Gettting what seems to be "fear" technique about med insurance (69 male, healthy no claims) - I am told 840k is too low for an annual benefit. Seeing as though heart and/or cancer are my 'favourites' to hit me at my age what have people paid for these?

Depends on where you go to.

Last year I stayed at Bumrungrad, 5 days, no surgery but an endoscopic procedure. 870000.

It would have been a lot cheaper at the village health center.

But I might not live to tell the tale.

Edited June 23Jun 23 by Hish

I (my insurance) paid 1.2M over 10 years ago for a triple bypass at Bangkok Hospital Pattaya. Not a cheap hospital for sure but I'd think 840k wouldn't go far anywhere these days.

Family member recently had quadruple bypass at Bangkok Hospital in Bangkok. Hospital bill (not including initial consultations/tests or follow up) a bit over 1.5 million baht. Definitely saved his life but plunged the uninsured family into debt.

Cancer treatments of course can run much higher as usually spread over time and involving more than surgery. Note that many, but not all, inpatient only policies include outpatient cancer treatments such as chemo and radiation. Also some cover outpayient dialysis. Both are important inclusions.

When it comes to policy limits some are per year (which could encompass more than one event/hospitalization) and some are per event. These are very different things so be sure you know which.

Per event, you need a minimum of 3 million baht if using private hospitals and 1 million if using only government hodpitals. If per year, not event, then at least double those amounts.

Internationally issued expat policies generally have caps well above these amounts. Thai issued policies are often less.

Premium cost does not correlate as much with policy limit as one might think.

A few additional points worth keeping in mind:

1. The annual or per event maximum does not mean bills will be covered up to that amount, contrary to what people often assume. There are usually other caps on individual cost categories (e.g. surgeries, doctor consultations in hospital, and often room charge) and these also apply, and usually result in cover for a specific event being limited to well below the policy maximum. Indeed, it is extremely rare for anyone to get covered to the maximum policy amount, which is one reason why insurers offer things like USD $1million cover -- because they know that in actuality there is little difference, in terms of benefits paid out, between a $250-500,000 policy and a $1,000,000 policy, it just sounds better to customers. (Also why there is nto that as much relationship between policy maximum and premiums as one might expect). The only situation in which someone might approach these amounts would be if the caps were per year rather than per event and they had a really unlucky year with multiple events.

So read the full schedule of benefits closely.

2. Premiums rise with time due to both inflation and aging. Age related increases often come in 5 year bands and the jump can be very large indeed, especially for seniors. While all policies will increase premiums with age, some do so to a much greater extent so be sure to compare what current premiums look like at different age bands.

3. If you are planning to live here for the rest of your life (as most retirement age folk are) make sure the policy guarantees lifetime renewal. Some locally issued policies will drop you at a certain age.

4. Even with guaranteed lifetime renewal you can end up completely, and suddenly, priced out if the policy is one which adjusts rates based on prior claims. This is allowed under Thai insurance law (not allowed in most Western countries) up to I think a 25% premium increase per year on top of age related and inflationary increases. Which means that you can find yourself completely priced out at exactly the point (old, chronic illness) when you can't get other insurance and most need to be insured. You want a policy which is "community rated"/ "pooled"

Points #3 and 4 are critical for those intending to live here for the duration. Less important for younger people here temporarily, and/or people with a fall back plan for returning to their home country if/when their health fails or they reach a certain age.

Thanks Sheryl good advice as always

Rayong Government Hospital. Camera surgery to remove cyst and plops, hospital one night room 4,000 Bhat. Total 61,000. They had told me 25 to 50,000. I noticed they tried to upsell, more blood tests etc., I refused. Govt. Hospitals are now allowed to charge foreigners more. My Dr. Told me a private hospital, up to 250,000 Bhat.

Edited June 25Jun 25 by Colabamumbai
Spelling

Good advice Sheryl. In my case I have USA insurance carried over into retirement which covers me in Thailand and Bangkok Hospital Pattaya will bill direct. In case of outpatient, I pay and file a claim as my co-pay is 15%. For inpatient, I am covered 100% and BHP direct bills my insurance.

I fully agree 840k is insufficient. About 5 years ago I was hospitalized with a serious lung infection and spent 4 weeks in ICU and another week and a half in a regular room. Total bill was about 2,500,000 baht.

Just had carpel tunnel release surgery in CNX. Gov hospital. Was quite unsanitary by western standards, but I survived. No infection. However, Im still waiting to see if it was totally successful. Hope to regain full use my hand in the next few months. Totals today, just under 27,000 thb.

Health insurance about 5500 thb per month, (70-80 group), no coverage unless 150,000 thb or more per occurrence.

Edited June 25Jun 25 by Zimar
bladder

A mate in Chiang Rai has a new titanium knee. 100,000 at the university hospital.

Bumrungrad: TAVR 2.7 mil.

Bangkok Hospital, Udon Thani. Double knee replacement...400K. They said I got Thai price.

Just spent 6 days in Bangkok Hua Hin for an intertrochanteric fracture ( top edge of the knob on the femur )

after falling about 2 meters while trimming a jackfruit tree....

received a titanium inplant (TFNA) as a bonus !

Private room in the new wing ( really nice ) and flocked by staff and doctors round the clock 356,000 baht

and my out of pocket deductable was 40,00

fyi note .... I don't even like jackfruit, and yes, it hurt like a M/F

Just had an operation to remove infected tissue from an insect bite at our local hospital, wound dressed, antibiotics prescribed, wound redressed every 24 hours for the next two weeks......all in .......around 3000B

A friend of mine had a minor accident with his motorcycle and unfortunately had 3 complicated broken bones in on leg/foot which required 3 long surgeries and metal implants. Total cost was 1.5 million Baht with 2 months inpatient treatments.

Personally you need a minimum of 3 million baht coverage if possible to have some piece of mind.

23 minutes ago, thailand49 said:

Personally you need a minimum of 3 million baht coverage if possible to have some piece of mind.

Agree. 3 million baht (100K USD) is the number that the BOI uses for LTR visa holders who choose to self insure.

5 hours ago, Colabamumbai said:

Rayong Government Hospital. Camera surgery to remove cyst and plops, hospital one night room 4,000 Bhat. Total 61,000. They had told me 25 to 50,000. I noticed they tried to upsell, more blood tests etc., I refused. Govt. Hospitals are now allowed to charge foreigners more. My Dr. Told me a private hospital, up to 250,000 Bhat.

I use Queen Sirikit Hospital Sattahip.On a board posted since 2019 is a breakdown of fees. Groups 1,2,3

1) Foreign workers etc...Myanmar

2) Foreigners who live in LOS ...I pay 1.5 times the lowest fee for example.

3) Tourists

On 6/24/2026 at 11:11 AM, Sheryl said:

Family member recently had quadruple bypass at Bangkok Hospital in Bangkok. Hospital bill (not including initial consultations/tests or follow up) a bit over 1.5 million baht. Definitely saved his life but plunged the uninsured family into debt.

Cancer treatments of course can run much higher as usually spread over time and involving more than surgery. Note that many, but not all, inpatient only policies include outpatient cancer treatments such as chemo and radiation. Also some cover outpayient dialysis. Both are important inclusions.

When it comes to policy limits some are per year (which could encompass more than one event/hospitalization) and some are per event. These are very different things so be sure you know which.

Per event, you need a minimum of 3 million baht if using private hospitals and 1 million if using only government hodpitals. If per year, not event, then at least double those amounts.

Internationally issued expat policies generally have caps well above these amounts. Thai issued policies are often less.

Premium cost does not correlate as much with policy limit as one might think.

You expect any policy to actually pay out?!? 55555555

7 hours ago, MIke B Bad said:

Just had an operation to remove infected tissue from an insect bite at our local hospital, wound dressed, antibiotics prescribed, wound redressed every 24 hours for the next two weeks......all in .......around 3000B

Did they cometo your house to replace the dressings or did you have to hie yourself back to the hospital?

Three million in savings, not including the 800k for retirement, sounds about right. I go to several govt hospitals in Bangkok. Some have no foreigner charge, others B250. I don't mind. Is it unConstitutional? Hell, yes.

17 minutes ago, unblocktheplanet said:

You expect any policy to actually pay out?!? 55555555

17 minutes ago, unblocktheplanet said:

You expect any policy to actually pay out?!? 55555555

Never when you need it most. My recent experience.

31 minutes ago, unblocktheplanet said:

You expect any policy to actually pay out?!? 55555555

Certainly a reliable insurer will pay according to the terms of the policy.

Mine always have. Had health insurance all my life. Never had a claim refused. About 2 million baht in pay outs in past 6 years alone.

There are unreliable insurers to be sure but hardly the case that none are reliable.

One does have to do one's due diligence in choosing the insurer.

On 6/23/2026 at 3:08 PM, nglodnig said:

cancer are my 'favourites' to hit me at my age what have people paid for these?

from memory it was <100k to get my kidney removed.

Would need to go through the SS documents to confirm.

On 6/23/2026 at 10:26 PM, Hish said:

1 hour ago, Ralf001 said:

from memory it was <100k to get my kidney removed.

Would need to go through the SS documents to confirm.

They usually give a steep discount for the second. Should have spurged.

7 hours ago, atpeace said:

They usually give a steep discount for the second. Should have spurged.

I did ask but they said they can only perform one operation at a time.

16 hours ago, jaideedave said:

I use Queen Sirikit Hospital Sattahip.On a board posted since 2019 is a breakdown of fees. Groups 1,2,3

1) Foreign workers etc...Myanmar

2) Foreigners who live in LOS ...I pay 1.5 times the lowest fee for example.

3) Tourists

Queen Sirikit quoted me 200k for knee menisus repair, not cheap anymore plus 6 months wait, i went elsewhere. Definitely a falang price going on

10 hours ago, Ralf001 said:

from memory it was <100k to get my kidney removed.

Would need to go through the SS documents to confirm.

you get your creatinine/ eGFR checked regularly? what is it with 1 kidney?

30k for head wound at Bangkok Pattaya recently, included brain CT scan, EFAST, 13 stitches. PA insurance covered that

200k knee meniscus op, Bang Lamung Hospital, Bangkok Pattaya quoted 300k+ could have ended up being 400k

12 hours ago, unblocktheplanet said:

Did they cometo your house to replace the dressings or did you have to hie yourself back to the hospital?

Village clinic.....50B......bit iffy though............ gloves, no gloves, mask, no mask, flies everywhere.....kitchen scissors with plastic handles to remove bandages.

Bought them proper bandage scissors and had a polite word regarding infection control.