Social Security For My Girlfriend / Family Member

[MaciejKlimowicz]

Hello,

I have my Thai social security card provided by my school, I pay 450B a month and get free medical treatment in Bangna Hospital.

I've been wondering is it possible to get a family member (or a girlfriend, or my child) signed for the same social security, can I pay extra and get somebody else covered too?

cheers,

Mac

[TerryLH]

It is not currently possible to add persons onto your social security.

Thai Social Security is for people who work.

There are options for your gf. She could get a job that is covered by social security. After being covered for 12 months, she could quit and continue paying on her own. 432 a month, normally.

Or, she could sign up for what used to be called the gold card, or 30 baht card. That would give her health coverage. The child, if Thai, could also sign up for that.

There has been some news coverage lately about re-introducing the 30 baht fee, and also combining the three main types of health coverage. If they were to do that, it would be a good deal for 30 baht card holders.

Terry

[beano2274]

Am sure she could pay her own Social Security ever month.

I pay on my own, however like the poster above mentions I was employed before using this method.

Just go to the local office and ask about it.

[TerryLH]

You have to be covered for 12 months through employment prior to being able to pay on your own.

They do have a new plan, though. It's much different then the regular scheme, which is pretty good. It's for persons not eligible for 'regular' social security. It's a lot on the 'light' side, with lower coverage and low limits. It does have a savings element to it.

Info at 1506

or

www.sso.go.th

Terry

[sirchai]

I've just heard that my wife is also insured by my social insurance. I'll have to pay and they reimburse me.

Is that true?

[TerryLH]

That's not how Social Security works.

Are you sure it's Social Security? How much do you pay every month?

You don't pay for services as long as you use the assigned hospital. If out of area, it would need to be an emergency before they would reimburse you.

There are three basic health programs run by the government here. The one for civil servants has a pay and collect back part to it. Employee and family members, including parents, are eligible for coverage under this plan.

Terry

[sirchai]

That's not how Social Security works.

Are you sure it's Social Security? How much do you pay every month?

You don't pay for services as long as you use the assigned hospital. If out of area, it would need to be an emergency before they would reimburse you.

There are three basic health programs run by the government here. The one for civil servants has a pay and collect back part to it. Employee and family members, including parents, are eligible for coverage under this plan.

Terry

Hi Terry,

I work at a school; both parties pay 750 baht/month. I know it’s normally a percentage of your salary, but almost all foreigners I know pay the same amount.

My wife’s still in her “Tabien Baan” or house documents of her village, she can’t even go to the hospital where we’re living, without paying the full bill , which is in the capital city of her district.

Just in case if she’d get sick, I’d like to take her to a hospital in the province where I’m working and paying in social insurance now.

I’ve just heard that wives and kids fall under the same insurance, but you have to pay up front and get the money reimbursed.

Thanks for any information!

Cheers- M.-

[TerryLH]

"I work at a school; both parties pay 750 baht/month. I know it’s normally a percentage of your salary, but almost all foreigners I know pay the same amount."

It's 5%, up to a maximum of 750 baht.

Unless it's something very new, family members are not covered under your Social Security.

Having said that, I would be delighted if the rules have changed to allow that. Please let us know if you find out for sure that there have been changes.

Terry

[citizen33]

The last government discussed a proposal to include dependents within the Social Security Scheme, but this hasn't been taken forward. There were complicated issues about transferring funding from the NHSO to the Social Security Organisation to compensate the latter for assuming responsibility for people otherwise covered by the UCS (gold card scheme). I can't see it happening. There are continuing (slow) moves to 'harmonize' the three public schemes, but very few people believe that a full merger is feasible at present. The latest change was to let the NHSO handle payments for all emergency care for the three schemes, rather than having the SSO and CGD involved. In fact the National Health Security Act does contain a section requiring a single administering agency to oversee all three schemes, but there was so much opposition from vested interests that this has never happened.