I have a minor heart condition diagnosed here in Thailand and need to get a medical insurance in case of an emergency. Can this be obtained here in Thailand even though I have a pre-existing condition that requires medication? If so, what is roughly the cost? I'm currently on a work permit/non immigrant visa but will soon be a student on a student visa. My home country is Sweden (in case that matters).

Cheers

i dont know the answer to your question,but the only way to find out is to ask any prospective insurer upfront.I am in the process of doing this right now through AA insurance.As i see it there's no point in forking out 50,000 baht pl;us per annum for almost 100 medical coverage if they are going to exclude anything that you've had in the past that might rear its ugly head in the future................just throwing money down the drain.

"I'm currently on a work permit/non immigrant visa..."

If you are working, you should be covered under Thai Social Security.

That will cover you for all of yout health needs.

With Thai Soc Sec there are no exclusions for pre-existing conditions.

While working it's either 750 baht per month maximum or 5% of your salary if you make less than 15k a month.

After being in the system for 3 months, you can quit working and pay into soc sec on your own. The cost for that is 432 baht per month.

As of last January employees at private schools were no longer eligible for soc sec thru employment.

"I'm currently on a work permit/non immigrant visa..."

If you are working, you should be covered under Thai Social Security.

That will cover you for all of yout health needs.

With Thai Soc Sec there are no exclusions for pre-existing conditions.

While working it's either 750 baht per month maximum or 5% of your salary if you make less than 15k a month.

After being in the system for 3 months, you can quit working and pay into soc sec on your own. The cost for that is 432 baht per month.

As of last January employees at private schools were no longer eligible for soc sec thru employment.

this cover under thai social security is only for thai public hospitals is it not,it would not cover private hospitals,or am i wrong.If i was sick i would n't like to have to rely on the thai public health system,although i do know of some very good public hospitals but they are very far and few between.

When I first moved to Khon Kaen I went to the soc sec office to get a new card for this province. They gave me a list of about 9 hospitals to choose from. Some were government and some were private hospitals.

I chose a private hospital simply because of the long waiting times at some of the larger govt hospitals.

I recently heard that there are only a couple of choices here, but don't know that for sure. I continue to use both my private hospital and sometimes I use a referral to a govt hospital if my chosen hosp doesn't do something I need.

If you are working, now is the time of year to change the hospital you've been assigned to if you don't loke it. Often the soc sec office will just give you what they think is the closest to your work or home.

Thanks for all the helpful suggestions and advice. I am covered through my work but my previous experience from using this insurance at its designated hospital has been negative, so I'm thinking it might be better to be insured for going to any hospital. My main concern is if the health insurance companies will accept this pre-exsisting condition.

If you're talking about being covered by soc sec through work, now is the time to change your designated hospital. I think you have through the end of the month. They sent me info about it, but I don't remember the exact date.

I've had a very good experience with soc sec. I'd be happy to not have to use it so much, but since I do, I'm satisfied with it.

Check this out. Or scroll down the page on the forum index.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Pre-existing...la-t231264.html

Thanks TerryLH, no, it's not through work. I intend to quit working and start studying, that's one of the reasons I need a new insurance.

I took my WP and Social Security card to Patong Hospital for a minor matter. They told me "not for Falang" ????

"I took my WP and Social Security card to Patong Hospital for a minor matter. They told me "not for Falang" ????"

Was that the hospital Soc Sec assigned to you?

It could be that that particular hospital is not in the soc sec system.

The soc sec office should be able to help you figure what went wrong. I've had to deal with them a couple of times and found them very helpful.

.

Regarding the Thai soc sec system: I was told they don't cover anyone over 55 years old. Is this a recent change? Has anyone else heard this?

'nuff said

~

I haven't heard that. I'm over that age, but you probably mean new applications.

Realistically, people need more care (generally) than younger persons, so the need for some sort of health plan is more of a neccesity.

If they just want to save money, and don't care about older folks getting care they need, it would make sense.