Retiree =? XXX Tourists (Where are they anyway)?

[FalangJaiDee]

Cool story mr boomboom

[KarenBravo]

35 minutes ago, BLACKJACK2 said:

No he can stay there are long as he wants he just needs to apply for residency.

 

You didn't say that in the first place.

You also need to qualify financially for a residency visa. Not all as simple as you first made out.

 

https://lifestylegroup.es/spanish-residency-visa-questionnaire/

[BritManToo]

1 hour ago, The Hammer2021 said:

Most locals do have licenses.

My misses doesn't have a license, she says her brother is a police Captain so she doesn't need one.

[sirineou]

I remember reading an article posted here on TVF that the Thai Government wanted to attract wealthy retirees by making it easier to own real estate,  long stay visas , and element the 90 day reporting. 

If the Thai government wants to attract any retirees , never mind wealthy ones, it needs to provide a means for health insurance for the elderly. 

Regardless of whether it is required or not, access to adequate health care when one is elderly is a must, right now it is virtually impossible to get  any health insurance after a certain age, and even if you could it would not cover pre-existing conditions, when by that age, pretty much everything is a pre-existing condition. 

 

[2 is 1]

On 4/24/2021 at 3:29 PM, Bell1234 said:

Who needs a driving license? Most of the locals don't have one.. Lived here over 11 years and never had one.. Fines are nomore than it would cost me in getting one.

Be involved some accident where Thai injured badly or die. You really happy to have license when you go court !

[2 is 1]

10 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Yes, but you're using expensive private hospitals built to rip off foreigners, while my pals and I are happy enough to muck in with the locals at the government hospital.

 

PS.

My meds bill every 3 months is 280bht plus 50bht for the doctor/hospital fees.

My solution was to marry goverment officer. Free all! Only misstake was that she is only 10 years younger than me.

[itsari]

11 hours ago, Whale said:

 

I had a bill for 2 million, and I have had various other bills over 200K, my meds bill is about 50k every 3 months. One never knows what tomorrow may bring or what the cost of staying alive could be. Enjoy your health to the utmost whilst you have it.

Showing why health insurance is so expensive here in Thailand . 

If you have good health why bother. Life is a game of chance. Some are gamblers and some are not.

[BLACKJACK2]

1 hour ago, KarenBravo said:

 

You didn't say that in the first place.

You also need to qualify financially for a residency visa. Not all as simple as you first made out.

 

https://lifestylegroup.es/spanish-residency-visa-questionnaire/

Think I did as that's the first comment I've made.

[lorbhaim]

10 hours ago, kingstonkid said:

The big issue I think they had was when people show up at hospitals get treatment and then walk away or say sorry I can not pay..  From that standpoint I can understand why they have issues.

 

They just need to get a credit card on applying medical help.

[lorbhaim]

8 hours ago, wwest5829 said:

There's no requirement to buy insurance, I've not had any in the past 12 years.

I don't have any (beyond government minimum vehicle). My most expensive medical bill was 3,500bht for 3 nights in government hospital with gall bladder infection. My pal's most expensive bill was 40,000bht in a government hospital, toppled off his m/c and broke his hip, fully paid for by government minimum m/c insurance.

 

*    Just to remind that I clearly stated in my OP That I can pay for all my medical bills.

*    About 18 months ago lost my O-A visa for not having the mandatory Thai health insurance. -

Lucy me. 

Ruined my plan to buy home  XX,XXXB. 

Now it is half priced.

[flinc2020]

On 4/24/2021 at 12:31 PM, DrJack54 said:

I don't have insurance and been here several years.

When did government insist that people have insurance. Of course I'm referring to expats living here and not having extensions to a non O-A (retirement)

 

 

 

 

Not having any medical insurance in a country where:

1. The government okays the hospitals to charge higher rates for foreigners than locals for treatment.

2. Even if you're working, and paying tax, if you are over 60 you cannot get on the Social Security system (even if you offer to pay the whole cost yourself.

3. Traffic laws are flouted consistantly by the locals causing one of the highest rates of road carnage anywhere.

is a big mistake, even if the government doesn't mandate it for your particular visa type, not having it opens you up to being bankrupted because some 12 year old kid looses control of his dad's PCX and plows into you on the street.

All over the world private health insurance premiums get higher as you get older but fortunately most countries have a good and fair health care system, even if only for emergencies. I recently renewed my insurance and was lucky to find a decent price but was horrified to si MAJOR insurance companies qouting prices of 10,000GBP a month for a maximum payout of 7250 GBP per case, and I'm only in my 60's. 

[cobra]

Like any problem in life, the first solution is can I throw money at it to make it go away.

For those of means, escalating insurance costs will not be a problem, those on fixed incomes will have to make some difficult decisions.

 

A lot of us may not be there yet but we can see it from where we're at.

Do I want to languish on my deathbed with just a room fan or upgrade to air con and a view,
what I do now will dictate what I can do later.

 

 

Edited April 25, 2021 by cobra

[Jeffr2]

On 4/24/2021 at 7:29 PM, Bell1234 said:

Who needs a driving license? Most of the locals don't have one.. Lived here over 11 years and never had one.. Fines are nomore than it would cost me in getting one.

We had a checkpoint near our house for years.  If you didn't have a DL, you had to go to the police station, stand in line, pay a fine, go back to the checkpoint and collect your passport.  If you didn't have that.  They'd escort you to the police station and it was a very big fine.

 

Not worth the hassle.  Getting a DL is super easy.

[Jeffr2]

On 4/24/2021 at 9:38 PM, Moonlover said:

I completely disagree with that comment for one very simple reason. Seeking medical care is NOT mandatory, so why should medical insurance be?

 

Many of us don't seek medical care.  Due to accidents or emergencies, it becomes a necessity.  Like my friend who was just diagnosed with cancer.  Getting treatment for this is massively expensive. 

 

I'll try to find the article, but in Phuket, they had millions of baht of unpaid bills by foreigners who didn't have insurance.  And as you know, some of the hospitals here won't provide care until you pay.  Or like my friend, held his passport until he came up with the funds.

 

I lost my retirement visa a few years ago.  Came in as a tourist, converted it here, and now, no requirement for insurance.  I just renewed it last month.  With that being said, after age 65, I might just move back home.  It'd suck to have a 3MM baht hospital bill that I have to pay.

[Jeffr2]

10 hours ago, BritManToo said:

My misses doesn't have a license, she says her brother is a police Captain so she doesn't need one.

Doesn't need one until she runs into a relative of a military general.  Or a hi so politician.

[Straight8]

On 4/24/2021 at 3:19 PM, petermik said:

Don`t forget to close the door on your way out....and good luck in your new life.

These quotes are getting tired and old.....yawn!!!!!

[BritManToo]

19 minutes ago, Jeffr2 said:

Like my friend who was just diagnosed with cancer.  Getting treatment for this is massively expensive. 

Nobody is forcing your friend to spend any money on expensive treatment.

[Jeffr2]

2 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Nobody is forcing your friend to spend any money on expensive treatment.

Ummm....he's super sick and had to be hospitalized.  How can that be avoided?  Impossible to fly back home now, and not sure he'd have any options there as he's been gone for over a decade.

 

I'd say that's being forced on him.  He's at a government hospital.

[Excel]

5 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Nobody is forcing your friend to spend any money on expensive treatment.

Not often I agree with you but this time is different. We have a wonderful government dedicated cancer treatment hospital in our province and some of the my acquaintances over the years have nothing but praise for either the attention and treatment  they received but more so for their relatives. And it was not a money grabber like the private hospitals.

Edited April 25, 2021 by Excel

[BritManToo]

3 hours ago, cobra said:

Do I want to languish on my deathbed with just a room fan or upgrade to air con and a view,

I've been involved with nearly ten 'deathbeds' in the past few years, nearly everyone I knew.

Too much pain, too much morphine, too sudden or their mental processes had already left the room.

Not one of them wished for a nicer view or air-conditioning.

[Jeffr2]

15 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

I've been involved with nearly ten 'deathbeds' in the past few years, nearly everyone I knew.

Too much pain, too much morphine, too sudden or their mental processes had already left the room.

Not one of them wished for a nicer view or air-conditioning.

My relative had a serious issue.  Took them to a private hospital because we were in a hurry, and it was close.  Terrible mistake.  Wife literally had to break her out of there.  They wouldn't release her.  Wife pushed back and just wheeled her out. 

 

Went to the government hospital.  Care was just as good.  No private, AC room.  But it was OK.  Staff were great.  Docs were great.  And about 1/4 the price. 

 

All in all, I'm very pro government hospitals.  This one was Queen Sirikit.

[PGSan]

18 hours ago, Moonlover said:

you're clearly referring to Covid

No, not really.  This is a very ancient legal concept.

[PGSan]

18 hours ago, chilly07 said:

Your views will change dramatically when you reach 75!

Presumably you will by then realise how important it is to have top quality insurance.  A change for the better!

[bwpage3]

On 4/24/2021 at 1:19 AM, richard_smith237 said:

I think the Op makes some valid points: 

 

The increasing costs of insurance for the ageing foreigners in Thailand is a tough burden. 

 

But, I understand the the government insisting that people have insurance. 

I personally believe the government is within their rights to insist that ALL long termer's here have insurance which will cover them for serious issues. 

 

At the very minimum in patient treatment to a minimum of 3million baht coverage. 

Perhaps with a deductible of 30,000 baht. OPD not really required as people can generally self insure for that. 

 

Or, if tax records show that someone has paid a minimum of xx amount of tax over a certain period they could be included in the Public Health Care schemes. 

 

 

The costs of increasing health care are certainly a concern for me - I’m in my 40’s - but imagine by the time I’m in my 60’s the costs of health care here may be quite prohibitive and while I don’t need insurance to obtain a visa, I always want to have decent medical cover. I’ve seen enough people get caught out, I have found myself caught out in the past with sports injuries and illness to recognise that something serious can be just around the corner. 

 

 

 

I think what folks have to think about is their families lineage.

 

What happens in you live past 75, 80, 85?

 

What do you foresee insurance premiums for an 80 year old (possible still in good health)?

[PGSan]

3 minutes ago, bwpage3 said:

What do you foresee insurance premiums for an 80 year old (possible still in good health)?

For some of us, no foresight is needed since we know now what we are paying at such ages.  

State of health makes no difference to the premium levels.

[bwpage3]

You have to be extremely silly to denounce the importance of health insurance.

 

No one can predict any health emergency or accident. No one!

 

Secondly, you  can be healthy your entire life, then one day, something bad (heart attack, stroke, etc. ) happens.

 

No one can predict the what or the when or the cost.

 

Only a fool would think it won't happen to them.

 

Newsflash: It happens to everyone sooner or later, no one lives for ever.

 

If you don't want to address the issue, that is your choice.

 

Sooner or later, you will be forced to address it; no one lives forever!

 

 

[wwest5829]

7 hours ago, lorbhaim said:

 

*    Just to remind that I clearly stated in my OP That I can pay for all my medical bills.

*    About 18 months ago lost my O-A visa for not having the mandatory Thai health insurance. -

Lucy me. 

Ruined my plan to buy home  XX,XXXB. 

Now it is half priced.

Just to point out that the quote attributed to me here is not from me. Tech hitch ...

[bwpage3]

7 minutes ago, PGSan said:

For some of us, no foresight is needed since we know now what we are paying at such ages.  

State of health makes no difference to the premium levels.

So you believe you can predict the health insurance premiums 5, 10, 20 years from now?

[Moonlover]

34 minutes ago, PGSan said:

18 hours ago, Moonlover said:

you're clearly referring to Covid

 

35 minutes ago, PGSan said:

No, not really.  This is a very ancient legal concept.

Oh I'm sure it is. Almost all of these conventions are based on precedent. But we all know what's on everyone's mind now don't we.

 

Stay safe.

[actonion]

18 hours ago, Tony125 said:

Sorry but it is my understanding that you can buy insurance for your vehicle but if invovled  in an accident and do not have a valid drivers liscense the insurance company will not pay.  Same situation if you loaned your insured vehicle to a person who did not have a valid drivers liscense and they got in an accident, the insurance compnay would not pay as the person is not legally alowed to drive without a valid lisence.

Yes that is my understanding too,      but a point of interest, my Thai wife's neice, at that time was aged 11 years, she was riding the family Honda 125cc  to school, she collided with a  truck, luckily, ( or not,) the family bike was insured, the neice & the bike were damaged, but the insurance paid out, with the kid being under age there fore no driving licence, another point of interest, her father is a  police man   !!!.....Insured or not  as i said earlier i have been hit 3 times into the" rear  end"of my pick up,      police &  MY insurace assessor  blamed me  for the accident,  because i had stopped too quick, ( it was an emergency braking situtaion)...