As An Expat Do You Have Health Insurance?

[yabaaaa]

Just curious how many do/don't bother, had an incident in one of our rooms (we own condos we rent out) where my Wife discovered an horrific scene,and we have dealt with this financially on behalf of the tenant as we dont yet know if they have any cover.

The person is in a serious condition unaware of what has happened to them and Id advise anyone who doesn't have cover to buy one less Chang and get some.

No comments necessary on the person involved being penniless they aren't its about whether you have cover or not.

I'd advise everyone to get some basic cover, you think it will never happen, this was a simple case of food poisoning that went very wrong and led to other very serious compications.

Im sure many people here have had some sort of food poisoning.

[Spoonman]

Yup, I have full Bupa coverage supplied by my employer.

[goldfinger]

sure, if you mean food like Singha, chang, leo, heineken, Johnny walker etc....

[samuibeachcomber]

Agree,important to have health cover here.Its only insurance against something happening,but you never know.

If you dont have cover,this is what can happen.

(1)get taken to a private hospital,who will not help you unless you can prove funds.

(2)land up in a public hospital,where you will still have to pay,but not so much as a private hospital,however most of these public hospitals do not have the facilities or funds to keep you alive.

(3) the only time you get lucky without cover is if you are able enough to fly out(hopefully you can afford the fare)to your home country.

(4)you should not rely on others to bail you out,as the costs can go on ad infinitum,thats why poor thais do not try and help their own relatives in public hospitals because they know its throwing good money after bad,money they will never see again,knowing the relative will probably not live anyway.

[yabaaaa]

sure, if you mean food like Singha, chang, leo, heineken, Johnny walker etc....

Yeah thats hilarious when other people have to pick up the pieces of whats left of you in a vegative state.

So far in the 3 days since this occurred costs are running at 70k which we have covered until a relative arrives.

Edited July 1, 2010 by yabaaaa

[mark45y]

Agree,important to have health cover here.Its only insurance against something happening,but you never know.

If you dont have cover,this is what can happen.

(1)get taken to a private hospital,who will not help you unless you can prove funds.

(2)land up in a public hospital,where you will still have to pay,but not so much as a private hospital,however most of these public hospitals do not have the facilities or funds to keep you alive.

(3) the only time you get lucky without cover is if you are able enough to fly out(hopefully you can afford the fare)to your home country.

(4)you should not rely on others to bail you out,as the costs can go on ad infinitum,thats why poor thais do not try and help their own relatives in public hospitals because they know its throwing good money after bad,money they will never see again,knowing the relative will probably not live anyway.

Went to public hospital. My appendix burst. Was there for 10 days. Total cost for operation and private room and follow up care including biopsy of appendix 38,000 baht.

I have also been to two other public hospitals for minor things stayed for a day or three. Cost less than 4000 baht for private room and tests.

With all due respect you are in error.

[citizen33]

Obviously it is desirable to have private insurance, but for many people the issue is more complicated than simply whether one can afford the premiums. At the moment I am covered by insurance through my employer when I visit Thailand. This appears to offer fairly comprehensve coverage, but of course it is not uncommon for insurers to refuse a claim on the basis of a pre-existing condition or failing to comply with some policy condition. Thus I think there is still a small element of risk sharing even if a policy is in place.

I had always thought that I would probably retire to Thailand, but now worry that health insurance is going to be one of the big problems as one gets older. A major pre-existing condition is going to rule you out, even if you were willing to pay a high premium. Beyond that a lot of insurers have an upper age limit for renewals. I know that certain insurers such as BUPA say that if you join their scheme by a certain age they will undertake to continue cover indefinitely. My employer doesn't use BUPA, and who knows how far this kind of arrangement will continue into the future. So I think there is more to this than unwillingness to forego the odd Chang and pay that nice friendly company.

Edited July 1, 2010 by citizen33

[dogleg]

No, I am acting as my own insurer. I don't need to let someone else profit using my money year after year.

It's a good thing you are doing. I hope it all works out.

With your user name you have little room to complain about other's sense of humour - (which you misunderstood I believe).

[yabaaaa]

Agree,important to have health cover here.Its only insurance against something happening,but you never know.

If you dont have cover,this is what can happen.

(1)get taken to a private hospital,who will not help you unless you can prove funds.

(2)land up in a public hospital,where you will still have to pay,but not so much as a private hospital,however most of these public hospitals do not have the facilities or funds to keep you alive.

(3) the only time you get lucky without cover is if you are able enough to fly out(hopefully you can afford the fare)to your home country.

(4)you should not rely on others to bail you out,as the costs can go on ad infinitum,thats why poor thais do not try and help their own relatives in public hospitals because they know its throwing good money after bad,money they will never see again,knowing the relative will probably not live anyway.

Went to public hospital. My appendix burst. Was there for 10 days. Total cost for operation and private room and follow up care including biopsy of appendix 38,000 baht.

I have also been to two other public hospitals for minor things stayed for a day or three. Cost less than 4000 baht for private room and tests.

With all due respect you are in error.

With all due respects YOU HAD FUNDS what happens if you didnt have them and it was 200000 baht?

[Jingthing]

Here is a poll covering the topic asked by the OP. It is still open for more voting.

[yabaaaa]

No, I am acting as my own insurer. I don't need to let someone else profit using my money year after year.

It's a good thing you are doing. I hope it all works out.

With your user name you have little room to complain about other's sense of humour - (which you misunderstood I believe).

I fully understood the sense of humour but its not so funny looking down on someone slumped on the floor covered in blood and faeces the walls covered in it too in places dried on and black having been stuck there 4-5 days semi/unconscious and almost dead, now with brain damage due to dehydration amongst other things etc

he will be needing long term care not a few hundred thousand baht to see him thru it. We should get a good reference of them though!! Theres the humour

[yabaaaa]

No, I am acting as my own insurer. I don't need to let someone else profit using my money year after year.

It's a good thing you are doing. I hope it all works out.

With your user name you have little room to complain about other's sense of humour - (which you misunderstood I believe).

Whether its insurance or money put aside is ok I DONT have any insurance but I am not permanently there and take out travel insurance when I am + we have enoguh money incase anything happens.

This started off as food poisoning and quickly escalated, most people probably envisage heart attack scenario etc etc

It has also put a lot of responsibiltiy onto us but I know this person quite well and they are certainly not broke and I had no hesitation in covering all their costs...............others might not be so lucky with no cover or funds.

[fiddlehead]

I have a hard time trusting insurance companies.

Had one screw me over in the states back in 1984 or 85.

Haven't had insurance since.

Had an emergency operation 2 years ago here and was in the hospital about a week.

It cost me 100k baht and I realize it's more expensive now but, I hate the fine print part and never can trust them again.

Let's see 25 years for 100k baht? I guess I'm on the positive side so far.

Of course, I stay healthy by running and trying to eat good and don't over-indulgence on the libations.

[jazzbo]

"No, I am acting as my own insurer." No -- it just means you have no insurance. "Self-insurance" implies that you cover all expenses up to a certain amount; then you buy 'catastrophic coverage' (maybe through Lloyd's) for anything beyond that. While somone can say 'I saved 100K baht per year times x years" you would never have had those funds all at one time which might be required even in Thailand

[Lammbock]

I have full coverage but not for Eyes and Tooth. Private health insurance from based in Hong Kong with Thai subdealer.

[JUDAS]

I have a 5M Baht policy with Thaivisa Insurance which I just renewed a couple of days ago. Actually spent nine years here without any cover but the more I thought about it the more sense it made. In a strange way the policy isn't really for my benefit ,but for my wife and childrens financial well being.

[TerryLH]

Thai Social Security health coverage.

I agree with Mark45y about government hospitals. I've had very good care with several of them.

[draggons]

Yes.Had to use it a couple of times due to accidents and am quite happy to pay for the cover. Have a mate bit down on his luck just now, likes his beer (a lot), mid fifty's, no cover for anything, no family to fall back on either. Unlike Yabaaaa's mate if anything happened to this guy he'd be well f****d.

[samuibeachcomber]

Mark45y,happy you got good treatment at a public hospital,would you care to name them,might be important for other would be users.My experience has been the opposite of yours.

[hawthorne]

Mark45y,happy you got good treatment at a public hospital,would you care to name them,might be important for other would be users.My experience has been the opposite of yours.

Absolutely not all public hospitals are not the same. Go visit a hospital away from BKK. Many patients are held outside in beds. Roofs leak and never get repaired. The hosptials have a hard time staying within budget. I have discussed the issues with medical staff and they say the fun are so short that medicines rationed. Presently some hospitals are not paying over time until later in the month because of cash problems. Medical staff becoming more disgruntled and the patient care will suffer in the long run. A lot of times it depends on the Directory to how well the money is managed but everyone knows about embezzment and the pressures that are placed on higher ups at any gov institution. These people take money to make up for a low salary some times.

Everyones health care becomes threatened that is admitted to one of these institutions.

Insurance is just that, INSURANACE.

[doggie888888]

Yes I have health insurance...would not dream of living here or anywhere outside my home country without it.  Whilst I was fortunate that I am able to afford it, I am aware every year the premiums increases and in my case (Interglobal) it went up substantially when I hit 45yo and I think another hike when I hit 50yo.  I dread what it will be when I hit 70 !!!!  Maybe time to move home when the time comes but there may not even be free heatlh in future.

[Sheryl]

In my years moderating this board I have seen many horrendous situations result from people living here without insurance.

Government hospitals are less expensive than private by far, and provided it is at least provincial level facility the care is OK. But they still costs and I have seen expats run up bills in the many millions of baht at them (ICU care). So insurance still essential. And there are some areas in which quality of care at government hospitals, even at the best ones, is seriously deficient, e.g. terminal or custodial care for incurably ill people or people with severe brain damage etc. Insufficient staff, too many people, makes for a grim picture on those wards. Acute care OK as long as one avoids the sub-provincial level.

Either way, insurance is a must. I could write a book of horror stories that resulted from expats not taking this precaution. Horrorible for them and for their relatives, friends etc.

[villagefarang]

I guess I'm one of that statistical group that the insurance companies hate but desperately want to sign up. They need a large number of people paying in who never take out. That is the only way they can stay rich and still pay for the unhealthy people who are bleeding them dry. I would rather pay my own expenses, than to pay someone else's. Selfish perhaps, but there it is. That said I have self medicated for the past 35 years here in Thailand and have only visited others in the hospital. It may not work for you but it works for me.

[sunjunkie56]

If you in your Sixties or thereabout forget its not just for Thailand, allover the world your a high risk and looked at like an old vehicle who will blow up at anytime. OK you can get coverage but unless your Donald Trump Its very hard. If anybody knows a reasonable coverage please post here>

[ozzieovaseas]

Good post OP, ive often wondered about the issue.

The answer for me is a big N-O

IMO these barstards are the worst of the worst,love taking your cash for what is essentially money for nothing..then when it comes to paying out..FORGET IT..they'll make you jump over hoops until the stress is to much and you either have to forget about the claim or suffer a nervous breakdown

The only insurance i've ever had is on my real estate, if any other case if misfortune becomes me, and IF its my fault, THEN i will deal with the repurcussions.Its worked for me thus far

I also bypass on the scam that is travel insurance, i surmise if you read all the fine print, they will have a small window to escape paying out in nearly every situation

Its especially useless in Thailand where they can easily negate any claim because of political instability

Insurance=burning cash

[citizen33]

I thought Sheryl was pretty much spot on regarding public hospitals. For those who don't know the system, 'provincial hospital or above' means the provincial hospital that exists in each province, plus certain tertiary care (usually regional) or university teaching hospitals. Some of the military hospitals are also good. What you don't want, if you have a serious condition, is a district hospital, also sometimes called a community hospital. Actually some of the worst horror stories I've heard are about small private hospitals in the provinces. Do not assume that, outside Bangkok, private hospitals are better equipped than private ones. For example, if you took CAT or MRI scanners as an index of technology, you'd find that almost all those in Isaan are in the public sector. The doctors in a teaching hospital such as Srinakarin in Khon Kaen will in many cases be the same ones that you would encounter a much greater cost in the private KK Ram Hospital. One of the things I have noticed about the forum is that with a heavy US presence there is a presumption that private is always best: this could be a dangerous misconception if you live somewhere like Kalasin or Surin.

Edited July 2, 2010 by citizen33

[gregb]

The person is in a serious condition unaware of what has happened to them and Id advise anyone who doesn't have cover to buy one less Chang and get some.

Is the OP serious? Please tell me any health insurance I can purchase for 32 baht and I'll be the first one in line.

Here is a news flash. Health insurance in Thailand is EXPENSIVE! Too expensive. I used to be covered by social security but not since I lost my job a year ago. I didn't know you could buy into the social security personally after being laid off and now it is too late, so I am simply SOL.

There is no affordable health insurance for expats in Thailand that I am aware of. I would happily pay 400 baht per month to join something as comprehensive as the social security program if anyone knows an option for that. But these people who talk about premiums of 10,000 baht a year for minimal coverage are not living in reality.

Until somebody comes up with a package that is affordable, it is cash for me at government hospitals. No choice. Luckily I have yet to actually need a hospital in my 10 years of living in the LOS. Just have to hope that trend continues until I can get a new job (hopefully next year if my plan works) and rejoin the social security system.

[yabaaaa]

Good post OP, ive often wondered about the issue.

The answer for me is a big N-O

IMO these barstards are the worst of the worst,love taking your cash for what is essentially money for nothing..then when it comes to paying out..FORGET IT..they'll make you jump over hoops until the stress is to much and you either have to forget about the claim or suffer a nervous breakdown

The only insurance i've ever had is on my real estate, if any other case if misfortune becomes me, and IF its my fault, THEN i will deal with the repurcussions.Its worked for me thus far

I also bypass on the scam that is travel insurance, i surmise if you read all the fine print, they will have a small window to escape paying out in nearly every situation

Its especially useless in Thailand where they can easily negate any claim because of political instability

Insurance=burning cash

I think the thing I was trying to bring to peoples attention was at the very least put away a few hundred thousand for an emergency, such as the one I described.

A simple enough upset stomach that will be changing this persons life forever.

[mark45y]

Mark45y,happy you got good treatment at a public hospital,would you care to name them,might be important for other would be users.My experience has been the opposite of yours.

I didn't say it was good treatment but it was adequate.

I had good treatment at Chiang Mai Ram. Adequate treatment in public hospitals in Rayong, Maptaphut and Sattahip.

[richard10365]

I have insurance with Payap University and from my military retirement benefits. When I got my appendix out last year the total cost was 28,000 baht. Payap paid a portion, the army paid the most, and I paid about 4000 baht. Without that military part of the coverage, I would be in a lot of trouble myself.