Thai Govt Renews Bt30 Health Scheme

[webfact]

Govt renews Bt30 health scheme

By The Nation

To symbolically renew the populist Bt30 universal heathcare scheme, Bt30 will be collected from those benefiting from it starting from midOctober, Public Health Minister Witthaya Buranasiri said yesterday.

People granted with exemption of fee will still enjoy their rights, such as old and disabled people or children under 12, he said.

He said the National Health Security Office, who regulates the scheme now adopted as a national healthcare service, would decide later what benefits people would get from paying Bt30.

The recollection of Bt30 is seen rather as a ploy to discredit the Democrat Party, which stopped collecting the fee when it took power.

The Bt30 universal heathcare scheme was initiated by fugitive prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who is the defactor leader of Pheu Thai Party which heads the current government and an archrival to the Democrats.

-- The Nation 2011-09-24

[Roadman]

The very first thought is childish. Would expect from 5 year olds but from a government pledging election promises to assist the poor - incredibily childish.

[Ricardo]

So the new government, as part of its promised drive to reduce the cost-of-living for the poor, reintroduces a 30-Baht fee which the Dems had eliminated, and hope this will serve "as a ploy to discredit the Democrat Party", how exactly ?

Perhaps PTP should have doubled the fee, and discredited the Dems even more, Amazing Thailand !

[PoorSucker]

The reason they took away the 30 baht fee was because it costs 50 baht in administration to collect 30 baht.

Lots of bureaucrats lost their jobs.

Revenge of the bureaucrats.

[jimbeam1]

The reason they took away the 30 baht fee was because it costs 50 baht in administration to collect 30 baht.

Lots of bureaucrats lost their jobs.

Revenge of the bureaucrats.

That I can believe.

Must say though it is good of the government to pay 50bt whilst the people only have to pay 30br.

jb1

Edited September 24, 2011 by jimbeam1

[whybother]

The recollection of Bt30 is seen rather as a ploy to discredit the Democrat Party, which stopped collecting the fee when it took power.

I thought it was the junta government that stopped the collections.

The scheme was later abolished by the military junta-appointed government which made the universal health care scheme free.

[patjem]

The reason they took away the 30 baht fee was because it costs 50 baht in administration to collect 30 baht.

Lots of bureaucrats lost their jobs.

Revenge of the bureaucrats.

That I can believe.

Must say though it is good of the government to pay 50bt whilst the people only have to pay 30br.

jb1

More like lots of beurocrats lost their kick-backs. Scrapping the 30 THB charge saved patients 30 and the government 50 per appointment. That's 80THB a time that was propping up an unnecessary administration system, now re-installed.

Amazing PTP!

[DP25]

So the new government, as part of its promised drive to reduce the cost-of-living for the poor, reintroduces a 30-Baht fee which the Dems had eliminated, and hope this will serve "as a ploy to discredit the Democrat Party", how exactly ?

Perhaps PTP should have doubled the fee, and discredited the Dems even more, Amazing Thailand !

The 30 baht health care plan is associated with Thaksin in their propoganda, so they don't want to allow the Democrats credit for making health care free. So they will say that the free program doesn't work, and that the 30 baht fee is vital funding that is required for the plan to function, even if in reality collecting it wastes money. The Democrats eliminated Thaksin's 30 baht health care because they are the elite and hate poor people, PTP brought it back because Thaksin loves the poor and is the enemy of the elite.

[hammered]

PR. Reintroducing the 30 baht health care plan. ie implication it was scrapped and there was nothing that replaced it, which is actually what a fair few think thanks to the inept PR of the last regime.

Another subtle psychological aim is that people even poor people can be proud they can pay for their health care and dont have to take free handouts from the establishment they dislike.

TRT/PPP/PTP are excellent at PR. What is surprising is that their opponents either havent learned these lessons or are incapable of adjustng to them

[Siripon]

PR. Reintroducing the 30 baht health care plan. ie implication it was scrapped and there was nothing that replaced it, which is actually what a fair few think thanks to the inept PR of the last regime.

Another subtle psychological aim is that people even poor people can be proud they can pay for their health care and dont have to take free handouts from the establishment they dislike.

TRT/PPP/PTP are excellent at PR. What is surprising is that their opponents either havent learned these lessons or are incapable of adjustng to them

Pheua Thai are not too good at PR in the Health Ministry, at the first meeting, the Minister, Mr Witthaya, told all the press to leave, an unprecented move, usually The Ministry of Health likes to use the press to publicise its csmpaigns.

The joke was he threw them out because he had nothing of substance to say, and this latest move confirms that- an absurd gesture that makes absolutely no sense financially and will only irk the poor.

[OzMick]

PR. Reintroducing the 30 baht health care plan. ie implication it was scrapped and there was nothing that replaced it, which is actually what a fair few think thanks to the inept PR of the last regime.

Another subtle psychological aim is that people even poor people can be proud they can pay for their health care and dont have to take free handouts from the establishment they dislike.

TRT/PPP/PTP are excellent at PR. What is surprising is that their opponents either havent learned these lessons or are incapable of adjustng to them

Why would people think that the health care system had been abolished when it was actually made free? Democrat's inept PR you say? I say Thaksin's red propaganda machine telling deliberate lies, like that the old age payment is a gift from him personally.

Poor people learn to swalllow their pride when it comes to paying out money that they can ill-afford to part with. Why would the dislike paying the establishment - it's just another gift from Thaksin remember?

[Ricardo]

The recollection of Bt30 is seen rather as a ploy to discredit the Democrat Party, which stopped collecting the fee when it took power.

I thought it was the junta government that stopped the collections.

The scheme was later abolished by the military junta-appointed government which made the universal health care scheme free.

Perhaps PTP would rather discredit the Dems, who seem to be rather electorally-challenged when it comes to having to beat them, instead of discrediting the military, who can remove them from office anytime they like ?

Whatever, making it free was a good thing, re-imposing the charge isn't, especially if it does cost more to collect that it raises ! Let's hope the poor voters notice, this time round, and remember at the next election.

[rubl]

PR. Reintroducing the 30 baht health care plan. ie implication it was scrapped and there was nothing that replaced it, which is actually what a fair few think thanks to the inept PR of the last regime.

Another subtle psychological aim is that people even poor people can be proud they can pay for their health care and dont have to take free handouts from the establishment they dislike.

TRT/PPP/PTP are excellent at PR. What is surprising is that their opponents either havent learned these lessons or are incapable of adjustng to them

Translation: TRT/PPP/PTP (Thaksin thinks, Party acts) is much better at propaganda and lying than the Democrats. The UDD leader pack with its militants is another prime example.

The lesson here is not adjustment to lying and cheating, but to make it more difficult to do so.

[Jaykiss]

Can permanent residents also avail of the 30 bht scheme?

[sabaijai]

Can permanent residents also avail of the 30 bht scheme?

Yes. So can anyone with a non-immigrant visa residing in Thailand, ie working, retired, married, etc.

[Galong]

Can permanent residents also avail of the 30 bht scheme?

I have a rare lung disease and have been blessed to get medical care here, which is unavailable in my homeland as many of my fellow countrymen would prefer that I die. Anyway, I have a work permit and pay social security here and as such I can get free (or 30 Baht) medical care. I would be happy to pay 60 Baht so that the government actually makes 10 Baht off of me instead of going in the hole by 20 Baht.

[RogueExpat]

So the new government, as part of its promised drive to reduce the cost-of-living for the poor, reintroduces a 30-Baht fee which the Dems had eliminated, and hope this will serve "as a ploy to discredit the Democrat Party", how exactly ?

Perhaps PTP should have doubled the fee, and discredited the Dems even more, Amazing Thailand !

No - to really discredit the Dems, the current Administration should institute a policy to pay people 30B to go to the hospital.

[Siripon]

This thread is about the reintroduction of the payment of 30 baht on the free health scheme.

I'm sure there'll be plenty of threads within a month about Ratchraprasong when the committee completes its findings.

[TerryLH]

"Can permanent residents also avail of the 30 bht scheme?"

Sabaijai answered:

"Yes.

So can anyone with a non-immigrant visa residing in Thailand, ie working, retired, married, etc."

Not sure if permanent residents can or not, but the others mentioned in the above answer cannot.

It would make a lot of people happy if it were so, but it isn't.

"I have a work permit and pay social security here and as such I can get free (or 30 Baht) medical care."

No, you cannot. The Social Security program is a different system. It is for people that work, or for those who stayed in the program via private payments after becoming ineligible through work.

Edited September 26, 2011 by TerryLH

[craigt3365]

A few off topic comments have been removed. Please keep to the topic and not fighting about politics...hard as that may be. :jap: :jap: :jap:

[Semper]

Can permanent residents also avail of the 30 bht scheme?

Yes. So can anyone with a non-immigrant visa residing in Thailand, ie working, retired, married, etc.

So you are saying that everyone with a 1year extension (retirement) can get this? What paperworks should one show to the hospital ?

[rogerdee123]

Well it's only a matter of time ....

The "Thai Elite Card" will be revived next.

[animatic]

Soooo,,,,......

they are repealing 'FREE HEALTH CARE',and re-instating 30 Baht Health Care?

Oh wait they didn't invent 'FREE HEALTH CARE',

so better go back to what Thaksin inaugurated.

Never a dull moment watching these guys.

[scorecard]

"Can permanent residents also avail of the 30 bht scheme?"

Sabaijai answered:

"Yes.

So can anyone with a non-immigrant visa residing in Thailand, ie working, retired, married, etc."

Not sure if permanent residents can or not, but the others mentioned in the above answer cannot.

It would make a lot of people happy if it were so, but it isn't.

"I have a work permit and pay social security here and as such I can get free (or 30 Baht) medical care."

No, you cannot. The Social Security program is a different system. It is for people that work, or for those who stayed in the program via private payments after becoming ineligible through work.

There's another complication. Many who have a one year 'retirement visa' and others who have a 'work permit', often use the term 'permanent resident'.

There is also the official status of 'permanent resident' which really means permanent resident, no further requirement for yearly visas etc., but of course difficult to obtain and the fees (one time only) are very expensive. For purposes here I'll call it 'full PR"

So does any TV member have any knowledge of the eligibility for the 30BAht card or the social security card for full PR folks, please?

[ginjag]

Can permanent residents also avail of the 30 bht scheme?

Yes. So can anyone with a non-immigrant visa residing in Thailand, ie working, retired, married, etc.

Again I am stupid, been here 31 years... non Im-cat 0 visa and I am entitled to the 30 bht scheme????

Is jaykiss correct ???

I was at the town hospital today x ray-injection-pills, heart-antibiotics-pain killers-300 bht, and good service. I asked the pay desk before returning to pharmacy, re-the 30 bht scheme when they pay will the cost to process be double, she said we process all patients free or not free, so why would it cost more to collect 30 bht.

[hellodolly]

Can permanent residents also avail of the 30 bht scheme?

I have a rare lung disease and have been blessed to get medical care here, which is unavailable in my homeland as many of my fellow countrymen would prefer that I die. Anyway, I have a work permit and pay social security here and as such I can get free (or 30 Baht) medical care. I would be happy to pay 60 Baht so that the government actually makes 10 Baht off of me instead of going in the hole by 20 Baht.

Maybe I am missing the boat here but I do not believe the 30 baht comes close to what the government has to pay for the whole process. Doctors do not work that cheap and if they did would you want to use them?

[MaiChai]

So what is the point? Free healthcare now becomes 30 baht? Why symbolic and for who?

I know folks up country and they are asking why they are not being helped when voted in the government who are supposed to help the poor? Especially with all the floods.

[MAJIC]

Would someone please explain to me,what exactly does the 30Baht card entitle the Patient to? for free?............. free Doctors diagnosis,and then what?

Because all I can see is, this figure is merely a token payment gesture,and probably would not be enough to pay for Thailands, Total Medical System and Health Care for even a day.

So the payment of the acclaimed 30 Baht card,seems totally irrelevant ,and of little financial help to the scheme.

Small wonder the Democrats,gave it for free,surely it can't even be worth the Beurocracy costs of collecting it?

Edited September 26, 2011 by MAJIC

[MAJIC]

PR. Reintroducing the 30 baht health care plan. ie implication it was scrapped and there was nothing that replaced it, which is actually what a fair few think thanks to the inept PR of the last regime.

Another subtle psychological aim is that people even poor people can be proud they can pay for their health care and dont have to take free handouts from the establishment they dislike.

TRT/PPP/PTP are excellent at PR. What is surprising is that their opponents either havent learned these lessons or are incapable of adjustng to them

You are more than likely correct,in the minds of the people,who are not used to anything for free,when the 30 baht card was scrapped by the last Government,and given for free.

It may have been interpreted as no longer in existance,because they do not have to pay at all. Poor PR by the Democrats most certainly. TIT!

[473geo]

I would be interested to know exactly what is free/or 30 baht, I would suggest there may be some cost waved, but a stay in hospital will still cost and would not come free......I am ok with being corrected if this is not the case