Free Treatment In Thailand, But Where Is The Medical Staff?

[ginjag]

My understand was the 30-baht fee was done away with because it cost a lot more than 30-baht to collect, record and account for each 30-baht collection. In other words it was significantly cheaper for the government to have no fee instead of a minuscule 30-baht fee.

Hi Nisa, some areas charge and some do not, seems to be up to the local town, as in our one, not sure if it's the Counties decision, or the town. But as posters have stated in some areas they charge the said 30 bht.

I pay a doctors fee of 50 bht. then pay the pharmacy for any medication. When I attended years ago they gave me a card for reference so attending I produce this, but first my weight is taken-and blood pressure. This is at a town Hospital.

[Nisa]

My understand was the 30-baht fee was done away with because it cost a lot more than 30-baht to collect, record and account for each 30-baht collection. In other words it was significantly cheaper for the government to have no fee instead of a minuscule 30-baht fee.

Hi Nisa, some areas charge and some do not, seems to be up to the local town, as in our one, not sure if it's the Counties decision, or the town. But as posters have stated in some areas they charge the said 30 bht.

I pay a doctors fee of 50 bht. then pay the pharmacy for any medication. When I attended years ago they gave me a card for reference so attending I produce this, but first my weight is taken-and blood pressure. This is at a town Hospital.

How do you qualify for the free (or 30/50 baht) program not being Thai? Somebody told me you just need be listed on a house registration to qualify. If this is true, what types of Visa's allow you to get on a house registration ... assuming you aren't part owner? I have a Thai wife and have always been curious if I could somehow qualify for this. Most US insurances will reimburse you for treatment overseas but not pay the hospital directly. This has always been a concern of mine if a major medical issue comes up. I know there are some fairly cheap insurance programs offered here but most have caps on what they will pay. Bottom line would be good to have some back-up.

[arthurwait]

Well at least the hospitals have got their priorities right. 40 sleeping security guards and 10 car park attendents with whistles that have never driven a car telling you how to park. Good ways to keep costs down.

[citizen33]

My understand was the 30-baht fee was done away with because it cost a lot more than 30-baht to collect, record and account for each 30-baht collection. In other words it was significantly cheaper for the government to have no fee instead of a minuscule 30-baht fee.

Hi Nisa, some areas charge and some do not, seems to be up to the local town, as in our one, not sure if it's the Counties decision, or the town. But as posters have stated in some areas they charge the said 30 bht.

I pay a doctors fee of 50 bht. then pay the pharmacy for any medication. When I attended years ago they gave me a card for reference so attending I produce this, but first my weight is taken-and blood pressure. This is at a town Hospital.

Anybody can register with a hospital as a patient and receive a small printed card, but this is not the same as registering for the UCS. To the best of my knowledge a person's name needs to be in a blue house registration book to get a gold card (for the UC scheme), and to be entered in a blue book you need in theory to have permanent residency or citizenship.

I have to repeat that no hospital should be charging 30 baht for UCS patients. Of course, we all know that in Thailand one cannot always assume that the rules will be followed. If anybody would care to post the full details of the hospitals charging 30 baht (i.e. the correct name and location - Chiang Mai has been mentioned), then I will check this out next month (when I will be in Northern Region). This cannot be a 'county' decision because the public hospitals are administered by the Ministry of Public Health and not local government (the tambon health promotion hospitals which are under local government could be an exception but there aren't too many of these). Any local policy on charging in the provincial or district hospitals would have to come from the Provincial Health Office, the Regional NHSO office, or more likely the hospital director. The idea that such a policy would come from the PHO or NHSO region seems implausible.

P.S.

Anybody wanting to remind themselves of the reasons for ending the co-payment can find it here (written by people who know):

http://ihppthaigov.net/publication/attachresearch/214/chapter1.pdf

This is the relevant bit.

"3.2 Termination of 30 Baht Copayment in UCS

In 2002, the National Health Security Act was enacted following the Universal Coverage Policy or 30 baht for all disease policy of the Thai Rak Thai (TRT) led coalition Governments. Although the official name is the Universal Coverage Scheme, the TRT still called it 30 Baht Scheme and used it as one of political propaganda. The 30 Baht came from amount of copayment of the UC Scheme.

Actually, there were 2 categories of beneficiaries. Beneficiaries, who were members of previous medical assistance scheme, were not liable for 30 Baht copayment. However, the previous member of the health card scheme and those previously uninsured had to pay 30 Baht per visit for their health service except prevention services.

In 2006, the Minister of Public Health decided to abolish 30 Baht copayment from the Scheme for political reasons. It was believed to dissociate the UC scheme banner with Thai Rak Thai Party. There were debates within the National Health Security Board (National Health Security Office 2006) during that period. Issue was discussed on the potential moral hazard from the patients when terminating the copayment. However, there were no concrete evidences of moral hazard. In addition, total revenues generated from the copayment were only around 2 billion Baht per annum, cost of administration and collecting revenue can be substantial. It should be noted that more than half of the beneficiaries who were previously covered by the Medical Welfare Scheme [free care for the low income households] were exempted from copayment. Finally, in November 2006 the National Health Security Board approved the proposal to terminate the copayment and asked for additional budget to compensate the lost from this policy, a one-off compensation."

National Health Security Office (2006) 14/2549 (2006) National Health Security Board Meeting. 30 October 2006, Nonthaburi.

Edited June 19, 2011 by citizen33

[ginjag]

My understand was the 30-baht fee was done away with because it cost a lot more than 30-baht to collect, record and account for each 30-baht collection. In other words it was significantly cheaper for the government to have no fee instead of a minuscule 30-baht fee.

Hi Nisa, some areas charge and some do not, seems to be up to the local town, as in our one, not sure if it's the Counties decision, or the town. But as posters have stated in some areas they charge the said 30 bht.

I pay a doctors fee of 50 bht. then pay the pharmacy for any medication. When I attended years ago they gave me a card for reference so attending I produce this, but first my weight is taken-and blood pressure. This is at a town Hospital.

How do you qualify for the free (or 30/50 baht) program not being Thai? Somebody told me you just need be listed on a house registration to qualify. If this is true, what types of Visa's allow you to get on a house registration ... assuming you aren't part owner? I have a Thai wife and have always been curious if I could somehow qualify for this. Most US insurances will reimburse you for treatment overseas but not pay the hospital directly. This has always been a concern of mine if a major medical issue comes up. I know there are some fairly cheap insurance programs offered here but most have caps on what they will pay. Bottom line would be good to have some back-up.

I'll try to help on what I experience here,

Locally they treat me for very little as I'm not usually a regular attender. unlike Thai nationals free care, I pay a local doctor fee, and for pharmacy medication, if in one month I attend, I would pay for pain relief types of medication, angina pills, and the bill would be about 500 bht. so as some people would think I am a liability but my 6000 bht per year is better to the health service than me not going.

I don't think I actually qualify for anything, being a very long term person here and my help in the local community, would maybe help. I pay what the hospital ask from me.

In the middle of a city could be different as all people are swallowed up in the numbers. In small communities with help here and there individuals maybe are helped along.

I will add that what I pay would be the amount I would pay in a private town pharmacy, so I'm quite happy to give to the government system.

I do not qualify for operations and the like naturally. A cat/ 0 visa 1 year with the condo deeds enables a person to buy a car/m/cycle. gives you a blue house book-and green for your m/cycle. I have never had to produce these for pharmacy goods.