SSO Medical Plan v’s the Public Health System

[JoePai]

Can anyone explain the benefits of the SSO Medical Plan over the regular ‘Public Health System’ please ?

[Sheryl]

This is just one of 3 mechanisms through which care in the public system (and in some cases, select private hospitals, but mainly, public ones) may be accessed for free. It is not a separate health care system, just one of the access channels.

 

All Thai citizens are covered under one of these 3 schemes:

 

(regular) Social Security

Civil Service Social Security

Universal system (AKA "30 baht").

 

The last one automatically covers all Thai citizens not under either of the first 2.

 

Foreigners cannot be covered under the Universal System. If they are married to a civil servant, they can get covered under the Civil Service SS system. And if employed in Thailand can getr covered under regular SS (exception being private school employment).

 

And, of course, foreigners can always use public hospitals on a private pay basis.

 

 

 

 

[JoePai]

2 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

This is just one of 3 mechanisms through which care in the public system (and in some cases, select private hospitals, but mainly, public ones) may be accessed for free. It is not a separate health care system, just one of the access channels.

 

All Thai citizens are covered under one of these 3 schemes:

 

(regular) Social Security

Civil Service Social Security

Universal system (AKA "30 baht").

 

The last one automatically covers all Thai citizens not under either of the first 2.

 

Foreigners cannot be covered under the Universal System. If they are married to a civil servant, they can get covered under the Civil Service SS system. And if employed in Thailand can getr covered under regular SS (exception being private school employment).

 

And, of course, foreigners can always use public hospitals on a private pay basis.

 

 

 

 

Thank you Sheryl.
What I am trying to determine is what the Social Security scheme actually covers?

[Sheryl]

5 minutes ago, JoePai said:

Thank you Sheryl.
What I am trying to determine is what the Social Security scheme actually covers?

Pretty much everything, inpatient and outpatient, medications, consultations, hospitalizations etc.

 

there is a 700 baht cap on room cost for inaptient but if you want a more expensive room, can just pay the difference yourself.

 

All care must be at one nominated hospital (unless they refer you elsewhere).

[OneMoreFarang]

13 minutes ago, JoePai said:

Thank you Sheryl.
What I am trying to determine is what the Social Security scheme actually covers?

 

It seems the dental cover is bad to non-existing. 

Best case removal of the tooth or a little filling is paid. And, as far as I see, if there are 3 or 4 bad teeth and even that is not covered.

[Sheryl]

Yes, virtually no dental. But medical cover is just about everything. Even cancer treatment, heart surgery etc.

[JoePai]

14 hours ago, Sheryl said:

Pretty much everything, inpatient and outpatient, medications, consultations, hospitalizations etc.

 

there is a 700 baht cap on room cost for inaptient but if you want a more expensive room, can just pay the difference yourself.

 

All care must be at one nominated hospital (unless they refer you elsewhere).

Thank you

[BigStar]

22 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

 

It seems the dental cover is bad to non-existing. 

Best case removal of the tooth or a little filling is paid. And, as far as I see, if there are 3 or 4 bad teeth and even that is not covered.

 

SSO offers you a yearly one-off discount of B800 at any clinic/hsp that has the form and can be reimbursed.

 

The two designated gov't hsps I've used in Chonburi lack serious dental facilities and advised me to go to a private clinic.🙂 

[Lorry]

On 10/4/2024 at 12:12 PM, JoePai said:

Can anyone explain the benefits of the SSO Medical Plan over the regular ‘Public Health System’ please ?

With SSO, you choose one hospital as your hospital. 

You get a list to pick one.

Many are full, so the choice may be limited. 

But there are many good private hospitals on these lists, like Camillian, Vejthani, Yanhee. You won't get the same service as a private patient,  but it's much preferable to many government hospitals. The problem is really availability. 

(Dental coverage is as described above.)

If you can get in, SSO is by far the best investment you can make in Thailand. 

You can keep it lifelong, even after employment (may need to convince SSO staff that even a foreigner can stay, there are threads about this)

 

30 baht is for rice farmers,  the lowest rung in Thai society. 

SSO is for city Thais. 

Civil service is for civil servants. 

Private healthcare is for people with money. 

You will be treated accordingly.