Has anyone had any experience on getting insurance for a Thai citizen (girlfriend)? She suffers from a low hemoglobin count and requires hospitalization short stays for iron infusion treatment and occasionally a blood transfusion. I’m thinking she needs some type of health insurance coverage instead going in for treatment and paying the bills. Maybe there would be some preventative treatment available, anyway if anyone knows how or where I would appreciate it. We tried he bank great policy very affordable but she wouldn’t be covered (able to use it) for almost a year because of her Pre-existing condition and she would have to avoid any hospitalization during that waiting period.

Medical care is free for all Thai citizens.

Thais asking foreigners for money for health care are usually scamming you.

Thalassemia is completely covered by the government free health care.

All insurance companies either exclude pre existing conditions, or they will charge a premium for it which would be higher than just paying the treatment by yourself.

As a Thai she gets free treatment at her local government hospital.

13 minutes ago, Kleepanna said:

We tried he bank great policy very affordable but she wouldn’t be covered (able to use it) for almost a year because of her Pre-existing condition and she would have to avoid any hospitalization during that waiting period.

Normally pre-existing conditions are not covered, in some insurances for a period of time, in others simply excluded.

 

Your Thai girlfriend should be covered either by the free health care system, and if she has a work she might instead be covered by Social Security, but both er for government hospitals.

1 hour ago, BritManToo said:

Medical care is free for all Thai citizens.

Thais asking foreigners for money for health care are usually scamming you.

Thalassemia is completely covered by the government free health care.

I’m not aware of that but I appreciate your response and will google that topic and do some research 

1 hour ago, Kleepanna said:

I thought it would be worth considering getting insurance

Start by doing some research on how insurance works and how they make money. Getting insurance for the case which you described is not worth it, it will only cost her more.

the idea of getting insurance with a known precondition would eventually cost more.

 

 

Large number of posts removed.

This is an INSURANCE topic.

It is not to debate the effectiveness or use of Private or Government healthcare.

18 hours ago, Kleepanna said:

I’m not aware of that but I appreciate your response and will google that topic and do some research 

Perhaps you should ask to see her various 'member' cards to see if she does have:

 

1. - A 'member' card for the 30Baht health scheme (as mentioned by other posters all Thais are entitled to this card. She might say 'but I'm living/working away from my home area so cannot use my 30Baht.'  That used to be true but not too long back that was changed, they can use their 30Baht card at any government hospital, but many Thai are very possibly no aware of this.) 

 

2.  - A 'member' card for Thai social Security, most Thais in employment are members and a small fee is deducted from their pay and forwarded regularly to the Thai Social Security fund. This also has health benefits. 

 

 

15 hours ago, scorecard said:

Perhaps you should ask to see her various 'member' cards to see if she does have:

 

1. - A 'member' card for the 30Baht health scheme (as mentioned by other posters all Thais are entitled to this card. She might say 'but I'm living/working away from my home area so cannot use my 30Baht.'  That used to be true but not too long back that was changed, they can use their 30Baht card at any government hospital, but many Thai are very possibly no aware of this.) 

 

2.  - A 'member' card for Thai social Security, most Thais in employment are members and a small fee is deducted from their pay and forwarded regularly to the Thai Social Security fund. This also has health benefits. 

 

 

Are you talking about physical cards? My girlfriend is using the 30 baht scheme, but she is just registered with the hospital, she doesn't have a "card".

2 hours ago, jackdd said:

Are you talking about physical cards? My girlfriend is using the 30 baht scheme, but she is just registered with the hospital, she doesn't have a "card".

 I don't know a very specific answer to this situation. But I assume (repeat assume) she has some sort of membership document or a member number and should therefore be able to use her number to access the treatment she needs.

 

I just asked my Thai son about this, his comments:

 

- Everybody has a number but in any case all Thai people have entitlement to the gold card scheme. Their personal Thai ID card number should be helpful.

- Yes she should register at a local hospital, but:

• In son's experience the registration is completed within a couple of minutes and the citizen should walk away with a document.
• Several months ago the regulations re the 30Baht scheme were changed meaning that citizens can get immediate medical care at any Thai gov't hospital. I asked my son 'does the person have to go to their local hospital first then perhaps to another hospital? His comment:
  • It can be the case if the local hospital doesn't have the knowledge / equipment etc., they can refer the person to a larger hospital, but that's not necessarily a compulsory action because (as above) all citizens are now entitled to seek advice/treatment at any gov't hospital with no requirement to show any proof they have already visited a 'smaller' hospital.
  • Son also made the point, if a citizen is on holiday/working away from local home hospital and needs help/treatment/surgery/resetting of bones etc., etc., it could be very inconvenient/impractical/possibly damaging to the persons condition to have to go home to the local hospital first. This is a primary reason why the regulations were changed so that citizens can seek help/advice/treatment at any hospital.
  • Son also says that he recalls reading that a further reason the regulations were changed was to respect the rights of all to seek another opinion etc.  

On 6/25/2021 at 8:23 AM, jackdd said:

Start by doing some research on how insurance works and how they make money. Getting insurance for the case which you described is not worth it, it will only cost her more.

I appreciate the advice and I will not buy it

On 6/24/2021 at 11:25 PM, josthomz said:

 

 

Don't get mislead by the cheap charlies here in TVF. Health care is free for all Thais at government hospitals. 

 

Your girlfriend, might probably prefer to get treated at a private hospital because everything is faster, and thus why she has to pay. If I was her I would also prefer to be treated at private hospitals. 

 

On 6/26/2021 at 8:46 AM, scorecard said:

 I don't know a very specific answer to this situation. But I assume (repeat assume) she has some sort of membership document or a member number and should therefore be able to use her number to access the treatment she needs.

 

I just asked my Thai son about this, his comments:

 

- Everybody has a number but in any case all Thai people have entitlement to the gold card scheme. Their personal Thai ID card number should be helpful.

- Yes she should register at a local hospital, but:

• In son's experience the registration is completed within a couple of minutes and the citizen should walk away with a document.
• Several months ago the regulations re the 30Baht scheme were changed meaning that citizens can get immediate medical care at any Thai gov't hospital. I asked my son 'does the person have to go to their local hospital first then perhaps to another hospital? His comment:
  • It can be the case if the local hospital doesn't have the knowledge / equipment etc., they can refer the person to a larger hospital, but that's not necessarily a compulsory action because (as above) all citizens are now entitled to seek advice/treatment at any gov't hospital with no requirement to show any proof they have already visited a 'smaller' hospital.
  • Son also made the point, if a citizen is on holiday/working away from local home hospital and needs help/treatment/surgery/resetting of bones etc., etc., it could be very inconvenient/impractical/possibly damaging to the persons condition to have to go home to the local hospital first. This is a primary reason why the regulations were changed so that citizens can seek help/advice/treatment at any hospital.
  • Son also says that he recalls reading that a further reason the regulations were changed was to respect the rights of all to seek another opinion etc.  

this has been a big help and I have decided not to but the insurance she has asked a relative who says if she has a stay in the hospital for a few days it’s cheaper to just pay for the private room for that one instance than paying insurance premiums per month or annuity for treatment she can get for free