Gold Card (Health)

[nong38]

In an article in the B Post about foreigners not paying their hospital bills there were several replies in the postbag refering to the topic. One reply mentioned a "GOLD CARD" which he had had for a number of years, I got the impression is was like a health card that was available to thais and likely linked to property but I am not sure, can anyone throw any light on the "GOLD CARD" who in entitled to one and how you get one and what benefits does it provide?

Thanks for any forthcoming information.

[craigt3365]

How about we move this over to the Health forum?

Topic Moved.

[gregb]

First, you need to be listed on a house registration. In my experience, this means permanent residency and being on a blue house book. However, some people have reported that certain places will accept a yellow house book as well. I can not vouch for this, but with a blue one and PR it is guaranteed.

Simply go into your nearest government hospital (one near to where you are registered) ask at the information desk, and they will point you to the proper queue to apply. Bring your original house book showing your name as a Thai resident. It will take about a month to process your application.

[citizen33]

First, you need to be listed on a house registration. In my experience, this means permanent residency and being on a blue house book. However, some people have reported that certain places will accept a yellow house book as well. I can not vouch for this, but with a blue one and PR it is guaranteed.

Simply go into your nearest government hospital (one near to where you are registered) ask at the information desk, and they will point you to the proper queue to apply. Bring your original house book showing your name as a Thai resident. It will take about a month to process your application.

Above is my understanding too. Not feasible for most expats, but out of interest here are details of the scheme and benefits package.

http://www.nhso.go.th/eng/index_main.jsp#

It is probably slightly less attractive than the Social Security Scheme, but there are moves to 'harmonise' the Thai public insurance schemes. This one was previously known as the 30 baht scheme and is now termed the UCS.

Edited January 24, 2011 by citizen33

[nong38]

Thanks for the extra information, so I am guessing that if I and the G/F got a house she would get gold card, but whether I would would depend on how the local application recievers wanted to view this? I should not hold breath then>

[lopburi3]

Am not sure that card is still required as believe the new system allows use of ID card for Thai. But do not believe you have to own anything - just be listed on a home register as all Thai have to be.

[sinbin]

If you have the Yellow Book you should automatically get a Thai medical card. This will give you access to free treatment and medicines in a government hospital in the area to where you live. The same rights as a Thai.

[Yaaklenmai]

I don't know anything about the "Gold Card" but, only last week I needed a lump removing from the ball of my foot and the local (free) hospital, in Udon Thani, were more than happy to accommodate me, upon production of my passport.

What I could not understand, though, was why they were insistent upon knowing the names of my parents, as they are both dead.

But insist they did!

Since then I have been going to the local clinic, on a daily basis, where they clean the wound and change the dressing.

Thais, apparently, get this service free - they are charging me 30THB a visit.

(joke)

Edited January 26, 2011 by Yaaklenmai

[citizen33]

I don't know anything about the "Gold Card" but, only last week I needed a lump removing from the ball of my foot and the local (free) hospital, in Udon Thani, were more than happy to accommodate me, upon production of my passport.

What I could not understand, though, was why they were insistent upon knowing the names of my parents, as they are both dead.

But insist they did!

Since then I have been going to the local clinic, on a daily basis, where they clean the wound and change the dressing.

Thais, apparently, get this service free - they are charging me 30THB a visit.

(joke)

Interesting price - they charged you the same as Thais used to pay before the 30 baht co-payment was dropped. The district hospitals and health centres tend to be reasonable but for serious conditions the provincial public hospital will be a safer option. It is all getting quite complicated now with several types of local unit/clinic in the public system, including the old-style health centre (sa-tan-ee a-na-mai), the PCU, the local medical unit and now the tambon health promotion hospital.

Edited January 27, 2011 by citizen33

[hbullinger]

There was a readers letter in the Bangkok Post from George Morgan, who wrote about the so-called Gold Card and wondered why foreign retirees had not applied for Thai Universal Health Care Gold Cards. He is telling us that he has been a member of tha scheme since it's introduction in 2001. He explains that it was then called the 30 baht scheme, including anyone in a "house registration book".

He went on to say:

"Although it used to be difficult for foreigners to obtain house registration books without permanent residence, the Civil Registration Act of 2008 requires district offices to register all persons living in their districts in house registration books, regardless of nationality or length of or type of visa. the only exceptions are illegal immigrants and foreigners on tourist or transit visas.

Those on retirement visas, whether rightly or wrongly, clearly qualify for both the house registration book and the gold card."

Mr Morgan's letter leaves a lot of questions open.

Does anyone know about such a scheme and whether foreign retirees can indeed receive medical traetment under a Thai healthcare scheme. and if so, how and where do you apply for registration. Also, what exactly is a "house registration book". Does a foreigenr who lives in a rented accommodation, say on an annual lease contract qualify for registration in a house registration book, or is he even required to register?

As the healthcare for foreign retirees is becoming an ever increasing problem, I would be grateful if someone could provide some clarification on this issue.

Horst Bullinger

[hbullinger]

In his letter in the Bangkok Post, George Morgan wrote about the so-called Gold Card and wondered why foreign retirees had not applied for Thai Universal Health Care Gold Cards. He is telling us that he has been a member of tha scheme since it's introduction in 2001. He explains that it was then called the 30 baht scheme, including anyone in a "house registration book".

He went on to say:

"Although it used to be difficult for foreigners to obtain house registration books without permanent residence, the Civil Registration Act of 2008 requires district offices to register all persons living in their districts in house registration books, regardless of nationality or length of or type of visa. the only exceptions are illegal immigrants and foreigners on tourist or transit visas.

Those on retirement visas, whether rightly or wrongly, clearly qualify for both the house registration book and the gold card."

Mr Morgan's letter leaves a lot of questions open.

Does anyone know about such a scheme and whether foreign retirees can indeed receive medical traetment under a Thai healthcare scheme. and if so, how and where do you apply for registration. Also, what exactly is a "house registration book". Does a foreigenr who lives in a rented accommodation, say on an annual lease contract as in my case since 2008, qualify for registration in a house registration book, or is he even required to register?

What exactly does "permnent residence" mean and how do you have it certified and by whom?

If you qualify for the house registration book, who is actually issung the Gold Card?

As the healthcare for foreign retirees is becoming an ever increasing problem, I would be grateful if someone could provide some clarification on this issue.

Strictly speaking, the embassies should advice their nationals living in Thailand on issues like this. I shall try to find out what my embassy knows about it.

I just wonder whether we are we discussing here a lot of wishful thinking?

[7by7]

Moved to Health Body and Medicine

[Sheryl]

In this forum http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/forum/1-thai-visas-residency-and-work-permits/

you will find information on what permanent residency is/how to get it, what a tabieen ban (house registration) is etc. Some of this you will find in the pinned notices, some by doing a search, and there is a current thread running on the subject of "yellow" house registration books which are specific for foreigners (normal Thai one is blue, often refrred to as the "blue book"). .

Unfortunately information on whether or not foreigners can only get a yellow tabien bann and whther being in one (or in a blue tabien baan -- the kind Thais have -- if that is possible) does or does not entitle one to coverage under the Universal health Scheme.

I am consulting with other Moderators to try to get clarity on that.

In the meantime suggest you start reading up on permeanent residency and hosue registration in general in that forum. I'll update on implications for helath care eligibility later when I have some more definitive information.

[FBN]

Similar topics merged to keep relevant information in the same thread..

[rocky123]

Is it true if you own a house (company) and your name is on the book/chinut you can claim a "gold card" that gives you free medical care here ? If so how. Thanks.

[Sheryl]

Again, merged similiar topics

After consultation with other Moderators it seems as far as any of us know, "Gold Card" (enrollment in the Thai Universal Helath Care scheme) is available to foreigners only if they have a work permit (in which case they are paying Thai taxes) or permanent residency. Altho as you will see here, some people report getting one without either, probably because the officials in their locality did not know any better.

[nakhonsawan]

I'm so sorry ... I got this golden card, but I never got hold of what laws say why are I now entitled. Okay I got it, so I should indeed be happy, butI can not find a legal text which justify this.

Is there anyone here who can tell about this... The official thing

[Arkady]

Again, merged similiar topics

After consultation with other Moderators it seems as far as any of us know, "Gold Card" (enrollment in the Thai Universal Helath Care scheme) is available to foreigners only if they have a work permit (in which case they are paying Thai taxes) or permanent residency. Altho as you will see here, some people report getting one without either, probably because the officials in their locality did not know any better.

Very hard to find out what the actual rules are and, as you say, some local district offices seem to have been over generous in giving out gold cards to retirees who don't have PR. I am not even sure if PRs are still entitled to them now but, if you have one that was issued properly in accordance with the rules at the time, you are probably grandfathered in. I think the work permit angle is wrong though. Every one who is legally working in Thailand is required to be a member of the NHSO scheme, unless they are directors of the company they work for, in which case they are curiously not entitled to be NHSO members. Members of the NHSO scheme are not entitled to use gold cards and this has caused a lot of resentment amongst Thais in the NHSO scheme which is now drastically underfunded, whereas the funding of gold card system has recently been boosted from the central budget which means that drugs and treatments not available to workers under the NHSO are available to the unemployed and self employed under the gold card scheme. Some Thais have deliberately quit their jobs to obtain expensive treatment for ailments such as AIDS under the gold card. Thus, since most foreigners on work permits are not directors of their companies, it is unlikely that having work permits would be used as a criterion for issuing gold cards to people who for the most part would not legally be permitted to use them.

[TerryLH]

"Every one who is legally working in Thailand is required to be a member of the NHSO scheme, unless they are directors of the company they work for, in which case they are curiously not entitled to be NHSO members."

NHSO? Are you talking about the Social Security system?

If so, you information is not entirely correct. Not everyone is required to be in the system.

As a matter of fact, some, including your examples, are not allowed to be in the system. One example that comes to mind are teachers at private schools. They were kicked out of the system several years ago.

If you are in fact talking about the National Health scheme, and not Social Security, I think you are still mistaken. I believe people working legally with Civil Service coverage or Social Security coverage are not eligible, thus not required, to be in that system.

Wasn't the intent of the 30 Baht system, now called the National Health system, to cover (poor people) people who aren't working?

Health coverage for many of us is an important matter. Too bad a lot of the information is not easier to come by.

Terry

Edited April 14, 2011 by TerryLH