Medical Insurance Yes Or No?

[whistleblower]

Hi

I have been given a good quote for medical insurance from BUPA for my whole family. I obviously want the best care for them and am not worried about the cost.

As my wife and daughter are entitled to the Thai healthcare for free, many of our Thai friends/family have said its a waste of money.

Are there any people out there that have had experience of Thai hospital care for their wife/kids?

Also I have 2 options for the healthcare plan with/without OPD. With OPD sends the price up considerably. Wouldn't it be best to get the 'without OPD' option and for minor scrapes/mishaps send them to the local Thai clinic?

I would appreciate anyones thoughts or experiences.

[TommoPhysicist]

My wife had a baby in a Thai government hospital last year.

No problems with the care, but there is a lot of waiting round.

Tendency to over-medicate IMHO. All free.

Baby has regular appointments at hospital every month, blood tests. measuring growth. Too many vaccinations.

home visits at random intervals. All free.

They pay more attention to baby, than anyone ever did with babies in the UK.

Private rooms about 1k per day extra which are worthwhile IMHO.

The biggest problems are the public wards, I've been in one. Medical care great BUT they stick the dying in with the living, so lots of screaming as they die, absolutely disgusting to put terminal case in with the general patients. That's why you pay extra for a private room.

(Food totally inedible in public and private wards, get someone to get take aways)

Edited September 20, 2012 by TommoPhysicist

[whistleblower]

My wife had a baby in a Thai government hospital last year.

No problems with the care, but there is a lot of waiting round.

Tendency to over-medicate IMHO. All free.

Baby has regular appointments at hospital every month, blood tests. measuring growth. Too many vaccinations.

home visits at random intervals. All free.

They pay more attention to baby, than anyone ever did with babies in the UK.

Private rooms about 1k per day extra which are worthwhile IMHO.

The biggest problems are the public wards, I've been in one. Medical care great BUT they stick the dying in with the living, so lots of screaming as they die, absolutely disgusting to put terminal case in with the general patients. That's why you pay extra for a private room.

Thanks for that. That was my worry. I have been to the government hospitals before and the wards are grim. We had our daughter in BNH and it was great, but even they want to over vaccinate.

We currently go to a Private post natal clinic for vaccs/check ups etc (actually owned by the Doctor who delivered our daughter)

The OPD pushes up the premium a lot so I think the Govt hospitals should be ok for minor things.

Thanks for the reply

[TommoPhysicist]

About the vaccinations.

If you say NO, the nurse just takes the kid out of sight and does it anyway.

Also, if you manage to avoid them I suspect your child won't be allowed into a Thai school.

My Thai is not fully up to medical talk, but that seemed to be the gist of my conversations.

Edited September 20, 2012 by TommoPhysicist

[whistleblower]

About the vaccinations.

If you say NO, the nurse just takes the kid out of sight and does it anyway.

Also, if you manage to avoid them I suspect your child won't be allowed into a Thai school.

My Thai is not fully up to medical talk, but that seemed to be the gist of my conversations.

Sorry unclear about the school bit?

[TommoPhysicist]

About the vaccinations.

If you say NO, the nurse just takes the kid out of sight and does it anyway.

Also, if you manage to avoid them I suspect your child won't be allowed into a Thai school.

My Thai is not fully up to medical talk, but that seemed to be the gist of my conversations.

Sorry unclear about the school bit?

If there are vaccinations missing from your kids medical book, he won't be allowed in school until they have been done.

[whistleblower]

About the vaccinations.

If you say NO, the nurse just takes the kid out of sight and does it anyway.

Also, if you manage to avoid them I suspect your child won't be allowed into a Thai school.

My Thai is not fully up to medical talk, but that seemed to be the gist of my conversations.

Sorry unclear about the school bit?

If there are vaccinations missing from your kids medical book, he won't be allowed in school until they have been done.

No she is full up to date with vaccs. What I meant was they wanted to give her ALL vaccs that are in her vaccs book. Im pretty sure she doesn't need a vaccine from Ebola! LOL

And she isnt at a Thai school so thats not a worry. But that point I haven't heard before.

[jingjoe8]

If your policy covers the big ones such as cancer treatment, radiation,chemo under ipd then there is no need for opd

,also most private hospitals know the score with medication and if it is going to be expensive for you to purchase as an o.p they book you into a room for a night and give the medicine.

My wife also had our baby in a govt hospital no probs and we paid for a private room for three nights about 1400bht a night.

[madmitch]

If your policy covers the big ones such as cancer treatment, radiation,chemo under ipd then there is no need for opd

,also most private hospitals know the score with medication and if it is going to be expensive for you to purchase as an o.p they book you into a room for a night and give the medicine.

My wife also had our baby in a govt hospital no probs and we paid for a private room for three nights about 1400bht a night.

Insurance companies are not stupid. They know if you don't really need to spend the night and may decline the claim. Be careful.

I'd suggest take out the insurance without the OPD and use a cheaper/free option for minor illnesses.

[Godfree]

Greg Miller, at http://americanexpatchiangmai.com/ has a new, long post on this topic. Good background.

[BookMan]

Greg Miller, at http://americanexpatchiangmai.com/ has a new, long post on this topic. Good background.

ummm....this article has a link to a book by Godfree Roberts?

Yourself perhaps?

Edited September 21, 2012 by BookMan

[canopus1969]

Greg Miller, at http://americanexpatchiangmai.com/ has a new, long post on this topic. Good background.

ummm....this article has a link to a book by Godfree Roberts?

Yourself perhaps?

Haha nothing like a bit of self promotion !

[JeffreyMcCollum]

10 years here on government insurance as well as company.

I liked the care and cost of the government care better

I for 1 would say forget insurance and do what I as well as the Thais do

[Billmont]

In my opinion Government hospitals are a bit hit or miss. Perhaps in the big cities they may be more hit than miss. Check out your local government hospital OP departments and you will get an impression. Our local Government hospital is rubbish and I would not send any of my family there. When we were out of the country my wife's mum contracted a severe bladder infection and went to the local hospital and was given medication. No improvement was noticed and then my wife made a few phonecalls and got her taken to a private hospital. It turned out the Government hospital had given her Paracetamol when she need antibiotics which the private hospital supplied. After almost a week of suffering she was back to normal in two days and noticed conciderable improvement after 12 hours. We have heard similar reports about this hospital. If your children are in general good health and not "accident prone" I would carry the cost of the OP treatment and take the reduced premium. My sister in law has this type of insurance and the private hospital knows the terms of the insurance and often have said that they think it best to keep her son/daughter in over night just to be sure and then the treatment is covered by insurance. Overtime you will build up a relationship with your private hospital doctor which helps a lot.

[citizen33]

No doubt the position varies somewhat in different areas and different people will have had different experiences. My impression, based on talking to a lot of people who are in a position to know, is that the standard of care in MoPH provincial hospitals and military hospitals, and especially university hospitals, is generally quite good. What you should probably avoid is relying on a MoPH community (or district) hospital when you have a serious condition. Nor should you assume that the private hospitals are necessarily better. Outside Bangkok and some larger cities, most private hospitals will be less well equipped than a provincial hospital, and small private hospitals in towns in rural areas can be downright dangerous.

[stevenl]

10 years here on government insurance as well as company.

I liked the care and cost of the government care better

I for 1 would say forget insurance and do what I as well as the Thais do

Difference is you have government insurance.

[negreanu]

Get BUPA platinum 3 and don't think any more about. Relax to know that you have the best possible medical care for your family in Thailand. Period.

OPD if you can afford it yes - but not necessary in Thailand I feel.

Cost is irrelevant for the peace of mind and the health of your family.

Edited September 24, 2012 by negreanu

[Theboy]

10 years here on government insurance as well as company.

I liked the care and cost of the government care better

I for 1 would say forget insurance and do what I as well as the Thais do

Difference is you have government insurance.

Everyone who works and pays taxes have Government insurance ?

[whistleblower]

If your policy covers the big ones such as cancer treatment, radiation,chemo under ipd then there is no need for opd

,also most private hospitals know the score with medication and if it is going to be expensive for you to purchase as an o.p they book you into a room for a night and give the medicine.

My wife also had our baby in a govt hospital no probs and we paid for a private room for three nights about 1400bht a night.

Insurance companies are not stupid. They know if you don't really need to spend the night and may decline the claim. Be careful.

I'd suggest take out the insurance without the OPD and use a cheaper/free option for minor illnesses.

Yes I think this is what i will do. many thanks

[whistleblower]

Get BUPA platinum 3 and don't think any more about. Relax to know that you have the best possible medical care for your family in Thailand. Period.

OPD if you can afford it yes - but not necessary in Thailand I feel.

Cost is irrelevant for the peace of mind and the health of your family.

True, do you have a price for platinum 3 per year? I was quoted for ruby and emerald.

[negreanu]

go to bupa.co.th select find right plan for you then selcet budget >2000 will list the platinum plans.

10% discount for family join at same time.

[sotsira]

Thanks for that. That was my worry. I have been to the government hospitals before and the wards are grim. We had our daughter in BNH and it was great, but even they want to over vaccinate.

We currently go to a Private post natal clinic for vaccs/check ups etc (actually owned by the Doctor who delivered our daughter)

The OPD pushes up the premium a lot so I think the Govt hospitals should be ok for minor things.

Thanks for the reply

Without OPD cover, what would happen if you need post op medical care, as is very probable

after any major operation or stay in hospital.

[cooked]

yeah, BUPA and get thrown/frozen out by enormous premium hikes after a certain age. You pay a lot of money only to find yourself unable to pay them after 55/65/75..

[madmitch]

Thanks for that. That was my worry. I have been to the government hospitals before and the wards are grim. We had our daughter in BNH and it was great, but even they want to over vaccinate.

We currently go to a Private post natal clinic for vaccs/check ups etc (actually owned by the Doctor who delivered our daughter)

The OPD pushes up the premium a lot so I think the Govt hospitals should be ok for minor things.

Thanks for the reply

Without OPD cover, what would happen if you need post op medical care, as is very probable

after any major operation or stay in hospital.

Post op care should be covered even if OPD is excluded as it is considered to be part of the same claim. You need to read the wording to be certain.

[kamalabob2]

Bupa Platinum IN PATIENT does in fact cover a "follow up" to a covered procedure, even when you do not pay for OPD. You pay out of pocket for the followup to the hospital, submit the simple paperwork, and BUPA will PROMPTLY deposit the money into your Thailand bank account OR at your choice, can mail you a check. It is not difficult.