Are Government Hospitals Qualified?

[eldragon]

Are the Thai government hospitals qualified? I'm told by most Thais they are, and they have better doctors than most of the mid-range private hospitals. The downside is obviously the wait time and general mayhem at the hospital. But are they generally safe and reliable when it comes to standard care and minor surgeries? I need to have a surgery to fix a hernia, and I don't have insurance...

[krisb]

The answer is yes they are and why dont you have insurance? Go read the news story of the heart attack guy and how much his bill is!

Good luck with your op mate!

[eldragon]

Mostly b/c I'm an idiot. And a little bit b/c I got caught between bad jobs. You know how it is. 55. Thanks.

Edited January 29, 2013 by eldragon

[Sheryl]

government hospitals come in different levels, please see description here

As long as you stick to a regional or national hospital, or a military hospital, you should get very good care. A provincial hospital can also do a hernia repair but you'll get a higher level of experience and expertise if you go a level higher.

re insurance, once you are covered by Thai Social Security you can remain under it for life even if you leave the job, just need to keep making the payments. this is the most affordable insurance option there is for foreigners in Thailand. It is also the only option for people who are old and/or have major pre-existing conditions.

Note that government hospitals are not free, though they do cost considerably less than private ones. It is possible to run up a bill of over a billion baht easily in case of a catastrophic illness or major accident. So insurance of some sort is essential.

[eldragon]

government hospitals come in different levels, please see description here http://www.thaivisa....-health-system/

As long as you stick to a regional or national hospital, or a military hospital, you should get very good care. A provincial hospital can also do a hernia repair but you'll get a higher level of experience and expertise if you go a level higher.

re insurance, once you are covered by Thai Social Security you can remain under it for life even if you leave the job, just need to keep making the payments. this is the most affordable insurance option there is for foreigners in Thailand. It is also the only option for people who are old and/or have major pre-existing conditions.

Note that government hospitals are not free, though they do cost considerably less than private ones. It is possible to run up a bill of over a billion baht easily in case of a catastrophic illness or major accident. So insurance of some sort is essential.

How does one get covered by Thai social security? Get a WP? And does it cover pre-existing conditions?

[Sheryl]

To be covered by Thai SS you need to be legally employed (which of course means a work permit) in the formal sector for I think 13 months, usually your employer takes care of this. A small amount is deducted from your paycheck for the premiums, which are quite modest. You select fro ma list of hospitals in your area and register at one of them and then except in emergencies are covered only for services at that hospital. ASs it is a group plan there are no exclusions for pre-existing conditions. Once you are in it you can remain in for life, even if you retire from work, as long as you keep up the premiums.

[eldragon]

Ok. Thanks.

[tim armstrong]

I went to a provincial government hospital a few years ago to have some bolts removed from an old ankle injury. I couldn't have faulted the medical treatment, the nursing, the infection control process or the aftercare. The hospital itself has seen better days and needs modernising, like most regional public hospitals in the world, but the whole treatment process was easy, and the staff clearly enjoyed their jobs.

I've worked in hospitals and clinics for most of my career, and in a few different countries It was a pleasure to see a system that worked well.

Of course this is my individual experience, but I think the general level of health care in Thailand is good compared to many western countries.

[khunPer]

Have only good experiemce with gouvernment hospitals, both up north at Isan and at tourist destianation. Modest rates and fine service.

[harrry]

Sadly you must have entered the scheme before the age of 60 in order to be covered. If you are already in the scheme you may keep your benefits.