Non-immigrant OA visa applicants required to have ฿3m health insurance

[tonray]

1 minute ago, Nip said:

Taken you a while then. 20+ years ago I worked that out and I'm sorry I didn't get the <deleted>£k out 15 years ago. At best we are barely tolerated at worst despised. Am I bitter? Heck no sometimes I even laugh at some of the <deleted>. The sad fact is the person in most cases you should trust least is the woman closest to you. That all said God if there is one created Thai women for one thing. 

Just because you were unable to form a trusting bond with a Thai woman (for whatever reason) should not lead one to make rude comments about all Thai women.

[tonysilly]

Don't trust Thai insurance companies. My friend and his Thai wife bought insurance from a broker in thailand.  She pocketed all the money from 10 people.  When my friend got sick, the lady paid the bill herself. She got caught.  Nothing happen to her. Please be careful who you buy from.  

[aussienam]

9 hours ago, Caldera said:

I've got no idea if there's any substance to this news report, but for what it's worth, I've always thought the required 400,000 baht for in-patient care was ridiculously low while the required 40,000 baht for out-patient care was ridiculously petty (or simply unnecessary). I hope they get rid of the latter while increasing the former.

 I agree.  400,000 Baht is too low considering what the hospitals charge farangs.  

 

And yes, the 40,000 baht out-patient cover is just a cash-cow excuse to force us to have to take out a ridiculously insane two insurance policies, that overlap each other with the same cover.  Agents, insurers and government a win-win there.

[tonray]

Just now, tonysilly said:

Don't trust Thai insurance companies. My friend and his Thai wife bought insurance from a broker in thailand.  She pocketed all the money from 10 people.  When my friend got sick, the lady paid the bill herself. She got caught.  Nothing happen to her. Please be careful who you buy from.  

You mean don't trust any broker who isn't vetted. As far as insurance companies, I never trust them to do the right thing...but if Imiigration decides that's what is needed to extend yearly stays, little choice in the matter.

[tonysilly]

26 minutes ago, tonray said:

Just because you were unable to form a trusting bond with a Thai woman (for whatever reason) should not lead one to make rude comments about all Thai women.

Sorry, but it's true. Not all that's true but most. Sometime about Thai girls and Trust. Don't mix well.

[James Roderick]

I'm definitely going to get a SRRV visa from the PI very soon. It seems to me that retirement conditions required by the Philippine Administration are relatively straight forward  and don't change that often, which is not the case here !!  

[smudger1951]

1 hour ago, AndrewL said:

I get it that Thailand doesn't want to give free health care to long term visa holders. What I think they should do is add  fee to visas or visa extensions and and put visa holders on the government heath insurance scheme. You get treated like everyone else, and that's what happens if you have an accident or you don't have money. Most farang, if given a choice, would pay at the private hospitals anyway.

 

My daughter did a study on Thailand's heath care for her Masters in Canada. The Thai health system has a focus on stopping problems before they happen, and is surprisingly cheap and effective. Patient outcomes are similar to the private and military health system at a fraction of the cost.

As allways with all these requirements the thai government would'nt spit on you if you were on fire.

[ChrisY1]

9 hours ago, olfu said:

I see clearly Penang waiting as Malaysia just lifted restrictions.

Will wait couple weeks to pay my real estate taxes. 

Yes...Malaysia does seem to be the best SE Asian nation for foreigners to retire to....far simpler than Thailand.....and they speak English

[ubonjoe]

Nothing new really. It was proposed and approved by the cabinet in principle months ago.

It will only affect new OA visas issued after the 1st of September.

 

[tonray]

3 minutes ago, ChrisY1 said:

Yes...Malaysia does seem to be the best SE Asian nation for foreigners to retire to....far simpler than Thailand.....and they speak English

Malaysia just significantly upped it's financial requirements if not already aware

[CANSIAM]

It appears they are zeroing in on long yearly stays, I think at some point soon unfortunately Non O extensions will be there along with the O-A requirement...be ready !

[thailand49]

It seems the insurance industry is working overtime with the politicians!

[Ralf001]

If one cannot afford insurance they most certainly cannot afford fall ill.

 

Not seeing any downsides to this requirement myself.

 

 

[GeorgeCross]

17 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

Nothing new really. It was proposed and approved by the cabinet in principle months ago.

It will only affect new OA visas issued after the 1st of September.

 

do you know what was proposed? was it 3M inpatient or 3M+40K outpatient?

 

[tonray]

23 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

Nothing new really. It was proposed and approved by the cabinet in principle months ago.

It will only affect new OA visas issued after the 1st of September.

 

That's what everyone (except Phuket Immigration) thought about the 400/40 rules too...but extensions now require it.

[henry213]

10 hours ago, olfu said:

I see it more and more how Thailand trying to get rid of farangs. 

Well with this and all the other sh_t they've added over the years they've got rid of me!

 

Mind you i left Nov 2019 but wouldn't ever stay long term again, No retirement for me there just the tourist thing now and then.

 

"Go where you're treated best"  ???????? =???? 

[Fairynuff]

4 hours ago, smedly said:

let foreigners pay into the Thai health system - solved

Spot on in theory, but in practice difficult for snouts in troughs.

[Cabradelmar]

Yet another sign that Thailand does not want to be a retirement destination for old people. I'd be interested in hearing a quotation for this x8 increase in coverage. The Elite Visa at $6,000 USD per annum may be more economical 

[Rooo]

Will honestly double check this article before getting too much further.

[hotchilli]

11 hours ago, anchadian said:

According to the Thai Immigration Bureau and the Department of Consular Affairs, 3,768 foreigners were granted non-immigrant visas last and this year.

I bet it won't be that next year.

[khunjeff]

8 hours ago, nightfox said:

Are non-immigrant (O-A) visas based on retirement or marriage?

Retirement.

[hotchilli]

10 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

Smells like a money grab but then my policy from the US is unlimited, while my PCH policy here is good for up to

20 million THB.

Thai insurance companies need bailing pout, some are so cash-struck they are reneging on some Covid payments.

[mjakob007]

10 hours ago, damascase said:

Another smart move to lure foreigners to Thailand. Must have cost a lot of ‘mulling’ to come up with this one!

but then the 3 millionaires they have managed to attract so far, does not mind paying for this insurance..

[Gottfrid]

10 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

Smells like a money grab but then my policy from the US is unlimited, while my PCH policy here is good for up to

20 million THB.

That´s the right type of insurance. 

[Mike KIWI]

I had to get 100k USD cover for my NON-IM O. Fair enough really. People should be expected to cover their own medical costs in a foreign country.

[khunjeff]

5 hours ago, smedly said:

let foreigners pay into the Thai health system - solved

That would be far more expensive for the foreigners than you imagine. You may come from a country with universal free health care, in which case good for you. But that might also make you less cognizant of just how expensive care can be if you need to pay for it, especially for those in higher age groups.

 

4 hours ago, Gold Star said:

3 million baht cover is also excessive. For that money, they could bring you back from the dead.

If you have a life threatening condition that requires intensive intervention or advanced surgical techniques, your treatment could end up costing over 30 million baht. Medical care is expensive.

 

2 hours ago, AndrewL said:

The Thai health system has a focus on stopping problems before they happen, and is surprisingly cheap and effective. Patient outcomes are similar to the private and military health system at a fraction of the cost.

I don't doubt that at all, but that's for the entire population in all age cohorts. OA applicants are (by definition) all at least 50 years old, and the vast majority never paid a single baht into the Thai system prior to applying for their visas. The math for them is much different.

[tonray]

Just now, Mike KIWI said:

I had to get 100k USD cover for my NON-IM O. Fair enough really. People should be expected to cover their own medical costs in a foreign country.

Agreed...but pre-existing conditions not covered. For example, I have controlled high blood pressure with meds. My policies state that anything remotely related to HBP is not covered, including kidney disease, heart problems, stroke, etc etc. Just covered about 90% of the ailments that take down majority of older men. And your coverage was likley for 90 days, how much vs for 1 year...every year ?

[4MyEgo]

Personally I don't see anything wrong with this and believe that every country should insist that anyone, not only travelling to Thailand, that anyone entering any country have either travel or health insurance especially for those staying as per their visa, either travel or health insurance, common sense if you ask me.

 

In other words, why should the tax payer take the brunt of paying the cost for those uninsured and who just don't care. Alternatively they pay a levy entering that country that goes into a fund for hospitalised tourists so that the tax payer doesn't have to pay. Those expats that cannot get insurance due to age should also fall under that fund, simple either way you look at it, i.e. if the money stays in the fund and doesn't end up in other pockets.

 

Oh, did I forget those other expats who don't have insurance, well, what can I say, life would get even tougher for some ????

 

I recall a few years ago Australian tax payers had to fork out $84 million dollars on hospital costs for tourists who didn't pay there bills., so why should Thailand or any other country ?

 

If you can't afford insurance, don't travel.....period !

 

https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/it-s-not-fair-tourists-leave-taxpayers-with-20m-hospital-bill-20191128-p53ey8.html

 

[Mike KIWI]

Just now, tonray said:

Agreed...but pre-existing conditions not covered. For example, I have controlled high blood pressure with meds. My policies state that anything remotely related to HBP is not covered, including kidney disease, heart problems, stroke, etc etc. Just covered about 90% of the ailments that take down majority of older men. And your coverage was likley for 90 days, how much vs for 1 year...every year ?

Yea. pre existing conditions are tricky. I paid 1000USD for a years cover.

[Dene16]

5 hours ago, smedly said:

let foreigners pay into the Thai health system - solved

To start paying into the Thai health system at the sprightly age of 60+ is hardly going to be cost effective for Thailand.

If, as they say, you can get insurance from your own country and not have to use their specified insurance companies,  i suspect it would offset any increase and probably work out cheaper