source that I unfortunately have failed to find said (to my recollection) that the 100K was not a surprisingly high bill and that would be for NO symptoms or mild symptom cases.

Health Alert – U.S. Embassy Bangkok, Thailand (January 15, 2021) | U.S. Embassy & Consulate in Thailand

 

[Sheryl]

You can get 100K cover for asymptomatic/mild COVID care/1 million baht cover for severe COVID  for less than 1,000 baht premium a year

 

https://www.roojai.com/en/covid/

 

That's just one policy, there are many others as well

 

I have excellent general health insurance which covers COVID but off course would not cover  being isolated in a hotel with asymptomatic or mild infections so thinking of getting this.

 

Need to get clarification that the medical expense cover would include field hospital/hotel facility for care of people with COVID as the policy wording pre-dates those being established but I think it would.

[jackdd]

Many private insurance policies have some deduct, this means if we test positive and are forced into a hospital we do at least have to pay this deduct ourselves.

Besides of the deduct, there is of course the problem that especially for foreign insurance companies, a stay in a hospital (or in a "hospitel") without symptoms isn't considered a reasonable treatment, and they might refuse to pay for it.

 

A foreigner with a foreign insurance policy, and being in their right mind, would of course avoid doing a Covid test unless having severe symptoms.

[BananaBandit]

If the field hospital is cheaper or free, can a farang insist on being sent to one?

[BananaBandit]

1 hour ago, Sheryl said:

You can get 100K cover for asymptomatic/mild COVID care/1 million baht cover for severe COVID  for less than 1,000 baht premium a year

 

https://www.roojai.com/en/covid/

 

That's just one policy, there are many others as well

 

 

Would the 450 baht plan (Plan 1) cover me well enough if I get yanked away to some hospital/quarantine facility?

 

I'm a lean guy still in my 30s. My chances of having a serious health issue with this thing are pretty slim. 

 

The cost of farang quarantine is what worries me. 

 

I'm in one of the Isan "big 4" cities, in case that makes a difference.

[Crossy]

I just got the 850 Baht policy, I still intend avoiding testing at all costs.

 

If I actually get sick my main health policy will cough, but like @BananaBandit it's the enforced hosptalisation for an asymptomatic +ve test that would be the killer.

 

Without access to any vaccine there's not a lot else to do ???? 

[scubascuba3]

4 minutes ago, Crossy said:

I just got the 850 Baht policy, I still intend avoiding testing at all costs.

 

If I actually get sick my main health policy will cough, but like @BananaBandit it's the enforced hosptalisation for an asymptomatic +ve test that would be the killer.

 

Without access to any vaccine there's not a lot else to do ???? 

Hospitals will be full soon, Bang Lamung already is, so at some point they may be forced to allow self isolation at home. They only have so many field hospitals which will also fill up quickly

[pixelaoffy]

7 hours ago, Sheryl said:

You can get 100K cover for asymptomatic/mild COVID care/1 million baht cover for severe COVID  for less than 1,000 baht premium a year

 

https://www.roojai.com/en/covid/

 

That's just one policy, there are many others as well

 

I have excellent general health insurance which covers COVID but off course would not cover  being isolated in a hotel with asymptomatic or mild infections so thinking of getting this.

 

Need to get clarification that the medical expense cover would include field hospital/hotel facility for care of people with COVID as the policy wording pre-dates those being established but I think it would.

Hey Sheryl.  How genuine is that Roojai company ?  It's so cheap who underwrites  it? Have you researched?

[pixelaoffy]

8 hours ago, Sheryl said:

You can get 100K cover for asymptomatic/mild COVID care/1 million baht cover for severe COVID  for less than 1,000 baht premium a year

 

https://www.roojai.com/en/covid/

 

That's just one policy, there are many others as well

 

I have excellent general health insurance which covers COVID but off course would not cover  being isolated in a hotel with asymptomatic or mild infections so thinking of getting this.

 

Need to get clarification that the medical expense cover would include field hospital/hotel facility for care of people with COVID as the policy wording pre-dates those being established but I think it would.

If you go through that company policy it's a 'claim ' after you would pay for any hospital fees!  Good luck with policy ! Never heard of this company and looks  completely unsafe 

[ExpatOilWorker]

On 4/18/2021 at 3:22 AM, Jingthing said:

Then, if you're positive, they will send an ambulance to where you're at and take you away to wherever they're taking you, as an expat either a hotel or hospital.

Not true in all cases. I know of one expat, with mild symptoms,  he is currently in home quarantine, with his wife, after a positive test.

 

[BananaBandit]

3 hours ago, ExpatOilWorker said:

Not true in all cases. I know of one expat, with mild symptoms,  he is currently in home quarantine, with his wife, after a positive test.

 

How did he swing that?  Did he make it clear he won't pay for anything?

[Sheryl]

5 hours ago, pixelaoffy said:

Hey Sheryl.  How genuine is that Roojai company ?  It's so cheap who underwrites  it? Have you researched?

It is a genuine company and well known mainly for auto insurance. The underwriter is Dhipaya a well known Thai insurance company.

[Moonlover]

1 hour ago, BananaBandit said:

4 hours ago, ExpatOilWorker said:

Not true in all cases. I know of one expat, with mild symptoms,  he is currently in home quarantine, with his wife, after a positive test.

 

1 hour ago, BananaBandit said:

 

How did he swing that?  Did he make it clear he won't pay for anything?

Could be a smart ploy. No pay, no play. (now where've I've heard that before?)

 

Plead poverty and they might just leave you alone.

[Dogmatix]

Sounds like expats have less to fear now that Thailand's meagre capacity for testing and hospitalisation has been so rapidly absorbed. Latest government guidelines are only to seek medical adivice if short of breath, elderly or otherwise health compromised.  They don't specify that seeking medical advice will result in testing or hospitalisation or that anyone will even pick up the phone.  This is the same as the UK when the pandemic first struck last year.  Despite more than a year's head start Thailand is in more or less the same state of preparedness, as the UK was then and without vaccines or a credible vaccination plan. 

[Sheryl]

12 hours ago, BananaBandit said:

 

 

Would the 450 baht plan (Plan 1) cover me well enough if I get yanked away to some hospital/quarantine facility?

 

I'm a lean guy still in my 30s. My chances of having a serious health issue with this thing are pretty slim. 

 

The cost of farang quarantine is what worries me. 

 

I'm in one of the Isan "big 4" cities, in case that makes a difference.

I don't think plan 1 would be adequate cover. Note that plan2 is only 850 baht a year.

[Disparate Dan]

14 hours ago, Sheryl said:

I have excellent general health insurance which covers COVID but off course would not cover  being isolated in a hotel with asymptomatic or mild infections so thinking of getting this.

Same here.

But the quoted policy and others like it do not appear to cover you if you don't actually have the disease. Seems to me you might be slung in a facility if you report symptoms, and get a big bill, but if you test negative after it all, the policy won't pay. Like it would be better financially to make sure you get it!