Thai Healthcare for Foreigners

[jaiyenyen]

Hi.

I've lived and worked in Thailand for the past 20 years. I have a WP, pay tax, have a yellow TB and pink ID card. I also have health insurance provided by my employer. I don't (Because of my age) have Thai Social Security.

I've recently heard that as a foreigner, I can pay a small sum every year, enabling me to get some kind of basic Thai healthcare.

Is this true? If so, where should I apply?

[Sheryl]

23 hours ago, jaiyenyen said:

Hi.

I've lived and worked in Thailand for the past 20 years. I have a WP, pay tax, have a yellow TB and pink ID card. I also have health insurance provided by my employer. I don't (Because of my age) have Thai Social Security.

I've recently heard that as a foreigner, I can pay a small sum every year, enabling me to get some kind of basic Thai healthcare.

Is this true? If so, where should I apply?

What you may be thinking of is that people who have SS and retire or stop working can continue it on a self pay basis.  This option has to be taken within 6 months of stopping work.

 

I do not understand your statment that you don't have DS because of your age. If you started working before age 60 and are still employed then regardless of your vurrent sge you should have SS unless you work for a private school that opts not to participate in SS. 

[jaiyenyen]

1 hour ago, Sheryl said:

What you may be thinking of is that people who have SS and retire or stop working can continue it on a self pay basis.  This option has to be taken within 6 months of stopping work.

 

I do not understand your statment that you don't have DS because of your age. If you started working before age 60 and are still employed then regardless of your vurrent sge you should have SS unless you work for a private school that opts not to participate in SS. 

Hi Sheryl. Thanks for your reply. Around 12 years ago I started working for a large well known teaching agency in Bangkok. I had a work permit and paid tax on my salary. Unknown to me, the agency didn't register me for Thai SS. I knew nothing about the Thai SS scheme at the time.

I was 59 by the time I found out about it. My wife made enquiries at the government office (Cheang Wattana). They said, at 59, I was to old to enter the SS scheme.

Now 67, I'm still working. I now work for a very large private company. Still paying tax on my salary.

I have heard that I could still be eligible for the Universal Coverage Scheme.

As I understand it, I don't need to be part of the SS scheme to get these health benefits (No matter how small), 

I would just have a small amount of money deducted from my salary every month.

 

 

[Sheryl]

There is no way for an expat to get under the Universal scheme. It is for Thai citizens and migrant workers from neighboring countries only.

 

 

[digbeth]

you no longer qualify but there's also *Section 40* social security, you can enter the scheme at up to 65 years of age, 

 

this is for those that never had social security, intended for those with informal work like motorcycle riders

 

there's no medical coverage as you're supposed to use it in conjunction with universal healthcare, this cheme pays out if you have to take time off work/death/disablilties and there's small pension

 

never heard any foreigner that wants to be or sucessfully joined it though 

[jaiyenyen]

Thanks digbeth. At 67, I've missed that boat too 😁

[KhunLA]

It's easy and inexpensive to stay on top of your health.  Couple years of major diet adjustment, and last 6 months to a year of strict diet adjustment, very Keto-ish, and I ordered some test to see what results were.  Very inexpensive to have done at govt hosp.

 

The did miss doing the HbA1c test, though not really needed, knowing the past #s.  Wanting a vitamin/mineral test, but not offered.  These were requested, and not a standard package/check up program.

 

[BigStar]

3 hours ago, KhunLA said:

It's easy and inexpensive to stay on top of your health. 

 

In theory. I do, but most people lack the discipline and prefer to chase after docs, meds, and hospitals. They consider that less stressful.🙃The question then becomes how to save on the huge costs of doing so.

 

3 hours ago, KhunLA said:

The did miss doing the HbA1c test, though not really needed, knowing the past #s. 

 

Most posters here will need the HbA1c. Worth getting at a private lab if one's around, not expensive.

 

You paid a doc B1200 at a public hsp to schedule the tests?

 

Last time I had a health package checkup at Queen Sirikit in Sattahip, it costs B800, no doc appt needed. Included all the basic bloodwork. But better to spend a bit more and get a really compressive package at a lab. In Pattaya, we've got Lifecare and a couple of others.

 

 

[KhunLA]

45 minutes ago, BigStar said:

You paid a doc B1200 at a public hsp to schedule the tests?

Yes, thought that was a bit silly myself.   Although, it wasn't during normal hospital hrs, and the kidney doc, has his private 'clinic' at the hospital, after hours.  He is my GP.  

 

Never been charged that for hospital visits during the day.  More like 100-300 baht, depending on doc and what done.   But also would be an all day affair, just to get to see the doc to get the blood test referral, which quite possibly, would have been denied, since I had all the blood work done just last February.   

 

Even my GP was hesitant, till I told him I stopped the statin & changed my diet.   He usually schedules / refers me to anything I want.  Even did  whole abdominal CT Scan (15k ?), earlier in the year, because I wanted it done, just for the hell of it.  Most docs will hardly refer an ultrasound, especially since I get one about every year.