Free Health Care

[egg]

l heard a rumour that a farang can get free medical treatment if legally married to a Thai government worker ,, does anyone know if this is fact or fiction ?

cheers

egg

[dumbnewbie]

No idea about Thailand, but I heard foreigners on a tourist visa can get free health care in the UK, France, and some other countries with universal health care. Any truth to that?

You won't get it in the US though... actually, I correct that. Even uninsured US citizens and illegal aliens can get (essentially free) care for a life-threatening condition in hospital emergency rooms (I think Brits call them 'trauma centres' or something?), so I guess that would apply to foreign tourists as well. But routine medical care at a doctors office or clinic or hospital? No. I say "essentially free" because they will try to bill you, but can't refuse to treat you in an emergency situation, even if you have no insurance, no credit card, no cash, etc.

Anyone know about Canada, Australia, New Zealand, or European countries? What about other Asian countries?

[noahvail]

Fact, within reason. Your ER room visits are free and I'm pretty sure they're free at government PCU clinics (Primary Care Unit).

But that's only for standard stuff. If you see specialists, there is a charge within the governmental system, but I don't know how much it is. Operations are not free either. But they tend to be deeply discounted from the usual farang price.

My understanding is that your spouse doesn't necessarily have to be a government worker, so long as you are registered in a tambien baan and have your own tambien baan. Being registered to a house is really the key - it opens up a lot of doors. You may find that with the yellow book alone, you qualify for basic Thai health care. It works for me.

Please realize that you will have to go to government hospitals. I go to the Srinagarind Hospital in KK, which is a teaching hospital annexed to the university there. The professors of medicine that treat you also work at the private hospital there. They get paid the same, since the government subsidizes the university hospital. So, why pay full bore for the international hospital when you can get the same level of treatment from those professors at both hospitals?

Edited March 20, 2010 by noahvail

[TerryLH]

If your wife has government insurance, through civil service employment, her family (used to be) is covered as well. I don't know if that has changed in the last couple of years. Your wife should be able yo find out easily enough.

This is different than a couple other government programs that don't require government employment.

"My understanding is that your spouse doesn't necessarily have to be a government worker, so long as you are registered in a tambien baan and have your own tambien baan. Being registered to a house is really the key..."

I'd like to hear details about this. I don't think it's correct.

Perhaps you work and have social security, which would make your health care almost free.

"The professors of medicine that treat you also work at the private hospital there."

Are you referring to the clinic in the fairly new building that's behind the main building at Srinagarind Hospital?

I visited that clinic a couple of years ago because I was told that I could get an operation done within a week or so instead of the couple of months wait at the regular hospital.

It was a cash only clinic, with an official policy of charging foreigners twice the regular rate. The doctor who told me that there, not the one I was seeing, was almost gloating as he told me that. I waited.

[Thongkorn]

You do not get free health care in the UK. The workers pay for it, Its called taxes, also foreign visitors can and do get the bill, if its not Eventual treatment. The NHS will not give drugs or any medication free, just because some tourist forgot his pills,

[endure]

"NHS treatment that is always free

In the UK, medical treatment for emergencies is always free. Certain other parts of medical care in Britain are always free to everyone. Treatment from certain NHS walk-in centres (which offer fast and convenient medical advice and care, and are located at various places around the country) is free when they are treating an emergency. Treatment for certain infectious diseases is also free, but this does not include HIV and AIDS, for which only diagnosis and connected counselling sessions are free for everyone. Family planning services and compulsory psychiatric treatment are universally free."

[egg]

Fact, within reason. Your ER room visits are free and I'm pretty sure they're free at government PCU clinics (Primary Care Unit).

But that's only for standard stuff. If you see specialists, there is a charge within the governmental system, but I don't know how much it is. Operations are not free either. But they tend to be deeply discounted from the usual farang price.

My understanding is that your spouse doesn't necessarily have to be a government worker, so long as you are registered in a tambien baan and have your own tambien baan. Being registered to a house is really the key - it opens up a lot of doors. You may find that with the yellow book alone, you qualify for basic Thai health care. It works for me.

Please realize that you will have to go to government hospitals. I go to the Srinagarind Hospital in KK, which is a teaching hospital annexed to the university there. The professors of medicine that treat you also work at the private hospital there. They get paid the same, since the government subsidizes the university hospital. So, why pay full bore for the international hospital when you can get the same level of treatment from those professors at both hospitals?

Thanks for that noahvail ,,, now for the dummy question ,,, what exactly is a tambien baan?? ,, l asked my wife ,, but she is a typical Thai teacher , ,,,, knows everything except the answers to my questions ,,, ,l am thinking it is something to do with house registration or being registered at a house ,,,, a close guess ????

cheers

egg

[johna]

Tambian Baan is the blue house registration book and shows the family names of those who live in that house, as a falang you will have a separate yellow book.

My wife works for government health care system and, I get free medical treatment because of that but, its not that great.

[egg]

Tambian Baan is the blue house registration book and shows the family names of those who live in that house, as a falang you will have a separate yellow book.

My wife works for government health care system and, I get free medical treatment because of that but, its not that great.

thanks johna ,,,, all of a sudden the wife knows what l am talking about now ,, amazing

cheers

egg

[hhgz]

At least one farang boasted that he received substantial medical treatment following a traffic accident, and then refused to pay the bill. That's one way of getting free medical care.