Uk Healthcare Benefits For Brits Living In Thailand

[theblether]

I am not without sympathy for your argument but take it one stage further........a guy that has worked till he is 65 in the UK, retires to Thailand. Marries a Thai lady and she falls sick, is it your contention that she should be put on a plane and flown to the NHS for free treatment?

Only if she has a valid VISA, if it's a genuine marriage, why not? After all, their children are entitled.

(How do you decide if it's a genuine marriage, how about DNA tested children, no children then no VISA)

Easy to add a condition to the Thai ladies settlement, divorce within 10 years and citizenship will be revoked.

Even though she has never contributed to the NHS? Or possibly even visited the UK? ( lets stick to this example and not get sidetracked by all the Somali refugees bs ).

I thought I had settled that point with my VISA due to creating DNA tested British citizens suggestion!

Sorry, I am a bit thick, you will need to talk slowly, I no speak Thai very good. Ok......so what you are saying is that a UK national should have the right to move to Thailand, get married, start a family, and if medical treatment is required be able to send the family back to the UK for treatment......correct?

[ludditeman]

Sorry, I am a bit thick, you will need to talk slowly, I no speak Thai very good. Ok......so what you are saying is that a UK national should have the right to move to Thailand, get married, start a family, and if medical treatment is required be able to send the family back to the UK for treatment......correct?

The children already have that right, why not be generous and include their mother?

PS

You thinking process reminds me of the way women often think.

"What you did for me in the past counts for nothing, only what you can do for me in the near future has any worth."

Are you female?

Edited January 4, 2012 by ludditeman

[theblether]

transam

I say its none of your business, you moved out, what do you care?

[theblether]

Sorry, I am a bit thick, you will need to talk slowly, I no speak Thai very good. Ok......so what you are saying is that a UK national should have the right to move to Thailand, get married, start a family, and if medical treatment is required be able to send the family back to the UK for treatment......correct?

The children already have that right, why not be generous and include their mother?

PS

You thinking process reminds me of the way women often think.

"What you did for me in the past counts for nothing, only what you can do for me in the near future has any worth."

Are you female?

Dont get started on the female issue, we know your track record in that regard.

Why dont we take it one stage further and get the UK to send over the cost of schooling too?

Now that would be generous wouldnt it?

[ludditeman]

Dont get started on the female issue, we know your track record in that regard.

Why dont we take it one stage further and get the UK to send over the cost of schooling too?

Now that would be generous wouldnt it?

Why, Thai government schools are free, the UK government don't pay for private school in the UK.

and on further thought

Why would a Thai lady fly to the UK to use the NHS anyway, most Thai hospitals are already better than the NHS in many ways. If I were offered free Thai health care, I certainly wouldn't return to the UK if I were ill.

A better idea might be for the UK to offer a reciprocal deal to Thailand, we treat your resident citizens on the NHS, you treat our citizens resident in your country in government hospitals.

Edited January 4, 2012 by ludditeman

[transam]

transam

I say its none of your business, you moved out, what do you care?

And do you know why l moved out ? No, you are blinkered. If l remained in the UK taking the drugs for my illness l probably would be dead now, the only respite/help for me was constant heat. So here l am, years on, no drugs and still alive. You must look at every avenue of every ones life, NOT just your own.

[theblether]

Dont get started on the female issue, we know your track record in that regard.

Why dont we take it one stage further and get the UK to send over the cost of schooling too?

Now that would be generous wouldnt it?

Why, Thai government schools are free, the UK government don't pay for private school in the UK.

and on further thought

Why would a Thai lady fly to the UK to use the NHS anyway, most Thai hospitals are already better than the NHS in many ways. If I were offered free Thai health care, I certainly wouldn't return to the UK if I were ill.

Its this concept that being an UK ex-pat seems to come with the advantage of free NHS healthcare for all the family that has got me.

[ludditeman]

Its this concept that being an UK ex-pat seems to come with the advantage of free NHS healthcare for all the family that has got me.

If they are living in the UK then yes, they should get NHS free like everyone else.

If living in Thailand, then they should use the Thai health care.

[nong38]

This topic has certainly developed! UK and Thai bashing, I think we complain about the bits that get up our nose certainly, so I assume that the rest is mostly OK then? As an Englishman and soon to be a pensioner I think it wrong that because I decide to live in Thailand that the UK Govt should freeze my annual pension increase, esp when they are probably paying lots back in the UK those increase even though they were not born there. As far as NHS entitlement is concerned, I dont see why it should be refused me for the reasons I have mentioned above, if I have an extended family, well thats another thing and where do you stop the add ons, just after your present situation? I will soon need an operation on an eye, NHS told me before I came out, the chances are I will get it done here and pay for it, I am told it is 6500bts and not bother with the NHS queues and cancellations and repeat visits and as I know the amount I can allow for that.

Elderly care is a big potential cost in the UK and from what I have seen not a good time, you go into a home and nver come out until you are gone and for the privelege pay a private home a lot of money. My mother spent her last days there in the 90's and it was £1000 a month then so what would it be now? I am much better looked after here at a lot less cost and have a better lifestyle, which is one of the main reasons I came here, found someone to share my life with ( not from a bar) and so far things are working out very well. I do not see her ever going to the UK for treatment, why would she she has a blue book and the thai healthcare card.

I dont think we will be bothering the NHS, they have to many others who are not born and bred Brits to take care of these days, not to mention the translation department of the HM GOV PLC, how much does that cost I shudder to think.

On balance glad to be have born English, love England and its tradional ways but not the taxes, politicaly correct nonsense and what has evolved into. Immensely proud of our armed forces. But I now see the advatage for me is here in Thailand, no snow or cold!

Thats enough for now.

[theblether]

transam

I say its none of your business, you moved out, what do you care?

And do you know why l moved out ? No, you are blinkered. If l remained in the UK taking the drugs for my illness l probably would be dead now, the only respite/help for me was constant heat. So here l am, years on, no drugs and still alive. You must look at every avenue of every ones life, NOT just your own.

I dont know you, I know nothing about you or what goes on in your life. So I am not blinkered, I am blind to your life. Feel free to point out where I criticized your decision to move away from the UK or made any comment about you or the quality of your life?

I am delighted your in good health.......it would be nice if you kept your stupid comments about foreigners ( being one yourself ) and ashamed to be British to yourself though.

It cracks me up the amount of people who sit in Thailand and talk about foreigners in the UK........there must be some magical self awareness suction unit at Swampy.

[theblether]

Its this concept that being an UK ex-pat seems to come with the advantage of free NHS healthcare for all the family that has got me.

If they are living in the UK then yes, they should get NHS free like everyone else.

If living in Thailand, then they should use the Thai health care.

I dont have a problem with resident spouses getting free healthcare in the UK, I do have a problem with the concept of spouses ordinarily resident in Thailand being flown into the UK for free treatment on the NHS.

[theblether]

This topic has certainly developed! UK and Thai bashing, I think we complain about the bits that get up our nose certainly, so I assume that the rest is mostly OK then? As an Englishman and soon to be a pensioner I think it wrong that because I decide to live in Thailand that the UK Govt should freeze my annual pension increase, esp when they are probably paying lots back in the UK those increase even though they were not born there. As far as NHS entitlement is concerned, I dont see why it should be refused me for the reasons I have mentioned above, if I have an extended family, well thats another thing and where do you stop the add ons, just after your present situation? I will soon need an operation on an eye, NHS told me before I came out, the chances are I will get it done here and pay for it, I am told it is 6500bts and not bother with the NHS queues and cancellations and repeat visits and as I know the amount I can allow for that.

Elderly care is a big potential cost in the UK and from what I have seen not a good time, you go into a home and nver come out until you are gone and for the privelege pay a private home a lot of money. My mother spent her last days there in the 90's and it was £1000 a month then so what would it be now? I am much better looked after here at a lot less cost and have a better lifestyle, which is one of the main reasons I came here, found someone to share my life with ( not from a bar) and so far things are working out very well. I do not see her ever going to the UK for treatment, why would she she has a blue book and the thai healthcare card.

I dont think we will be bothering the NHS, they have to many others who are not born and bred Brits to take care of these days, not to mention the translation department of the HM GOV PLC, how much does that cost I shudder to think.

On balance glad to be have born English, love England and its tradional ways but not the taxes, politicaly correct nonsense and what has evolved into. Immensely proud of our armed forces. But I now see the advatage for me is here in Thailand, no snow or cold!

Thats enough for now.

On a side note.....I believe it is now possible to get the NHS to refund the cost of treatment under certain circumstances, and I believe the primary circumstance is waiting time.

[ludditeman]

I dont have a problem with resident spouses getting free healthcare in the UK, I do have a problem with the concept of spouses ordinarily resident in Thailand being flown into the UK for free treatment on the NHS.

It's a concept you thought up to backup your anti-expat trolling.

I don't believe it actually ever happens, but good effort, I fell for it without thinking for a couple of posts.

Edited January 4, 2012 by ludditeman

[transam]

transam

I say its none of your business, you moved out, what do you care?

And do you know why l moved out ? No, you are blinkered. If l remained in the UK taking the drugs for my illness l probably would be dead now, the only respite/help for me was constant heat. So here l am, years on, no drugs and still alive. You must look at every avenue of every ones life, NOT just your own.

I dont know you, I know nothing about you or what goes on in your life. So I am not blinkered, I am blind to your life. Feel free to point out where I criticized your decision to move away from the UK or made any comment about you or the quality of your life?

I am delighted your in good health.......it would be nice if you kept your stupid comments about foreigners ( being one yourself ) and ashamed to be British to yourself though.

It cracks me up the amount of people who sit in Thailand and talk about foreigners in the UK........there must be some magical self awareness suction unit at Swampy.

You obviously have not read or understood any of my points, and for sure you have not replied to my points. YOU say that l should not be able to get treatment in UK cos l live here, l have explained my reason for being here, and perhaps in the future l must return for some treatment which no insurer here would do as you must disclose any ailments. I have paid my UK taxes, national insurance, fought for it but you and another say bugger off, let's take care of anyone whose feet are on UK soil even if they are not natives. Very sad.

[citizen33]

I don't want to completely rubbish everything TheBlether says, because he has a point when he talks about the element of uncertainty that arises if expats rely on NHS care, but has he really thought about why so many find this topic to be of burning interest? The answer I believe is that in countries around the world very few older people put all their eggs in the basket of private health insurance, so that expats in Thailand who rely on this are hardly in the secure position that he implies. Indemnity-based insurance does not provide very much security once a person is deemed likely to need treatment. Even countries such as the USA and the Netherlands, held up as examples where private insurance works well, have separate state-run schemes for older people that work on the basis of risk pooling.. Very few Thai seniors rely on private insurance, though they may very well top up their entitlements under the CSMBS or SSS where they can afford to do so - usually out of pocket. For those who do rely on private insurance the pitfalls are (a) exclusions because of pre-existing conditions ( b ) a lack of absolute certainty that claims will be reimbursed ( c) rising premiums, and (d) the practice of excluding members once they reach a certain age. Even if you got into, say, BUPA early and escaped (d) you are open to the other problems. Thus even people who have had insurance for some years are looking for a safety net. I wonder if TheBlether has his safety net - if his answer is a cash nest egg it better be a large one.

Edited January 4, 2012 by citizen33

[theblether]

transam

I say its none of your business, you moved out, what do you care?

And do you know why l moved out ? No, you are blinkered. If l remained in the UK taking the drugs for my illness l probably would be dead now, the only respite/help for me was constant heat. So here l am, years on, no drugs and still alive. You must look at every avenue of every ones life, NOT just your own.

I dont know you, I know nothing about you or what goes on in your life. So I am not blinkered, I am blind to your life. Feel free to point out where I criticized your decision to move away from the UK or made any comment about you or the quality of your life?

I am delighted your in good health.......it would be nice if you kept your stupid comments about foreigners ( being one yourself ) and ashamed to be British to yourself though.

It cracks me up the amount of people who sit in Thailand and talk about foreigners in the UK........there must be some magical self awareness suction unit at Swampy.

You obviously have not read or understood any of my points, and for sure you have not replied to my points. YOU say that l should not be able to get treatment in UK cos l live here, l have explained my reason for being here, and perhaps in the future l must return for some treatment which no insurer here would do as you must disclose any ailments. I have paid my UK taxes, national insurance, fought for it but you and another say bugger off, let's take care of anyone whose feet are on UK soil even if they are not natives. Very sad.

I never said that, and while your at it I am also ex-military. Just go home and become resident again.

The NHS cant possibly handle the financial and workload responsiblity for every ex-pat British passport holder in the world.

The root of the argument we are having is that you think you should get free access to it because you have paid your taxes, ( just like the rest of us ) and I say you made an adult decision to move away and disqualify yourself.

Can we not just agree to disagree and keep the personal attacks out of it?

edited for spelling.

Edited January 4, 2012 by theblether

[ludditeman]

The root of the argument we are having is that you think you should get free access to it because you have paid your taxes, ( just like the rest of us ) and I say you made an adult decision to move away and disqualify yourself.

The root of it is, I paid my taxes all my life, I paid my NI payments all my life, I still pay taxes, (more than most people in the UK).

The UK government loses NOTHING from me, because I choose to live in Thailand.

But it wants to remove ALL the benefits that I was previously entitled to, while still TAKING.

If I were back in the UK now, I would be claiming about 10k a year in (Benefits, Child tax credit, etc), they save money by me being here, but try and put me in a situation where I have to return there to live.

[theblether]

I don't want to completely rubbish everything TheBlether says, because he has a point when he talks about the element of uncertainty that arises if expats rely on NHS care, but has he really thought about why so many find this topic to be of burning interest? The answer I believe is that in countries around the world very few older people put all their eggs in the basket of private health insurance, so that expats in Thailand who rely on this are hardly in the secure position that he implies. Indemnity-based insurance does not provide very much security once a person is deemed likely to need treatment. Even countries such as the USA and the Netherlands, held up as examples where private insurance works well, have separate state-run schemes for older people that work on the basis of risk pooling.. Very few Thai seniors rely on private insurance, though they may very well top up their entitlements under the CSMBS or SSS where they can afford to do so - usually out of pocket. For those who do rely on private insurance the pitfalls are (a) exclusions because of pre-existing conditions ( b ) a lack of absolute certainty that claims will be reimbursed ( c) rising premiums, and (d) the practice of excluding members once they reach a certain age. Even if you got into, say, BUPA early and escaped (d) you are open to the other problems. Thus even people who have had insurance for some years are looking for a safety net. I wonder if TheBlether has his safety net - if his answer is a cash nest egg it better be a large one.

I appreciate what you are saying, my safety net is that I am UK resident and will always be a UK permanent resident.

The safety net for every UK national Living in Thailand is to return home and take up residence again, ( with some hurdles ).

What a lot of people would like to happen is for them to live in Thailand and to fly back and forth to the UK and get free treatment as and when it suits them.

It is an unrealistic proposition, the outcry in the UK would be deafening, and the NHS would buckle, especially in some areas of treatment. No one is going to fly home for verucca treatment, they will fly home for only the most expensive and critical treatments.

It is a completely unrealistic proposition, and I would suggest that virtually every member calling for it would have a fit if the shoe was on the other foot, ie if they were waiting for a critical treatment in the UK and found out they were last in the queue behind a steady stream of ex-pats.

[ludditeman]

It is an unrealistic proposition, the outcry in the UK would be deafening, and the NHS would buckle, especially in some areas of treatment. No one is going to fly home for verucca treatment, they will fly home for only the most expensive and critical treatments.

I don't think the UK population would give a stuff about us getting free NHS care.

Most of them are more concerned about black/Polish/Indian people getting free NHS.

[Thongkorn]

It is an unrealistic proposition, the outcry in the UK would be deafening, and the NHS would buckle, especially in some areas of treatment. No one is going to fly home for verucca treatment, they will fly home for only the most expensive and critical treatments.

I don't think the UK population would give a stuff about us getting free NHS care.

Most of them are more concerned about black/Polish/Indian people getting free NHS.

I have been bared from Thai Visa for a week, for making simular Comments.

Edited January 4, 2012 by Thongkorn

[transam]

It is an unrealistic proposition, the outcry in the UK would be deafening, and the NHS would buckle, especially in some areas of treatment. No one is going to fly home for verucca treatment, they will fly home for only the most expensive and critical treatments.

I don't think the UK population would give a stuff about us getting free NHS care.

Most of them are more concerned about black/Polish/Indian people getting free NHS.

Ah, at last common sense. A true Brit is a true Brit, where ever he wants to retire and his homeland should take care of him. Most are saving the UK millions of pounds by putting their feet up abroad but the true drain on the NHS is the foreigners streaming into the UK for the freebee's and some here think it's OK cos their feet are there.

[sinbin]

Here's my 2 pennies worth if anyone's interested ? I have an accepted disability due to UK military service. I was recently in need of urgent medical treatment so I Emailed http://www.veterans-uk.info/ to ask if I could receive treatment here in Thailand. They won't answer queries by Email due to security. Doesn't say that on the website. They respond with a letter which took 3 week to arrive. Before I received the letter I was left with no choice but to phone them as I needed the treatment urgently. On their website they say I must obtain their permission first, to under go treatment. I phond S.P.V.A and managed to get through to 'Treatment Dept' who said that due to my living in Thailand I have to contact the UK Embassy BKK first. They will not deal with me direct. They don't say that on their website.

I contacted the Consular Section in BKK and they only act as agents for S.P.V.A. I explained I needed urgent treatment to an accepted disability. "We can't give that permission" was the response. "Get a letter from you doctor stating............................ and send it to us so we can send it to S.P.V.A who will then reply as to whether permission can be granted". The S.P.V.A have a 20 day response time to mailed enquiries. I was left with no choice, but to pay for the treatment myself. I'm currently liaising with the BKK Embassy to try and recoup the my losses.

How sad the UK has become.

Edited January 4, 2012 by sinbin

[theblether]

@thongkorn and ludditeman

Its just out and out racism.

Edited January 4, 2012 by theblether

[theblether]

It is an unrealistic proposition, the outcry in the UK would be deafening, and the NHS would buckle, especially in some areas of treatment. No one is going to fly home for verucca treatment, they will fly home for only the most expensive and critical treatments.

I don't think the UK population would give a stuff about us getting free NHS care.

Most of them are more concerned about black/Polish/Indian people getting free NHS.

Ah, at last common sense. A true Brit is a true Brit, where ever he wants to retire and his homeland should take care of him. Most are saving the UK millions of pounds by putting their feet up abroad but the true drain on the NHS is the foreigners streaming into the UK for the freebee's and some here think it's OK cos their feet are there.

OK....tell you what, you go start an e-petition and as a gesture of solidarity I will sign it.......there you go, a shock development huh?

No doubt you will get the 100,000 signatures easily and the issue will be raised in Parliament.......then if it becomes law you will get all the credit.

ps Please dont put on that bad tempered face just because I had the wits to maintain UK residency and you didnt.

[theblether]

Here's my 2 pennies worth if anyone's interested ? I have an accepted disability due to UK military service. I was recently in need of urgent medical treatment so I Emailed http://www.veterans-uk.info/ to ask if I could receive treatment here in Thailand. They won't answer queries by Email due to security. Doesn't say that on the website. They respond with a letter which took 3 week to arrive. Before I received the letter I was left with no choice but to phone them as I needed the treatment urgently. On their website they say I must obtain their permission first, to under go treatment. I phond S.P.V.A and managed to get through to 'Treatment Dept' who said that due to my living in Thailand I have to contact the UK Embassy BKK first. They will not deal with me direct. They don't say that on their website.

I contacted the Consular Section in BKK and they only act as agents for S.P.V.A. I explained I needed urgent treatment to an accepted disability. "We can't give that permission" was the response. "Get a letter from you doctor stating............................ and send it to us so we can send it to S.P.V.A who will then reply as to whether permission can be granted". The S.P.V.A have a 20 day response time to mailed enquiries. I was left with no choice, but to pay for the treatment myself. I'm currently liaising with the BKK Embassy to try and recoup the my losses.

How sad the UK has become.

Get all that information together and contact the MP from your old home town,( he may not help you as you are no longer a constituent ) as well as contacting the ex-service organizations relevant to you. You need to put that story in front of someone.

[transam]

It is an unrealistic proposition, the outcry in the UK would be deafening, and the NHS would buckle, especially in some areas of treatment. No one is going to fly home for verucca treatment, they will fly home for only the most expensive and critical treatments.

I don't think the UK population would give a stuff about us getting free NHS care.

Most of them are more concerned about black/Polish/Indian people getting free NHS.

Ah, at last common sense. A true Brit is a true Brit, where ever he wants to retire and his homeland should take care of him. Most are saving the UK millions of pounds by putting their feet up abroad but the true drain on the NHS is the foreigners streaming into the UK for the freebee's and some here think it's OK cos their feet are there.

OK....tell you what, you go start an e-petition and as a gesture of solidarity I will sign it.......there you go, a shock development huh?

No doubt you will get the 100,000 signatures easily and the issue will be raised in Parliament.......then if it becomes law you will get all the credit.

ps Please dont put on that bad tempered face just because I had the wits to maintain UK residency and you didnt.

You might be surprised what l have BUT your posts are anti UK guy, plain and simple.

[chiang mai]

Setting aside the principle for a moment, I wonder if there's not a more practical issue that arises out of all of this and that is the conscious decision where to undergo health care. For some the choice is made for them on the basis of cost, big bill, can't afford it, have no insurance so I have to go back home, the gamble of no insurance didn't pay off. For others and I suspect this group is not small, the decision is not based solely on the cost of the care but also the quality, the availability and increasingly, the safety - lesser considerations might include proximity to loved ones and familiarity and comfort with their surroundings.

It seems to me that many people who are in a position to make an objective choice might disregard the NHS option entirely in favour of a major teaching hospital here in Thailand, I always used to think that I would head "home" in the event of a medical emergency, today I wouldn't consider the idea. I wonder therefore how many posters here are arguing the toss in favour of the NHS and crying at the potential loss of their free entitlements, are complaining about something the loss of something that's being taken away from them that they would never use anyway?

(And to "theblether": yes OK we can be friends since I know understand you like small furry animals too, but no more slagging off Mobi, he's top drawer).

[theblether]

Setting aside the principle for a moment, I wonder if there's not a more practical issue that arises out of all of this and that is the conscious decision where to undergo health care. For some the choice is made for them on the basis of cost, big bill, can't afford it, have no insurance so I have to go back home, the gamble of no insurance didn't pay off. For others and I suspect this group is not small, the decision is not based solely on the cost of the care but also the quality, the availability and increasingly, the safety - lesser considerations might include proximity to loved ones and familiarity and comfort with their surroundings.

It seems to me that many people who are in a position to make an objective choice might disregard the NHS option entirely in favour of a major teaching hospital here in Thailand, I always used to think that I would head "home" in the event of a medical emergency, today I wouldn't consider the idea. I wonder therefore how many posters here are arguing the toss in favour of the NHS and crying at the potential loss of their free entitlements, are complaining about something the loss of something that's being taken away from them that they would never use anyway?

(And to "theblether": yes OK we can be friends since I know understand you like small furry animals too, but no more slagging off Mobi, he's top drawer).

Deal.....I wish there was a handshake emoticon.

[theblether]

Transam

Any chance of a translation of your last post?

[Thongkorn]

@thongkorn and ludditeman

Its just out and out racism.

Its Not racism at all . you can only take out what you put in, if you put nothing in , you have nothing to take out., if you put some thing in, then you have something to take out, common sense says that, And its got to the point where people in the UK cannot say anything because it upsets other people, But its OK to knock people in the UK. The British constitution is basted on Christianity and has been over 1000s of years, If people don't like this then they should express there right to leave the UK..