Why more retirees in Thailand are switching to long-term health insurance

[KhunHeineken]

On 6/7/2025 at 1:39 PM, vukovar77 said:

Or go to the state hospital and pay a reasonable price until you can go to your country! Nobody can take your life savings if you are clever.

Would you trust a Thai state hospital with life saving treatment? 

 

You get what you pay for. 

[greeneking]

5 minutes ago, KhunHeineken said:

You get what you pay for.  My health is worth more to me than a Thai government hospital. 

As always, balance. My health is important to me, but so are my other living expenses.

When I am unable to live as I choose because insurance costs are so high I must review whether I need to be looked after in luxury and overcharged for everything. If I say I do not need to be admitted the insurance will not pay for anything.

Overpriced insurance and overpriced hospitals are in it together and it is not for our benefit.

 

 

[KhunHeineken]

17 minutes ago, greeneking said:

As always, balance. My health is important to me, but so are my other living expenses.

When I am unable to live as I choose because insurance costs are so high I must review whether I need to be looked after in luxury and overcharged for everything. If I say I do not need to be admitted the insurance will not pay for anything.

Overpriced insurance and overpriced hospitals are in it together and it is not for our benefit.

 

 

Your post suggests you will have a choice, and thus a decision to make. 

 

What about a stoke or heart attack, a very common medical episode that comes with age.  You'll be taken to the nearest hospital where you will either be able to pay and saved, or can not pay and die. 

 

Even if you could be transferred to a Thai government hospital, would you trust them with life saving heart surgery? 

[CallumWK]

10 minutes ago, KhunHeineken said:

Your post suggests you will have a choice, and thus a decision to make. 

 

What about a stoke or heart attack, a very common medical episode that comes with age.  You'll be taken to the nearest hospital where you will either be able to pay and saved, or can not pay and die. 

 

Even if you could be transferred to a Thai government hospital, would you trust them with life saving heart surgery? 

 

And what would be the difference if you have insurance?

You will also be taken to the nearest hospital, regardless if that one is on the list of your insurer

[CallumWK]

11 minutes ago, KhunHeineken said:

Even if you could be transferred to a Thai government hospital, would you trust them with life saving heart surgery? 

 

Doctors at the government hospital all work at private hospitals as well

[Bday Prang]

And lets not forget there will come a time when it won't matter who runs the hospital, but there's no point in paying over the odds for morphine or fentanyl injections which will work just  the same no matter who administers them 

[WDSmart]

2 hours ago, KhunHeineken said:

On 6/7/2025 at 4:30 PM, WDSmart said:

Or, you could just go to a government hospital and receive treatments for free or a very, very low cost. 

You get what you pay for.  My health is worth more to me than a Thai government hospital. 

The same doctors work at the Thai government hospitals as they do in private hospitals. It is my understanding that all doctors who engage in private practice are required to do so. The facilities could be better in some local private hospitals, but I'm sure the larger government hospitals in large cities have very good facilities. 

[vukovar77]

22 hours ago, gk10012001 said:

I am 68 now and about to spend a lot of time in Thailand.  Being an American I am also on Medicare.  Sadly Medicare doesn't work overseas except in some cases for some emergency treatments.  So it is quite a conundrum.  Very difficult to get any Thai health insurance at my age.  And if I could get Thai health insurance, if I then stop paying my USA Medicare, if I should ever start Medicare again, Medicare would charge me 10% more for each year I was not on Medicare.  

I am 68 as well, and there is no proper insurance for us here. No need to try to find a good one.

[gk10012001]

2 hours ago, vukovar77 said:

I am 68 as well, and there is no proper insurance for us here. No need to try to find a good one.

Agreed.  I have monitored the situation for years

[Atlantic Cod]

On 6/7/2025 at 3:22 PM, KhunHeineken said:

Do you have any idea how much a medivac costs? 

 

As an Australian, it's over $200,000AUD. 

 

Your theory is an injury or illness will happen in the distant future, AFTER the member/s have had time to save premiums, and the member/s are still able to afford treatment, but you can not guarantee such an injury or illness does not happen next week, and the member/s already have some money to pay.

 

Emergency medical treatment here can ruin you financially and / or you die, because you can't pay.

 

You are right, it's not a joke.  There is no free medical for foreigners in Thailand.  You can pay and live, but go back to your home country broke, or be unable to pay and die, or be insured and have piece of mind.  I am insured. 

 

As for the grand idea of "I will just fly back to my home country for free treatment" that's fine for something like cancer, but if an airline does not deem you "fit to fly" you are stuck in the Thai medical system where you are facing the decision above.  Lose your life savings and live, and that's if one has enough savings to cover the cost, or if unable to pay, you die. 

 

If uninsured, you roll the dice. 

Your trust in medical messiahs is touching...

[Middle Aged Grouch]

I would rather consider why more and more retirees who can, are either leaving Thailand or not comming back so often for the winter months as before. 

 

Over rated prices in many areas like Bangkok, Hua Hin or Phuket, cheating all over, harsh and absurd immigration visa rules where nothing is made to encourage the quality foreigners who are retirees. 

 

Thais often forget that some of the biggest spenders from abroad are those who own property and then the retirees. All homeowners/condoowners should be given no less then at least 4 months visa with no extra red tape or harassment during the submission online for the visa. But if they do not wish to comply no problem. Those who can and spend, will go spend the winter in Vietnam.