Can I be added to my wife's national health insurance plan?

[Lestat777]

Hello Everyone,

 

I'm a USA citizen. My wife and I got married in Thailand. Can I be added to her national health insurance plan?

 

Thank you

[Sheryl]

Not unless your wife is a Civil Servant.

 

The Thai system has 3 components:

 

1. Civil Service Social Security

2. Social Security (employed people other than civil servants )

3. Universal (AKA 30 baht) scheme -- all Thai citizens not covered by eithet of the above

 

Only the first of these covers spouses

[Lestat777]

On 10/8/2024 at 1:10 AM, Sheryl said:

Not unless your wife is a Civil Servant.

 

The Thai system has 3 components:

 

1. Civil Service Social Security

2. Social Security (employed people other than civil servants )

3. Universal (AKA 30 baht) scheme -- all Thai citizens not covered by eithet of the above

 

Only the first of these covers spouses

If you’re married to a Thai woman and live in Thailand, do you qualify for health insurance? 

Expats married to Thai citizens must apply for permanent residency to have benefits like universal healthcare.

 

Looks like you are incorrect. Once I get residency I can be added to her insurance.

[digbeth]

2 hours ago, Lestat777 said:

If you’re married to a Thai woman and live in Thailand, do you qualify for health insurance? 

Expats married to Thai citizens must apply for permanent residency to have benefits like universal healthcare.

 

Looks like you are incorrect. Once I get residency I can be added to her insurance.

 

you can't be added to her 'national' insurance if she's on universal scheme or social security, either you qualify to go on the schemes yourself through getting a job or citizenship

[MartinL]

6 hours ago, Lestat777 said:

If you’re married to a Thai woman and live in Thailand, do you qualify for health insurance? 

Expats married to Thai citizens must apply for permanent residency to have benefits like universal healthcare.

 

Looks like you are incorrect. Once I get residency I can be added to her insurance.

 

When do you propose getting residency? What work are you doing?

[marin]

On 10/7/2024 at 9:17 PM, Lestat777 said:

Hello Everyone,

 

I'm a USA citizen. My wife and I got married in Thailand. Can I be added to her national health insurance plan?

 

Thank you

 

6 hours ago, Lestat777 said:

If you’re married to a Thai woman and live in Thailand, do you qualify for health insurance? 

Expats married to Thai citizens must apply for permanent residency to have benefits like universal healthcare.

 

Looks like you are incorrect. Once I get residency I can be added to her insurance.

Unique style you have. You both ask and answer your own question. How long do you think it will take you to get residency?

[mfd101]

Residency is not the same thing as citizenship.

[prakhonchai nick]

I have residency and am married, but not aware I have any automatic Thai health insurance. Perhaps someone will kindly advise

[Ralf001]

10 minutes ago, mfd101 said:

Residency is not the same thing as citizenship.

 

No flies on you is there !

[Sheryl]

11 hours ago, Lestat777 said:

If you’re married to a Thai woman and live in Thailand, do you qualify for health insurance? 

Expats married to Thai citizens must apply for permanent residency to have benefits like universal healthcare.

 

Looks like you are incorrect. Once I get residency I can be added to her insurance.

 

The only time being married to a Thai confers access to government health benefits is if the Thai spouse is a Civil Servant. The Civil Service SS, unlike regular SS and the "universal" scheme, covers spouses. These other 2 systems (the 3 together comprising Thailand's system of health care access) do not.

 

Permanent resident status does not make one eligible for the government health scheme; only citizenship does that.

 

Of course, anyone - married or not - can take out private health insurance. Private insurances may vary in terms of whether or under what conditions a spouse can be "added" to a policy.

 

Under the 3 components that make up the government health scheme, only one -- the Civil Service SS - allows a spouse to be added, and in that case it does not  matter whether or not the spouse has permanent residency.

[Sheryl]

1 hour ago, prakhonchai nick said:

I have residency and am married, but not aware I have any automatic Thai health insurance. Perhaps someone will kindly advise

Unless your spouse is a Thai civil; service, you do not.

[Sheryl]

8 hours ago, digbeth said:

 

you can't be added to her 'national' insurance if she's on universal scheme or social security, either you qualify to go on the schemes yourself through getting a job or citizenship

Correct, exception being if the spouse is a Civil Servant covered by the Civil Servant social security scheme.

[Sheryl]

11 hours ago, Lestat777 said:

If you’re married to a Thai woman and live in Thailand, do you qualify for health insurance? 

Expats married to Thai citizens must apply for permanent residency to have benefits like universal healthcare.

 

Looks like you are incorrect. Once I get residency I can be added to her insurance.

 

I assume the middle paragraph is a quote? If so, from where? It is incorrect.  Permanent residency confers nothing in terms of government health care.

[prakhonchai nick]

5 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

Unless your spouse is a Thai civil; service, you do not.

Thanks Sheryl, exactly as I thought.  Unfortunately others on this forum think they know better!

[FritsSikkink]

11 hours ago, Lestat777 said:

If you’re married to a Thai woman and live in Thailand, do you qualify for health insurance? 

Expats married to Thai citizens must apply for permanent residency to have benefits like universal healthcare.

 

Looks like you are incorrect. Once I get residency I can be added to her insurance.

You are incorrect. To get residency, you need to work for 3 years and pay tax to start with. There are quite a few other requirements too. 

[Sheryl]

36 minutes ago, FritsSikkink said:

You are incorrect. To get residency, you need to work for 3 years and pay tax to start with. There are quite a few other requirements too. 

True but more important -- it does nto enable one to be "added" to a spouse's "insurance".

 

I suspect what he is calling "insurance" is not insurance but rather either SS or the "universal" (AKA "30 baht") system and there is no way to be "added"  to another person's eligibility. Only in the Civil Service SS is that a posisbility, and in that instance it has nothing to do with reisdency status.

[scorecard]

9 hours ago, digbeth said:

 

you can't be added to her 'national' insurance if she's on universal scheme or social security, either you qualify to go on the schemes yourself through getting a job or citizenship

 

53 minutes ago, FritsSikkink said:

You are incorrect. To get residency, you need to work for 3 years and pay tax to start with. There are quite a few other requirements too. 

 

And approval for Permanent Residency is not automatic, a high % of applicants are rejected. 

 

On a different angle Social Security membership / benefits are NOT automatic because of having Permanent Residence. 

 

 

[john donson]

so have to find a teacher that is not into debt to her ears

[Imd8ta]

1 hour ago, john donson said:

so have to find a teacher that is not into debt to her ears

I'm married to one (not in debt though) and have full IP and OP at all government hospitals and facilities. Walk (or limp in) and walk out. 0 Baht 🚑

[Sheryl]

3 hours ago, scorecard said:

 

On a different angle Social Security membership / benefits are NOT automatic because of having Permanent Residence. 

 

 

 

Correct. Neither is permanent residency a requirement for SS.

[digbeth]

8 hours ago, Sheryl said:

The only time being married to a Thai confers access to government health benefits is if the Thai spouse is a Civil Servant. The Civil Service SS, unlike regular SS and the "universal" scheme, covers spouses. These other 2 systems (the 3 together comprising Thailand's system of health care access) do not.

They cover parents too I think... so if your wife doesn't qualify, pump out some kids, make sure they get low paying government jobs for the healthcare benefits for the whole family and you're set

[digbeth]

if you searched

20 hours ago, Lestat777 said:

Expats married to Thai citizens must apply for permanent residency to have benefits like universal healthcare.

 

If you search for this exact quote, there are a few visa services website spouting this 

 

if they're wrong on this one can't help wonder if the services they're offering is legit or not? 

[scorecard]

8 hours ago, Sheryl said:

 

I assume the middle paragraph is a quote? If so, from where? It is incorrect.  Permanent residency confers nothing in terms of government health care.

True. No connection.

 

The Thai Social Security Act in English is at this website:  https://www.mol.go.th/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/07/social_security_act_2533_sso_1.pdf     

 

Section 39 is the relevant section.

[Celsius]

My previous wife was able to add me to her company health insurance benefits.

 

My current wife's company health insurance does not allow this.

 

 

 

 

[DavisH]

9 hours ago, Sheryl said:

Under the 3 components that make up the government health scheme, only one -- the Civil Service SS - allows a spouse to be added, and in that case it does not  matter whether or not the spouse has permanent residency.

I'm covered under my wife's CSMBS (civil servant medical benefits scheme). My son was also covered until her turned 20, and her parents were covered (both deceased now). his is a good scheme as I can use any public hospital, and I've used several! I just usually pay a small amount for the after hours clinics.  don't pay for medicine also. 

[digbeth]

Just now, DavisH said:

I'm covered under my wife's CSMBS (civil servant medical benefits scheme). My son was also covered until her turned 20, and her parents were covered (both deceased now). his is a good scheme as I can use any public hospital, and I've used several! I just usually pay a small amount for the after hours clinics.  don't pay for medicine also. 

 

a lot of parents usually out in the provinces want their kids to get a government job for this alone, 

 

there's also the question of level of covers and what medicine/procedures are available between each scheme, social security with employee (paid) contributions often coming out worse