British embassies emphasize they cannot pay expat hospital bills

[Kwasaki]

11 minutes ago, mancub said:

Ruin what exactly. in this case? Either you have insurance so it's not an issue,

or you don't, and can class yourself as one of the "irresponsible" ones.

That's an irresponsible reply many healthy older people cannot get insured. 

[sanuk711]

31 minutes ago, Excel said:

But if you exit the country you still need a Thai pass to return currently, for which you will need to show insurance,  even if you have an extension on a non O, I think I am correct in saying that

That's correct Excel--I live up near the Laos border and was going to have a few days there--they have the high speed train , through to China (which I would give a miss)  or Luang Prabang--lovely place, but yes lots problems on Thai side-get insurance if you are coming back etc.

[mancub]

13 minutes ago, Kwasaki said:

That's an irresponsible reply many healthy older people cannot get insured. 

Even if true, Is that something new then ?

The original post is a reminder, not a new course of action from the embassies. issued as a consequence of recent incidents.

 

[FritsSikkink]

1 hour ago, sanuk711 said:

Many others come from Countries that dont need insurance  UK/Oz/Kiwi/ Scandi etc.... arrive in their mid 60s its a new concept to many.

Which you need to research before you go live in another country.

[flexomike]

1 hour ago, RafPinto said:

If this goes through, many will have to leave.

That's 10 Million Baht

 

That's the actual cover I signed up for.

Not dollars,  baht, 100,000 US dollars 

[flexomike]

49 minutes ago, Moonlover said:

 Yes, that's how I am reading it as well. In fact this is old ground that's being covered a number of times. I'm also confidant that should there ever be serious changes in policy regarding non O visas, those that are already in would be 'grandfathered' anyway.

They didn't grandfather those that came in on OA visas

[Hamus Yaigh]

3 hours ago, sanuk711 said:

or some 12 month extensions granted by immigration offices, which don’t require ongoing insurance.

Surely when you say 'some 12 month extensions' you refer to the Non Imm O type annual extensions that the majority of expats on retirement or marriage extensions use? It needs money in the bank guarantee to extend but no insurance.

[ukrules]

2 hours ago, samui99 said:

I think the $3 million, is lodt in translation and hoping it is 3 million THB, as it also mentions you require $10million for 1 month to get Thai pass.

Yes, it's definitely not US$3Million - not a chance.

 

My very comprehensive policy doesn't even have US$3 million of cover, it's nearer to US$2 million and that costs thousands of pounds a year and I'l not even 50 yet.

 

US$3 Million = 103 Million Thai Baht

[Moonlover]

29 minutes ago, flexomike said:

1 hour ago, Moonlover said:

 Yes, that's how I am reading it as well. In fact this is old ground that's being covered a number of times. I'm also confidant that should there ever be serious changes in policy regarding non O visas, those that are already in would be 'grandfathered' anyway.

 

29 minutes ago, flexomike said:

They didn't grandfather those that came in on OA visas

But I'm not talking about an OA visa, I'm talking about non imm O visa which is the one normally used to obtain an extension.

[ThailandRyan]

1 hour ago, Walker88 said:

Obviously the "$" was a typo, and it's 3 million baht, not dollars. That's quite reasonable, considering a lot of retirees are in the Death Zone, and the last years of life tend to be the most expensive in terms of medical care. It is hardly fair to foist those costs on to Thai taxpayers or hospitals.

 

I suspect that an alternative would be offered to people who cannot get insurance, which is to post 3 million baht, rather than the current 800,000, in a Thai bank in order to qualify/renew a visa.

 

The changes, if enforced, will likely cull the ranks of the retired expat population, but this probably stems from the fact Thailand has been stuck with a lot of deadbeats.

So then change the annual needed amount in the bank or through the 12 monthly deposits to total 3 million THB for the year for an extension. Is that to much to ask....oh wait that's 250k thb a month, looks like some will need that agent or go back home if they can't.

[ThailandRyan]

1 hour ago, Hamus Yaigh said:

Surely when you say 'some 12 month extensions' you refer to the Non Imm O type annual extensions that the majority of expats on retirement or marriage extensions use? It needs money in the bank guarantee to extend but no insurance.

Wrong OA extensions based upon retirement do need proof of insurance at extension time.

[ThailandRyan]

24 minutes ago, Moonlover said:

 

But I'm not talking about an OA visa, I'm talking about non imm O visa which is the one normally used to obtain an extension.

Not for all, mine is an extension based on an OA visa I came in on and that was prior to the mandated insurance for OA visas which started in October of 2019.

[Kwasaki]

43 minutes ago, ukrules said:

Yes, it's definitely not US$3Million - not a chance.

 

My very comprehensive policy doesn't even have US$3 million of cover, it's nearer to US$2 million and that costs thousands of pounds a year and I'l not even 50 yet.

 

US$3 Million = 103 Million Thai Baht

Why not save your money and just do 6 monthly or 1 year health check that's what I do at 75 next b/day.

[Sheryl]

3 hours ago, phetphet said:

US$3 million comprehensive medical insurance? I know Thai hospitals are expensive, but that seems  excessive.

The article is in error.

 

It is 3 million  baht.

 

And applies only to the O-A visa and retirement extensions based on same.

[chuang]

3 hours ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Who blamed the Thai government for not helping whom with what?

You reckon it's not rocket science...

[flexomike]

2 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

Not for all, mine is an extension based on an OA visa I came in on and that was prior to the mandated insurance for OA visas which started in October of 2019.

you must have gotten your extension in Phuket than, that is the only one that I have heard of doing this, I live in Rayong and came in 2016 I needed the insurance for my last three extensions

[bkk6060]

I guess there are still those that believe major medical costs are very cheap here.  This is not 1980.

I have met so many "I am self insured"  spewing it out arrogantly as if they have a load of cash sitting in an account for their health emergency.  Then, you find out they have 100 to 200,000 b.  I guess when they cannot pay they say "contact my embassy'?

The 3 million required for insurance sounds about right to me, but I doubt many if any at all of the self insurers have even close to that sitting waiting for a major heart attack.

[3NUMBAS]

retirees   dont realise their health will nosedive one day

[billd766]

6 hours ago, phetphet said:

US$3 million comprehensive medical insurance? I know Thai hospitals are expensive, but that seems  excessive.

I think that they used the TAT calculator to arrive at that figure.

[Walker88]

4 hours ago, Kwasaki said:

That's an irresponsible reply many healthy older people cannot get insured. 

Then you should have enough money to pay for what might ail you.

 

It is irresponsible and unfair to foist care costs on to Thailand.

 

As for whether the insurance requirement is for new visa applicants or renewals...if it isn't for renewals now, it soon will be. It would make no sense to grandfather those already here, but entering the Death Zone. Neither Thai taxpayers nor hospitals are responsible for the healthcare of retired expats who don't have insurance or sufficient funds to cover costs. Very unfair.

[billd766]

6 hours ago, RafPinto said:

If this goes through, many will have to leave.

That's 10 Million Baht

 

That's the actual cover I signed up for.

At todays US forex of 34.32 that is actually 102,960,000 thb.

 

Perhaps there is a mis-translation somewhere along the line

[Doctor Tom]

4 hours ago, Hamus Yaigh said:

Surely when you say 'some 12 month extensions' you refer to the Non Imm O type annual extensions that the majority of expats on retirement or marriage extensions use? It needs money in the bank guarantee to extend but no insurance.

why stop a suitable entertaining panic with correct posts, it destroys all the fun. 

[Andrew Dwyer]

3 hours ago, Sheryl said:

The article is in error.

 

It is 3 million  baht.

 

And applies only to the O-A visa and retirement extensions based on same.

To add to Sheryl’s post.

 

Mandatory health insurance for an OA visa and retirement extension of appeared in Oct 2019 with a 40/400k coverage.

It was announced some time ago that in Oct 2021 the coverage will rise to 3 million baht for new OA visas and in Sept 2022 for retirement extensions ( extensions from an OA visa by basis of marriage remain exempt from insurance ).

 The options to rid yourself of the health insurance burden from an OA are.

A) Get married 

B) Leave the country ( with no re-entry permit ) and start again with an O visa or via visa exempt etc

 

I chose plan B.

The cheapest premiums for me, on a retirement extension from original OA visa, rose from 7,700 baht to 26,900 baht.

 

[ThailandRyan]

1 hour ago, flexomike said:

you must have gotten your extension in Phuket than, that is the only one that I have heard of doing this, I live in Rayong and came in 2016 I needed the insurance for my last three extensions

Extension at CW here in BKK for the past two years in October and requiring it.

[Jenkins9039]

Too busy wasting money on vaccines, PPE, etc 

[GroveHillWanderer]

7 hours ago, Kwasaki said:

What if no insurance company will insure people over a certain age. 

Then there is, as stated in the OP, the option of, "a separate facility for self-insurance."

[Kinnock]

Bigger news would be a report about what the British Embassy in Thailand can do. 

[gearbox]

7 hours ago, grain said:

My retirement ext is due in July, I'll be doing it in approx 4 weeks time. So what happens in 2023? Am I going to need this damn insurance. I'll be 75 then, probably I can't get it. And isn't that's what the 800,000 THB in a Thai bank all about? If I fell ill or had an accident then I do have a considerable amount of money, on hand here in Thailand, to cover any such issues. 

Well, if I do have to have US$3 million comprehensive medical insurance, which I seriously doubt I can get, then I guess that'll be the end for me. 

Read the topic. This is for retirement visas issues by the embassies abroad, typically O-A visas. It doesn't concern the Non-O retirement extensions. If you are on O-A, let it expire, enter with tourist visa and then convert to Non-O retirement.

I did this last year when my O-A visa expired.

[gearbox]

6 hours ago, Walker88 said:

Obviously the "$" was a typo, and it's 3 million baht, not dollars. That's quite reasonable, considering a lot of retirees are in the Death Zone, and the last years of life tend to be the most expensive in terms of medical care. It is hardly fair to foist those costs on to Thai taxpayers or hospitals.

 

I suspect that an alternative would be offered to people who cannot get insurance, which is to post 3 million baht, rather than the current 800,000, in a Thai bank in order to qualify/renew a visa.

 

The changes, if enforced, will likely cull the ranks of the retired expat population, but this probably stems from the fact Thailand has been stuck with a lot of deadbeats.

This won't change the things much, many don't have even 800k and use agents to get visas. With 3 mil expect the agent fees to triple at least.

[gearbox]

9 hours ago, KhunLA said:

Thanks again to the irresponsible expats and tourist who ruin things for everyone else.

They are not irresponsible, they are just poor. And it's not a crime to be poor. Everyone struggles for better place under the sun.