Insure your self or die

[bubblegum]

That's what basically happened to a friend of mine. No money for ICU, no money for a transfer from Surin hospital to BKK. By, by die !

Edited September 21, 2021 by metisdead
Topic title edited to correct the misspelling.

[Stocky]

That's tragic, but if you can't look after yourself why should someone else? I know it's harsh, but it's the reality for most people who aren't fortunate enough to live in a country with a well developed welfare system.

[sherwood]

We are all going to die, it comes with the living part.

Sorry for the ones left behind. That's all I have to say about that.

[vinci]

Quote

but it's the reality for most people who aren't fortunate enough to live in a country with a well developed welfare system.

US is not one of them

[Antonymous]

In Thailand health insurance is useful even if you have plenty of money to hand.

 

It is essential if you don't have any money.

 

Unfortunately, as we know, many people, especially older folk, cannot afford the premiums. In that case living here will always be a gamble. That part is your choice.

[Gottfrid]

Do not stay in a country without insurance if you do not have the money to pay. If you can´t afford insurance. Stay home!

[beachproperty]

Just now, sherwood said:

Mate, go and spend that money on something you love doing, you can't take it with you when you go.

I'm spending it on "peace of mind".....and it's money well saved!

[simon43]

4 minutes ago, beachproperty said:

I'm spending it on "peace of mind".....and it's money well saved!

Can I have it when you croak? ????

[bunnydrops]

My time here in Thailand has seen many a Thai dying at home with grace. I have also seen a farang in the hospital begging for someone to kill him, being kept a live because his insurance was paid up. We all die, pay what you want to get a few more days, but in the end its the same.

[olfu]

1 hour ago, vinci said:

US is not one of them

Not true-40 millions sitting on welfare every day.

[timendres]

And how many people died today with insurance?

 

The real risk is not death.

The real risk is having a lifetime of savings wiped out by a serious illness.

[JeffersLos]

3 hours ago, Antonymous said:

health insurance is useful even if you have plenty of money to hand.

 

It is essential if you don't have any money.

So what can people with no money pay the premiums with, turnips? 

[metisdead]

A grammar police post has been removed and the topic title has been edited to prevent anymore grammar police posts. 

 

A post with inflammatory comments directed toward other members has been removed as well as the replies:

 

7) You will respect fellow members and post in a civil manner. No personal attacks, hateful or insulting towards other members, (flaming) Stalking of members on either the forum or via PM will not be allowed.

[itsari]

10 hours ago, Gottfrid said:

Do not stay in a country without insurance if you do not have the money to pay. If you can´t afford insurance. Stay home!

What about stay away from private hospitals? Big savings to be had there .

[4MyEgo]

10 hours ago, Antonymous said:

In Thailand health insurance is useful even if you have plenty of money to hand.

Agree 1000%.

 

10 hours ago, Antonymous said:

It is essential if you don't have any money.

Again agree 1000%, and for as little as 200-300 baht a day for cover of up to 40 million baht, I can't see why people don't insure, i.e. unless they can't due to age.

 

Even those that money should see insurance as a fundamental requirement in my opinion, as it not only provides you protection, it also protects the money you have, so it works two ways in my opinion.

 

10 hours ago, Antonymous said:

Unfortunately, as we know, many people, especially older folk, cannot afford the premiums. In that case living here will always be a gamble. That part is your choice.

I think if older folk cannot afford 200-300 baht per day or cannot get insurance here due to age, then they should self insure i.e. have at least 2-3 million baht as a fall back position, and if they haven't got the dosh to do so, they as you say, they take the gamble/choice, sadder if they don't have the money to self insure.

[Kwarium]

Sorry about the loss of your friend. I hope he went out without too much suffering. Too bad it was probably alone as hospitals are not allowing visitors.

 

43 million of us have died this year if it’s any comfort. Those with or without money in the same boat. iMHO, our financial situations are due to life choices. Hopefully your friend had a great time which resulted in no money left at the end! Perfect outcome!

 

[4MyEgo]

7 hours ago, JeffersLos said:

So what can people with no money pay the premiums with, turnips? 

For starters, they really shouldn't be here.

 

The problem with most expats that I know is that insurance is readily available to them for a couple of hundred baht per day, however they choose to look the other way for the price of a couple of bottles of Chang per day, they enjoy that more than an insurance policy, will never happen to them, but when it does, it won't be pretty.

 

But as Antonymous said in his above post, it's all about choice, but I will also add education to that.

[4MyEgo]

14 minutes ago, itsari said:

What about stay away from private hospitals? Big savings to be had there .

I know where I would rather be if I was going to be hospitalised here and knowing that someone else was footing my bill, even better, you pay what you get, and if you have ever had any experience here in public hospitals, you will know what I am talking about, but then again, it really boils down to choice and who you want to look after you while being cared for, i.e. there is a clear difference between public and private here and where doctors/specialists/professors are trained, either here in Thailand or abroad, and whether they speak English. 

[Leveraged]

11 minutes ago, 4MyEgo said:

Agree 1000%.

 

Again agree 1000%, and for as little as 200-300 baht a day for cover of up to 40 million baht, I can't see why people don't insure, i.e. unless they can't due to age.

 

Even those that money should see insurance as a fundamental requirement in my opinion, as it not only provides you protection, it also protects the money you have, so it works two ways in my opinion.

 

I think if older folk cannot afford 200-300 baht per day or cannot get insurance here due to age, then they should self insure i.e. have at least 2-3 million baht as a fall back position, and if they haven't got the dosh to do so, they as you say, they take the gamble/choice, sadder if they don't have the money to self insure.

The problem in Thailand is that most people don’t leave $100k just sitting in cash, depreciating and losing value. They hold various kinds of investments to at least keep up with inflation. In the west this isn’t an issue because even if you’re broke you won’t be denied emergency medical care and can be billed later, in Thailand they really will put your life in jeopardy if you need a few days to liquidate and get cash. 
 

And legit insurance for old people, the kind with coverage in the millions that you are trying to anticipate, costs a lot more than “300” per day

[fredscats]

8 minutes ago, 4MyEgo said:

But as Antonymous said in his above post, it's all about choice, but I will also add education to that.

For starters not using private hospitals,not using ICU  stay on a ward,same treatment but at bedside,having accident insurance  5000baht a year,  elective/selective medical care Malaysia by far the cheapest,   cheaper than that India   when covid allows,......finding cheap medivac options,..mines free,...whatever medical insurance u have that is not included

[tonray]

1 minute ago, fredscats said:

For starters not using private hospitals,not using ICU  stay on a ward,same treatment but at bedside

Next time i'm in a coma I'll wake  up and keep this  in mind. "before I go back under, could you move me to a govt hospital ?"

[Peterw42]

OP, its the same all over the world, there isn't really any such thing as free healthcare, its either tax funded, insurance funded or personally funded. 

I don't think any insurance is going to pay for a transfer from Surin to bangkok.

[Gottfrid]

30 minutes ago, itsari said:

What about stay away from private hospitals? Big savings to be had there .

So, you think that a government hospital is very much cheaper for an insured foreigner? Please tell me your secret. How did you manage to include yourself in the 30 baht scheme? ????????

[fredscats]

8 minutes ago, tonray said:

Next time i'm in a coma I'll wake  up and keep this  in mind. "before I go back under, could you move me to a govt hospital ?"

Always found the govt hospitals Ive used are excellent,plus private hospital would drain that money pot of insurance like of yesterday  then off to Govt hospital,better to start from that   Was a guy paying 100 quid a month  med ins,even that did not save him,paid his own way back to UK

Edited September 22, 2021 by fredscats

[tonray]

3 minutes ago, fredscats said:

Always found the govt hospitals Ive used are excellent

My point being...in an emergency you 'may' not have the choice of where you end up

[ThailandRyan]

Life is a mystery.  We never know when or where the grim reaper will come calling and close us out.  Either with insurance or without insurance the day will finally come and we will be no more.  Insurance may save your life when needed or it may just create a prison where you are stuffed up on machines while the family grieves and decides how to proceed with your estate.  Sure insurance is a necessity for some, while others choose to save the annual premium amount in the bank and let it gain interest and become self insured.  Those days however seem to be farther and farther in the past as people who had saved now find themselves having used the saved money and now require that insurance.  The insurance companies are the only ones who win in the end. Better to have a Whole life insurance policy that will pay for all the incurred expenses after you pass or better yet have a Family trust where everything is put inside and the family is not left destitute when the estate is taken to court.  Nothing in the estate means that no probate is needed and there is nothing left for the vultures.  Of course being here in Thailand YMMV. In the end as I said at the start of this post "Death comes for us all".

[HampiK]

39 minutes ago, Leveraged said:

And legit insurance for old people, the kind with coverage in the millions that you are trying to anticipate, costs a lot more than “300” per day

300 per day x 365 days = 109'500. With this amount you can have a good insurance like Cigna or April for example.
I pay myself about 60'000 with 50 years.

The problem for many here I think is more that they wait too long for a private insurance. When they have first problems, you can't make an insurance for that problem anymore. You have to start with insurance while you are in a healthy state!

 

Second problem is, that retired people come here with about 65 years and probably already have problems with their health. In their home country they are in some government health coverage. But when they move to Thailand they face the problem with private Insurance companies which now as of health problems not will cover for this problems even they start an insurance.

 

Let's say for some it's not the problem they not want an insurance...
... it's for some the problem even if they would go with insurance the company would not pay for most health related problem because of pre-existing conditions ???? 

[kiwikeith]

11 hours ago, Antonymous said:

In Thailand health insurance is useful even if you have plenty of money to hand.

 

It is essential if you don't have any money.

 

Unfortunately, as we know, many people, especially older folk, cannot afford the premiums. In that case living here will always be a gamble. That part is your choice.

Covid insurance is available to anyone up to 99, but general health insurance is not available over 75 yrs unless you want to pay Cigna $20k USD yearly for an 86 yr old (quoted by them for a friend).

But covid is very cheap cost 3800 Thai Bhat for 90 days.

If he had  covid , as it sounds like, but the poster has not said, then he would have been ok.

As for all the expats over 75 and those in their 80's getting a visa extension will require an agents fees.

I would get the covid cover at least regardless if your 75+

Sorry to hear about the old boys bad luck RIP.

[itsari]

35 minutes ago, Gottfrid said:

So, you think that a government hospital is very much cheaper for an insured foreigner? Please tell me your secret. How did you manage to include yourself in the 30 baht scheme? ????????

Its much cheaper and that is from my own experience. That is not a secret 

[4MyEgo]

35 minutes ago, Leveraged said:

The problem in Thailand is that most people don’t leave $100k just sitting in cash, depreciating and losing value.

Understand, that is why I have insurance, that said, if I couldn't get insurance because of age, I would put $100k in a Thai account, suffice to say I have funds that are overseas in a bank account earning zero interest, that is just the way things are theses days and that is my back up position, e.g. if my investments crash, I will need funds, as a fall back position even though I am not receiving interest, it doesn't bother me, so if I had to put those funds in a bank here, I would, that would be my insurance. 

 

36 minutes ago, Leveraged said:

And legit insurance for old people, the kind with coverage in the millions that you are trying to anticipate, costs a lot more than “300” per day

I used that as a guide, I am over 60 and pay 330 baht per day for 40 million cover, way over the top in cover but that is just the way the policy is, even if it cost me 1,000 baht per day it would still be feasible when considering the costs of being in hospital, for example, I know of a bloke who is around my age, went into hospital, 2 weeks was in the millions, he was very ill, they literally brought him back to life, now fortunately for him, he was insured and he was worth saving to them, what if he wasn't insured and didn't have any money to insure, from what he had and the condition he was in, I would say he wouldn't have made it, hospitals are a business and people profit, they also have reputations and in my opinion private hospitals will go the extra mile here if you are insured or have the $'s from self insuring.