Stateless People To Get Free Medical Treatment Scheme

[george]

Health office to extend universal care to 370,000 stateless people in Thailand

BANGKOK: -- About 370,000 people who are in the process of proving their right to Thai citizenship will be entitled to free medical treatment under the universal healthcare scheme, if a plan by National Health Security Office (NHSO) gets a green light.

"We will forward the plan to the Cabinet and asks for an approval," Public Health Minister Witthaya Kaewparadai revealed Monday.

He was speaking after he chaired a meeting of NHSO board.

According to the board, people who have long lived in Thailand or were born in Thailand should be covered by the universal healthcare scheme even though they had yet to be granted Thai citizenship.

"We hope this plan will take effective in the 2009 Fiscal Year. The flat subsidy per head should be Bt2,202," Witthaya said.

-- The Nation 2009-02-16

[jbowman1993]

Health office to extend universal care to 370,000 stateless people in Thailand

BANGKOK: -- About 370,000 people who are in the process of proving their right to Thai citizenship will be entitled to free medical treatment under the universal healthcare scheme, if a plan by National Health Security Office (NHSO) gets a green light.

"We will forward the plan to the Cabinet and asks for an approval," Public Health Minister Witthaya Kaewparadai revealed Monday.

He was speaking after he chaired a meeting of NHSO board.

According to the board, people who have long lived in Thailand or were born in Thailand should be covered by the universal healthcare scheme even though they had yet to be granted Thai citizenship.

"We hope this plan will take effective in the 2009 Fiscal Year. The flat subsidy per head should be Bt2,202," Witthaya said.

-- The Nation 2009-02-16

This is positive news. That can't be right, we only post negative stories about Thailand on TV...

[khundon]

Will this apply to all the stateless peoples in the north, most of which were born within Thailands borders.

I doubt it.

[citizen33]

Will this apply to all the stateless peoples in the north, most of which were born within Thailands borders.

I doubt it.

This is an interesting story though and is perhaps a good test of the direction of social policy under the new government. For anybody who is not sure, the 2,202 baht is the proposed capitation payment rate for the forthcoming year. In other words, this is the payment from Government per insured member per the year. It is top-sliced at various levels but a good proportion makes its way down to the regional offices and local contacting units to pay for hospital and community care of gold card holders. People who have long lived in Thailand are mentioned in the press release. Is it conceivable that ageing expats might one day be covered? I'd be surprised!

[RobotTeacher]

I feel really bad for the long neck Karen and other people in Thailand who aren't citizens and have not rights while being exploited. I hope they get in on this new health care scheme. I feel if you're living and working in Thailand then you deserve access to healthcare and other social services. The exploited and very saddened Karen people for example are working to show off old colonial ways to tourists.