Proof Of Medical Insurance Proposed For 1 Year Visa

[indyuk]

I retired in Thailand a long time ago. Thai Rak Thai party tried to extort cash from us and throw us out of our Thai houses in 2006. TRT also tried to increase the 800,000 Baht guarantee in a Thai bank or equivilent pension. I made my commitment to retire in Thailand a long time ago. Now I am 73 and have no health insurance. They will have to back down the Thai immigration police will not stand for more extrajudicial exclusions of foreign retirees.

Edited May 5, 2013 by indyuk

[Jingthing]

I retired in Thailand a long time ago. Thai Rak Thai party tried to extort cash from us and throw us out of our Thai houses in 2006. TRT also tried to increase the 800,000 Baht guarantee in a Thai bank or equivilent pension. I made my commitment to retire in Thailand a long time ago. Now I am 73 and have no health insurance. They will have to back down the immigration police will not stand for more extrajudicial exclusions of foreign retirees.

You have my sympathy but honestly, they're going to do what they're going to do. We are powerless on that front.

As I've stated before, I think if there are defacto mass expulsions of long term settled older people due to such a rash policy change without support of a buy in plan or rejection exclusion, my opinion is that this is a HUMAN RIGHTS issue. That doesn't mean it can't happen though. Just that it would be HORRIBLE.

Edited May 5, 2013 by Jingthing

[bangkokpoppys]

When I started this thread I was always going to be amused by where it would lead.

My conclusion is: No one has the right to expect something free in a foriegn country anywhere in the world.

If a person regardless of age is not insureable then that person should not be allowed to live outside his country of origin.

There is no plausable excuse against this. The consequences are too great to risk it. Freedom of choice comes with a price.

speechless....gotta stop looking at this tripe..

[attrayant]

800,000 is money to spend in Thailand to live on, etc.

I'd like to know who has a weekly cost of living greater than 15,000 baht! What an absurd figure.

To the OP, how about collecting a 1000 baht insurance fee at the 90 day report? That's about 11 baht per day. That shouldn't present a hardship to most of us. Folks with a B visa would be exempted, presumably already being insured by their employers.

Edited May 5, 2013 by attrayant

[Jingthing]

800,000 is money to spend in Thailand to live on, etc.

I'd like to know who has a weekly cost of living greater than 15,000 baht! What an absurd figure.

Especially for those of us who own our homes in Thailand.

[StevenHeidbriderSr]

@SHS

Just to point out the normal rate to buy into the standard government private insurance scheme is about 500bht/month.

Pleased you are wealthy enough to pay 5K/month, I prefer 500bht/month, same as everyone else.

So you are saying as an American I can buy into the Thai System for 500 baht a month? SIGN ME UP!

[JLCrab]

After several long-term stays, I decided to move to Thailand full-time 10 years ago while in my early 50's. My elderly parents were not happy about it. They asked why. I said, for among other reasons, I will be able to purchase comprehensive health insurance for a reasonable cost which was then unavailable to me on an individual policy basis in the USA. They said, well in that case, OK.

[StevenHeidbriderSr]

I really like this topic.

I had a heart attack in October 2011 and had two stents put into my heart. My Cardiologist stated that I had NO heart disease and No Arterial disease. Dr. said stress and NSAID combined with a muscle relaxant that I was taking for a torn rotator cuff may have caused the heart attack.

I didn't move to Thailand giving almost all my belongings to charity as a choice for me but for my wife who is in failing health so she could be close to family for the first time in 30+ years.

NOW to my point.

I go to the Provincial Hospitals Cardio Clinic where they check my blood levels, weight, blood pressure, etc.. and continue to prescribe a 90 day supply of four drugs that I take for my heart stents. Simvastatin ,Enapril, Metoprolol, and Ecotrin. They charge 540 Baht for the doctor care and the medication.

I was going to a Private Hospital but was not impressed with the care at all as the doctor didn't even listen to my heart etc.. and they charged 10,000 baht.

And my point is why would I pay for medical insurance when I doubt that the provincial hospital would exceed much beyond 540 baht for my normal care and when my wife was in hospital last week for 3 days with a bleeding ulcer the total charge was 1900 Baht.

The provincial Hospital where I live has greatly eased my fears of having to fly out for care as I think it will be more than affordable here. The Co-pays etc.. in our home country would exceed what we would pay here.

In closing I would like to say that the care we have received at the Provincial hospital is ON PAR and many some ways surpasses with what we got in the U.S.

BTW the cost to me for the 2 days I was in the hospital for my heart attack was in excess of $4000.00 USD after Insurance.

Edited May 5, 2013 by StevenHeidbriderSr

[JLCrab]

I have no personal experience with the government or provincial hospitals in Thailand. The few times I have visited the waiting rooms they reminded me of a casting call for the battle scenes in Spartacus. The treatment and the doctors seem excellent once those in line before you with similar conditions are seen and treated by the doctor.

When I visit the private hospital that I use -- usually for outpatient but twice for inpatient -- I am usually one of only one or two other non-Thais in the waiting room. So there is certainly a large number of Thais who are using private insurance at the private hospital even though they would be covered at the government hospital.

Edited May 5, 2013 by JLCrab

[Estrada]

It sounds like another get rich scheme by politicians with investments in medical insurance companies here to make medical insurance compulsory. I looked at the premiums here and found that although they offered B5 Million cover for around B100,000/year, this was reduced to 1 Million for each incident and further reduced by limits on room charges. For instance BUPA, AIA, LMG, and similarly Thai medical insurance companies, have a limit on the room charge, and I could see that it was unlikely that I would be reimbursed medical fees for more than the annual fee, so I put money aside to cover my medical costs. I went to Australia in February and landed in hospital for 3 weeks and was faced with a bill of B1million which I paid cash from my built up medical fund. When I checked what BUPA would have paid out to cover my costs had I taken out a B100,000 policy I found that they would only have paid me B90,000 and not the B1million per incident quoted cover. For instance the ICU room charge in Australia was B160,000/night but BUPA limit per night is only B16,000.

For these reasons I would object to being forced to pay for medical insurance which is a rip off. However, I do not object to foreigners being required to show that they have sufficient funds in an account to cover medical fees.

[JLCrab]

Ergo as per #160 wealthy people do not buy or need to buy insurance. OK.

There is an old (muffler repair?) TV commercial in the USA in which the tag line is a wealthy penny-pinching guy saying: How do you think a man like me got to be a man like me?

Edited May 5, 2013 by JLCrab

[chiang mai]

Ergo as per #160 wealthy people do not buy or need to buy insurance. OK.

There is an old (muffler repair?) TV commercial in the USA in which the tag line is a wealthy penny-pinching guy saying: How do you think a man like me got to be a man like me?

Remarkable, you seem to have changed your tune on this subject since we last engaged JC, what happened? I agree of course, as you well know, but at one time you were all health insurance is an absolute must!

[JLCrab]

I haven't changed my tune at all. People that have enough cash to donate the funds for a new wing at the hospital still buy health insurance because they, and their financial advisers, consider it to be a good deal. They, unlike some others, do not seem confident that they will not be among those who have the calamitous outcome and get a large return on their invested premiums.

The only problem is you have to buy the insurance when you are healthy and young enough and before you have the need to become a walking pharmacopoeia like the guy directly above.

Edited May 6, 2013 by JLCrab

[hagler]

I just dont get the reasoning of a lot of people on here sometimes.

Switch the scenario and lets say we are talking about non permanent residents of your home country, be it the US, Australia, Europe, etc etc.

Do you think it is fair that they pay nothing for medical treatment in your country?

How about the same amounts as you? ( after all they havent paid taxes into the system for 10 or 15 or 20 or 30 or 40 years already like you have)

Should they have some health insurance that will pay for their medical needs should they arise while they are in your country ? (Which means that you as a longstanding taxpayer arent subsidising their medical treatment.)

If they arent willing to have their own health insurance should their income ( including pensions and all funds earned within or brought into the country) be taxed at the prevailing income tax rate plus say 25% to cover the lack of years of paying into the system to pay for their medical expenses ?

Or should they be required to deposit into a government supervised bank account the sum of say 2 000 000 baht which will be drawn upon by the medical system when they need medical treatment if they are unable or unwilling to get health insurance during their stay in your country ?

shoe on the other foot and I bet the howls and moaning and gnashing of teeth and wailing of voice would be at its' TV best.

Edited May 6, 2013 by hagler

[Joe Mamma]

Thailand is getting savvy and creative to part money from it's non citizens. They must have learned from the USA about the medical insurance scamming and other money sucks that America does to it's citizens. The VAT is sneaking everywhere and besides the farang price instituted into many if not all things, it is a war of attrition.

Just the opposite of the states, as America is squeezing the middle class to fund it's crappy non- and illegal citizens. I take particular delight when the wife buys the goods and bypasses the farang abuses. I also love the look of the business owners face when they see the farang is in the picture!

[chiang mai]

I haven't changed my tune at all. People that have enough cash to donate the funds for a new wing at the hospital still buy health insurance because they, and their financial advisers, consider it to be a good deal. They, unlike some others, do not seem confident that they will not be among those who have the calamitous outcome and get a large return on their invested premiums.

The only problem is you have to buy the insurance when you are healthy and young enough and before you have the need to become a walking pharmacopoeia like the guy directly above.

Funny, but you can't have it both ways so which is it, in post 161 you say, "wealthy people do not buy or need to buy insurance" then in post 163 you say the opposite, a little confused this morning are we or is it time for the senility meds perhaps.

[JLCrab]

Re: USA Medical Insurance Scamming -- Gallup Poll December, 2012:

Americans Remain Happy With Healthcare Quality

Most Americans (82%) continue to rate the quality of the healthcare they receive as excellent or good. The 40% who rate their care as excellent ties for the highest since Gallup started asking the question annually in 2001.

[chiang mai]

Re: USA Medical Insurance Scamming -- Gallup Poll December, 2012:

Americans Remain Happy With Healthcare Quality

Most Americans (82%) continue to rate the quality of the healthcare they receive as excellent or good. The 40% who rate their care as excellent ties for the highest since Gallup started asking the question annually in 2001.

Er, there's a slight difference between Americans being happy with the qulaity of the health care they recieve versus them being happy with the cost/TOC/etc of their health insurance scheme, one is medical proffessional and the other is insurance industry, although I understand you would like to confuse the two for the sake of your point of view!

[JLCrab]

I haven't changed my tune at all. People that have enough cash to donate the funds for a new wing at the hospital still buy health insurance because they, and their financial advisers, consider it to be a good deal. They, unlike some others, do not seem confident that they will not be among those who have the calamitous outcome and get a large return on their invested premiums.

The only problem is you have to buy the insurance when you are healthy and young enough and before you have the need to become a walking pharmacopoeia like the guy directly above.

Funny, but you can't have it both ways so which is it, in post 161 you say, "wealthy people do not buy or need to buy insurance" then in post 163 you say the opposite, a little confused this morning are we or is it time for the senility meds perhaps.

I said in Post #161 if you read the info in Post #160 you might assume that wealthy people do not or should not buy health insurance.If so, then good for you.

[lopburi3]

One troll post removed - please keep on topic rather than on posters. Thanks.

One off-topic post removed - this is not a discussion of where to buy medications.

[XINLOI]

A tough one here. As of this moment, the care provider that I see in Udon will not accept any insurance from the USA or Canada. They state vehemetly, that neither of these countries insurance companys pays their bills. I have no insurance there,(USA), and am insurable due to pre existing conditions. I do have 100% medical paid by the VA, from the US and even though I pay at first, I get reimbursed for the conditions of my disability later. Remember the 500 BT, everyone was paying to exit the country?. That was supposed to pay the burden of all the tourist health issues. They supposedly moved that cost to be included into the ticket price or tax but evidently it has disappeared into many a someones pockets.That if their statements are correct about tourist numbers equates out to about 37.5 Bil a year. Where did that pile of change disappear to? (that is why they love the tourist).

Edited May 6, 2013 by XINLOI

[johnsell50]

It is for reasons like this that I, and quite a few others I talk to, are staying fluid here. To me, it sounds like there are going to be quite a few instabilities here in the next ten years. I would like to retire here permanently but I am not going to put down any real roots until I see which way the wind blows on a number of things. I am not a rich farang. If I had to pay out 800,000 B for medical expenses, it would leave me with not a whole lot left. It would also cover quite a bit of medical care. Then when it came time for my next one year visa, I might not meet the requirement. Wouldn't that fix the problem in and of itself?

[Keesters]

It goes a little further than do you have or do you not have insurance. It goes into how much is that insurance valid for. Not only in monetary value but in what it does and doesn't cover. I have medical insurance, for a value up to 300,000. I could change plan to 700,000. But whatever the amount it won't cover heart problem as they are a preexisting condition exclusion.

If I have a heart problem I'm not insured, if I have an accident that requires 600,000 to fix me up as it did with a friend I'm only half insured. And for those too old to get insurance have some extra cash around to pay for medical event. How much? 400,000 for a stent, more than a million for a pit bull attack.

Do they give me a visa because they see a piece of paper? Do they refuse a visa because they read that piece of paper and decide I'm gonna have a heart attack and I'm not insured for it?

[Jingthing]

It goes a little further than do you have or do you not have insurance. It goes into how much is that insurance valid for. Not only in monetary value but in what it does and doesn't cover. I have medical insurance, for a value up to 300,000. I could change plan to 700,000. But whatever the amount it won't cover heart problem as they are a preexisting condition exclusion.

If I have a heart problem I'm not insured, if I have an accident that requires 600,000 to fix me up as it did with a friend I'm only half insured. And for those too old to get insurance have some extra cash around to pay for medical event. How much? 400,000 for a stent, more than a million for a pit bull attack.

Do they give me a visa because they see a piece of paper? Do they refuse a visa because they read that piece of paper and decide I'm gonna have a heart attack and I'm not insured for it?

Spot on. The enforcement issue is a can of worms. Another reason they probably won't do this. Edited May 6, 2013 by Jingthing

[lopburi3]

Some posts removed as off-topic - the discussion is a proposed proposal to maybe require medical insurance.

[ThaiBob]

A simple solution would be:

1. For tourists. A small increase in the airport tax that is added to the ticket cost. 100 baht for example which reimburses hospitals for any unpaid bills. This is not buying insurance for tourists, in fact they don't know it exists.

2. For uninsured retirees. Double the 65000/800000k requirement with the increase going to a special medical account which can only be accessed by claims filed against the account by hospitals. Nobody is grandfathered. Letting a medical lien placed against a chanote to satisfy this requirement should be considered.

[Jingthing]

A simple solution would be:

1. For tourists. A small increase in the airport tax that is added to the ticket cost. 100 baht for example which reimburses hospitals for any unpaid bills. This is not buying insurance for tourists, in fact they don't know it exists.

2. For uninsured retirees. Double the 65000/800000k requirement with the increase going to a special medical account which can only be accessed by claims filed against the account by hospitals. Nobody is grandfathered. Letting a medical lien placed against a chanote to satisfy this requirement should be considered.

You've just suggested kicking out over half the retirees here. Congratulations! (I call that suggestion SMUGNESS on steroids.)

I seriously don't think anything Thai immigration is going to come up with about this, if anything, is going to be nearly as BAT SHEIT CRAZY as some of the anti-foreigner suggestions here from some foreigners themselves.

Edited May 6, 2013 by Jingthing

[oldsailor35]

So how do we stop the discrimination by health insurance companies against over 70's. Many will just not insure anyone over this age.

[Keesters]

A simple solution would be:

1. For tourists. A small increase in the airport tax that is added to the ticket cost. 100 baht for example which reimburses hospitals for any unpaid bills. This is not buying insurance for tourists, in fact they don't know it exists.

2. For uninsured retirees. Double the 65000/800000k requirement with the increase going to a special medical account which can only be accessed by claims filed against the account by hospitals. Nobody is grandfathered. Letting a medical lien placed against a chanote to satisfy this requirement should be considered.

Wow you gave this one a lot of thought didn't you? I should come under category 2. but think I'll change and come under category 1. 100 baht per ticket, 4 tickets a year. Annual cost 400 baht versus 800,000 locked away from my being able to use it. And if 400 a year is enough just add it to my 1,900 annual visa fee. No need for all the chanote stuff and/or special bank accounts. Edited May 6, 2013 by Keesters

[Keesters]

So how do we stop the discrimination by health insurance companies against over 70's. Many will just not insure anyone over this age.

I don't see it as discrimination. They just don't do it as the cost would be prohibitive. I mean would you be prepared to spend 300,000 year for medical insurance. That's just a guess, I don't know what the figure would be except it would be HUGE.