Farang with Thai employee health coverage - risk of overcharging?

[OneMoreFarang]

Some farangs are employed at Thai companies, and they have the same Thai health coverage as Thai employees.

As far as I know they have one hospital assigned where they should go if they need a doctor. And then, as far as I know, everybody with that health cover should get urgent emergency help in any hospital in Thailand, including private hospitals, in an emergency.

 

I guess if a Thai person is in an accident, then emergency services might assume that this person has the same coverage as most Thais.

And if a farang is involved in an accident? Do they assume that a farang has a "farang insurance", and will they likely bring that farang to a private hospital?

 

And when the farang arrives at the private hospital, will they treat him same as a Thai emergency case? Or will he more likely get the expensive farang treatment?

 

Let's say a farang is in such a situation and unconscious, and then he wakes up a week later and tells the hospital that he is a Thai employee with only that health coverage. Is it possible that the hospital will expect from him to pay an expensive bill because they treated him like a money making farang and not similar to a Thai person with a similar accident?

 

How can a farang who has only Thai employment health coverage ensure that he won't end up with a huge hospital bill?

 

[Sheryl]

What you refer to is the Social Security cover.

 

Actually enforcement of the "72 hour emergency care" policy at privarte hospitals is difficult even for Thais. And Thais are often pressured to pay out of pocket.

 

Do note, it is valid only for up to 72 hours maximum, the idea being that within that time it would usually be possible to stabilize an emergency case and transfer them to their registered hospital.

 

Actually the more likely scenario in a case you describe (brought to a private hospital unconscious and no one available who knows your insurance status) is being denied admission or given only very, very limited treatment.

 

Ber sure to have emergency contact information prominently displayed in your wallet and that these people know you are covered under SS, and which is your registered hospital.

 

 

 

[simon43]

[quote]

...

Ber sure to have emergency contact information prominently displayed in your wallet and that these people know you are covered under SS, and which is your registered hospital.

...

[/quote]

 

I have a custom dog-tag that I wear all the time.  On one side it has my personal details, passport #, blood group, next of kin phone number.  On the reverse side it has "I have medical insurance" printed in English, Thai, Lao and Burmese languages.

[john donson]

we all know here what some hospital in pattanakarn area did that led to the dead of a person

[digbeth]

worst case is they don't assume the foreigner has anything and go shuffled around hospitals and died en route, which did happened 

 

good thing foreigner under the social security still gets their social security card, so the emergency service going through their wallet can get some idea and take them to appropriate hospital

[andygrr]

On 7/21/2024 at 1:37 PM, OneMoreFarang said:

Some farangs are employed at Thai companies, and they have the same Thai health coverage as Thai employees.

As far as I know they have one hospital assigned where they should go if they need a doctor. And then, as far as I know, everybody with that health cover should get urgent emergency help in any hospital in Thailand, including private hospitals, in an emergency.

 

I guess if a Thai person is in an accident, then emergency services might assume that this person has the same coverage as most Thais.

And if a farang is involved in an accident? Do they assume that a farang has a "farang insurance", and will they likely bring that farang to a private hospital?

 

And when the farang arrives at the private hospital, will they treat him same as a Thai emergency case? Or will he more likely get the expensive farang treatment?

 

Let's say a farang is in such a situation and unconscious, and then he wakes up a week later and tells the hospital that he is a Thai employee with only that health coverage. Is it possible that the hospital will expect from him to pay an expensive bill because they treated him like a money making farang and not similar to a Thai person with a similar accident?

 

How can a farang who has only Thai employment health coverage ensure that he won't end up with a huge hospital bill?

 

What makes you think Thai's without money or insurance would fair any better in a private hospital. They would get initial treatment then get transferred out to a government hospital. Same as any foreigner without the means to pay.

[Expat4life66]

On 7/21/2024 at 1:37 PM, OneMoreFarang said:

Some farangs are employed at Thai companies, and they have the same Thai health coverage as Thai employees.

As far as I know they have one hospital assigned where they should go if they need a doctor. And then, as far as I know, everybody with that health cover should get urgent emergency help in any hospital in Thailand, including private hospitals, in an emergency.

 

I guess if a Thai person is in an accident, then emergency services might assume that this person has the same coverage as most Thais.

And if a farang is involved in an accident? Do they assume that a farang has a "farang insurance", and will they likely bring that farang to a private hospital?

 

And when the farang arrives at the private hospital, will they treat him same as a Thai emergency case? Or will he more likely get the expensive farang treatment?

 

Let's say a farang is in such a situation and unconscious, and then he wakes up a week later and tells the hospital that he is a Thai employee with only that health coverage. Is it possible that the hospital will expect from him to pay an expensive bill because they treated him like a money making farang and not similar to a Thai person with a similar accident?

 

How can a farang who has only Thai employment health coverage ensure that he won't end up with a huge hospital bill?

 

You cant, which is why it's a good idea for expats on local pay packages (paid in THB to a Thai Bank) to also have Private health cover (e.g., Cigna Global) to mitigate additional financial risk.  

 

My former BOI employer had over 200 expats working in different levels of management on local Thai packages at any given time.  We all were given Thai 33 plan, 25K outpatient Aetna and 400000THB Generali inpatient, annually.  We would still have to cover >25K out-patient costs and additional inpatient costs if something over 400000K happened and were were being treated at a private hospital.  

 

I estimate at least 60% of the expats at my RHC / BOI as well as most older Thai employees also had a Third Party insurance like Cigna Global (or Thai ins for the Thais) that could be used at a private hospital like Samitivej or Bangkok Hospital in case something like a bad accident, or expensive health issue happened.  Comes down to personal choice, risk acceptance, willingness to self-insure, etc.  

[zyphodb]

1 hour ago, digbeth said:

worst case is they don't assume the foreigner has anything and go shuffled around hospitals and died en route, which did happened 

 

good thing foreigner under the social security still gets their social security card, so the emergency service going through their wallet can get some idea and take them to appropriate hospital

 

They stopped giving you SS cards, in Isaan anyway, years ago, they use your pink ID card for your details in the hospital

 

[OneMoreFarang]

1 hour ago, Expat4life66 said:

You cant, which is why it's a good idea for expats on local pay packages (paid in THB to a Thai Bank) to also have Private health cover (e.g., Cigna Global) to mitigate additional financial risk.  

Yes, in theory that is true.

Unfortunately, some of us are unable to get private health coverage because of preexisting conditions.

[OneMoreFarang]

39 minutes ago, zyphodb said:

They stopped giving you SS cards, in Isaan anyway, years ago, they use your pink ID card for your details in the hospital

 

I received a social security card in Bangkok last year, 2023.

My accountant arranged this for me. I don't know if that happens automatically or if she requested the card.

[Bangel72]

There is an SSO connect app.  Just signed up, was a bit of a pain. Looks like the id it asks for is your sso ID, salary slip, HR or if you have the card you should find it there.

 

No idea on the emergency costs. I opted to get extra personal in patient insurance, enough for a couple of days private then transfer it government insurance for these sort of emergencies. 

 

Getting seen straight away was part of that decision. 

[Lorry]

On 7/21/2024 at 8:36 PM, Sheryl said:

Actually the more likely scenario in a case you describe (brought to a private hospital unconscious and no one available who knows your insurance status) is being denied admission or given only very, very limited treatment.

That's a bit of an over-generalisation.

OP resides at lower Sukhumvit IIRC.

Private hospitals there correctly assume that most farang there are tourists with travel insurance aka cash cows. AN carries almost daily stories of tourists treated for several hundred thousand baht without any guarantee for the hospital that they can recoup the money (the gofundme cases). 

Sometimes Bangkok Hospital loses millions, but overall, its very profitable to treat foreigners. 

 

You should not rely on this. 

Best would be to have the mobile number of a friend promjnently displayed in your wallet who can be reached 24/7  and whose credit card is good for 10,000 USD for a deposit. 

[OneMoreFarang]

53 minutes ago, Lorry said:

and whose credit card is good for 10,000 USD for a deposit. 

My credit cards are good for that. I fear the hospitals will use that without asking me.

Obviously, it's nice to get a good treatment. But it's even better to get a good treatment and the social security pays for it. 😉

 

[scorecard]

3 hours ago, zyphodb said:

 

They stopped giving you SS cards, in Isaan anyway, years ago, they use your pink ID card for your details in the hospital

number 

Issue of the SS plastic card is a mess.

Yes it carries the standard Thai ID number for Thai citizens and the ID number issued to foreigners which is the number issued through the SS / yellow TB book and as issued for foreigners who hold Thai PR.

 

Issue of the SSO plastic member card has started and stopped many times.

 

Most recently my SS local office said ' 'it's no longer issued but at the same time all staff at my local hospital were issued with new plastic member cards.

 

On the main SSO website anybody can request a new or replacement member card at any time. 

 

 

[zyphodb]

34 minutes ago, scorecard said:

Issue of the SS plastic card is a mess.

Yes it carries the standard Thai ID number for Thai citizens and the ID number issued to foreigners which is the number issued through the SS / yellow TB book and as issued for foreigners who hold Thai PR.

 

Issue of the SSO plastic member card has started and stopped many times.

 

Most recently my SS local office said ' 'it's no longer issued but at the same time all staff at my local hospital were issued with new plastic member cards.

 

On the main SSO website anybody can request a new or replacement member card at any time. 

 

 

 

Ah, I may try to get one from the website then. The last time that I looked at it, a few years ago it was a mess too...

[Sheryl]

OP and others in similar situation (no insurance, or SS insurance) might like to consider getting a Personal Accident policy. They are pretty inexpensive and while medical cover limits are low, the better policies would likely suffice for a few days at a private hospital.

 

Accident is of course not the only thing that might have you brought unconscious to a hospital but in Thailand it is not an uncommon scenario,

 

 PA policies cover both in and outpatient and extend to things like dog bites as well.

 

Last time I investigated best deal for older people was Bangkok Insurance which will enroll up to age 75 and renew for life, and offers 200K medical expense cover per event

 

https://www.bangkokinsurance.com/en/product/accident

[snowgard]

On 7/22/2024 at 6:58 AM, simon43 said:

I have a custom dog-tag that I wear all the time.  On one side it has my personal details, passport #, blood group, next of kin phone number.  On the reverse side it has "I have medical insurance" printed in English, Thai, Lao and Burmese languages.

 

And your next of kin knows which health insurance you have and is always available? Or do you think the hospital calls 140+ insurance companies worldwide to check which one you are insured with? I not believe it!!!