Thai Gold Card and Maternity

[V6872o7]

Hi I am investigating avenues of child birth with my Thai National wife, not pregnant yet. 

 

She currently does not have private health insurance that covers maternity. 

 

She is registered on her families tabian baan back home and has gold card cover at Aranyaprathet hospital. 

 

We rent in Bangkok and would like to have the baby here in private or good govt hospital, I don't mind paying the birthing fees of ~100k but want to avoid paying for complications out of pocket, And my wife doesn't like the idea of changing her tabian baan address so she is covered in Bangkok by the Gold Card. 

 

First I am trying to track down maternity insurance without the 360 day waiting period. 

 

I have a few questions that would help greatly:

- Can I pay for a VIP package in a govt hospital in Bangkok, then if there are complications will this be classed as an emergency and covered by my wife's gold card cover? 

 

- Does anyone have any feedback about Aranyaprathet hospital? I cant find information on it having an nicu? 

 

Thanks everyone, trying to avoid the horror stories I have read in previous threads about private hospital delivery complication without cover. 

 

 

[Sheryl]

Aranyaprathet Hospital is just a district level (community) hospital so quite basic  Will not have a NICU or anything approaching it and will not  be able to handle complicated deliveries. They would refer those to Sakeo Provincial Hospital which also not have a NICU but can at least do c-section.

 

There is no advantage to being registered in Aranyaprathet and I am not sure why your wife is resistant to changing the registration to Bangkok? (though doing so may be a bot of a hassle since you are renting - will need landlord's help or else a friend or relative in Bangkok willing to add her to their house listing).

 

You will find it expensive to get private insurance with maternity cover, that is always an add-on with extra premium.

 

I am not sure what you mean by a "VIP package" at a government hospital.  If you mean private room, subject to availability that can be arranged for anyone, even those on the "gold card", they just pay the difference.

 

If your wife delivers at a government hospital where she is not registered  under the "gold card" scheme , and there are complications with the infant, the hospital will try to charge you full price.  You will probably be able to get out of that by calling the NHSO since in the rule about using the hospital where registered is supposed to be waived in cases of emergency where it is not feasible to transfer the patient to the hospital of registration - but it will be a hassle.

 

If you expect to be in Bangkok long term, best for her to get registered in a tabian ban in Bangkok.

 

[jackdd]

Since the beginning of the year Thais can change the registered hospital without changing the house book registration. Just let your GF look it up on Google.

[V6872o7]

Thanks for your useful very replies. 

 

We are looking at changing nominated hospital now without changing the tabian baan. If that fails we will talk to our landlord. 

 

What I meant by vip was payment for any extra privacy and maybe a personal doctor in the government hospital. 

 

You weren't wrong about private insurance, 82k for maternity cover in a platinum package, 360day waiting period, although coverage is impressive I may take this up if we end up having some time. The policy will end up costing similar to paying for private delivery, and also provide cover for complications. 

 

Now to find the best gov hospital for childbirth in BKK. 

 

Thanks again, a true treasure trove of knowledge here. 

[Sheryl]

7 hours ago, jackdd said:

Since the beginning of the year Thais can change the registered hospital without changing the house book registration. Just let your GF look it up on Google.

Do you have a link to that? Last I heard it was only for certain things (like cancer) and in some locations

[Sheryl]

2 hours ago, V6872o7 said:

 

 

 

 

the best gov hospital for childbirth in BKK. 

 

 

That would be Siriraj or Chulalongkorn

[jackdd]

13 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

Do you have a link to that? Last I heard it was only for certain things (like cancer) and in some locations

Put this into Google, then you find various sources: สปสช ย้ายสิทธิ

My GF did this here in Chiang Mai (her house book registration is not in CM) , all she had to provide was the rental contract. She has attended the hospital twice since then, and all she had to pay was the 30THB, so it's working as intended.

[Sheryl]

4 minutes ago, jackdd said:

Put this into Google, then you find various sources: สปสช ย้ายสิทธิ

My GF did this here in Chiang Mai (her house book registration is not in CM) , all she had to provide was the rental contract. She has attended the hospital twice since then, and all she had to pay was the 30THB, so it's working as intended.

Thanks, very interesting. So not carte blanche, have to show you live in the catchment area but don't have to change house registration to do that can do it  (i.e. rental contract) and can also do it online. Makes good sense.