Thailand to require foreign tourists to buy health insurance

[anotheruser]

The Thai health care plan will amount to what Cambodian borders have already.. . Two Dollars to check up on you and you can refuse. If they think this is mandatory I can print my own health insurance cards. Lloyds of London is the best. Poor people go to Thailand for health tourism, and nobody else that isn't going to die in the near future cares. Nobody with any kind of self respect that can afford western hospitals would ever come over here to seek treatment.

Do they require a TB test or any medical check up for retirees over 50? How will they differentiate between different health care systems in different countries? In a small amount of all but a handful of an almost negligible amount of acceptable Thai hospitals will the typical insurance company actually pay? The best Thai hospital is hardly prestigious.

Thailand isn't exactly the hub of medical care for anybody with money. If you are having any kind of treatment in Thailand, it means... you can't afford a good place to seek treatment.

They will probably bundle the tax into the airline tickets to hide the fee. Land borders? Really?

Foreigners already pay for their own health care 100%. The government may be failing to keep their 30 Baht promise to their own people and need some money. I have never received free healthcare in thailand and this insurance scheme just gets people involved that don't need to be.

Oh dear, you really should do your research on medical care here in Thailand before you let your fingers get ahead of your brain!

Blue Cross/Blue Shiled of the US has an agreement with Bumrungrad Hospital in Bangkok whereby US insurance cases are handled at Bumrungrad and this has been an increasing stream of their business for several years, it seems that the standards of care at Bumrungrad are at least comparable to anything in the US from an insurance perspective and yes, the prices are/were lower. Bumrungrad and Bangkok Hospitals are also the prefered hospitals of choice for residents of many Middle Eastern countries, interesting this should be the case when closer hospitals include a range of American and European hospitals in the Gulf states which in themsleves are of a very high standard.

So no, medical care in Thailand is not the poor mans choice, it is very often the prefered choice and many people now travel a long way to take advantage of it.

Oh okay, one hospital has one arrangement with an international insurance company. That is very reassuring. do you really think the Sheik of where ever goes to Bumrungrad if there is a choice between that and the mayo clinic? does Tony Blair go there? Thailand is the affordable choice in comparison to a slow death in an NHS line. I understand this but Thailand is not on the forefront of medical technology. Unless you need sex re-assignment surgery cheaply. No elite people come to thailand for this, they have it well in hand.

Thailand has one hospital ranked as 11th, which I am sure has been funded by some un-named source lately.

Nobody with any real money would travel to Thailand for medical treatment. It is affordable and relatively good but rich people are not coming for heart transplants.

http://hospitals.webometrics.info/en/world

[jamhar]

More recent numbers on medical tourist to thailand

The Ministry of Public Health

estimates that the national income directly generated

from medical tourism, not including the spending of

persons accompanying patients, will reach THB 80

billion (USD 2.7 billion) in 2012, with an annual

revenue growth between 5.5 to 7.0%.

In 2009, 1.4 million patients traveled to Thailand for

medical services; of this figure, 17% was comprised

of Japanese citizens, followed by those from the

United States, Great Britain, United Arab Emirates,

and Australia

The data for the unpaid foreign users of government hospitals would most likely be from the thai source. meaning i'm probably not going to find it. I have a Dr's appointment tomorrow, so maybe i'll ask my Dr.

[chiang mai]

The Thai health care plan will amount to what Cambodian borders have already.. . Two Dollars to check up on you and you can refuse. If they think this is mandatory I can print my own health insurance cards. Lloyds of London is the best. Poor people go to Thailand for health tourism, and nobody else that isn't going to die in the near future cares. Nobody with any kind of self respect that can afford western hospitals would ever come over here to seek treatment.

Do they require a TB test or any medical check up for retirees over 50? How will they differentiate between different health care systems in different countries? In a small amount of all but a handful of an almost negligible amount of acceptable Thai hospitals will the typical insurance company actually pay? The best Thai hospital is hardly prestigious.

Thailand isn't exactly the hub of medical care for anybody with money. If you are having any kind of treatment in Thailand, it means... you can't afford a good place to seek treatment.

They will probably bundle the tax into the airline tickets to hide the fee. Land borders? Really?

Foreigners already pay for their own health care 100%. The government may be failing to keep their 30 Baht promise to their own people and need some money. I have never received free healthcare in thailand and this insurance scheme just gets people involved that don't need to be.

Oh dear, you really should do your research on medical care here in Thailand before you let your fingers get ahead of your brain!

Blue Cross/Blue Shiled of the US has an agreement with Bumrungrad Hospital in Bangkok whereby US insurance cases are handled at Bumrungrad and this has been an increasing stream of their business for several years, it seems that the standards of care at Bumrungrad are at least comparable to anything in the US from an insurance perspective and yes, the prices are/were lower. Bumrungrad and Bangkok Hospitals are also the prefered hospitals of choice for residents of many Middle Eastern countries, interesting this should be the case when closer hospitals include a range of American and European hospitals in the Gulf states which in themsleves are of a very high standard.

So no, medical care in Thailand is not the poor mans choice, it is very often the prefered choice and many people now travel a long way to take advantage of it.

Oh okay, one hospital has one arrangement with an international insurance company. That is very reassuring. do you really think the Sheik of where ever goes to Bumrungrad if there is a choice between that and the mayo clinic? does Tony Blair go there? Thailand is the affordable choice in comparison to a slow death in an NHS line. I understand this but Thailand is not on the forefront of medical technology. Unless you need sex re-assignment surgery cheaply. No elite people come to thailand for this, they have it well in hand.

Thailand has one hospital ranked as 11th, which I am sure has been funded by some un-named source lately.

Nobody with any real money would travel to Thailand for medical treatment. It is affordable and relatively good but rich people are not coming for heart transplants.

http://hospitals.webometrics.info/en/world

The Blue Cross example with Bumrungrad was an example and not a complete list but I think you understood that!

My previous response was a rebuttal to your statement where you said, "Nobody with any kind of self respect that can afford western hospitals would ever come over here to seek treatment", clearly that is not the case and very clearly your statement is wholly incorrect. You seem to forget that the Far East and Asia contains billions of people and is home to some very sophisticated and technically advanced medical facilities, residents of that area have no inclination or need to travel to the West,for the same care, even to the Mayo Clinic. So whilst the likes of the Sheik and Tony Blair may elect to go to premier European or US hospitals, their Asian counterparts will almost certainly not and will instead head for Chula Hosptal, Bumrungrad, NUH in Singapore and the Queen Elizabeth in Hong Kong, the West is not the centre of the world!.

The great thing about health care is that once you reach a certain a level of care and proficency you become just one of a myriad of choices for would be patients, the remaining determining factors are likely to be cost and location. Having previously been a patient in Bumrungrad in Bangkok and also the John Radcliffe in Oxford, I know for sure which one I would choose any day of the week and wouldn't be Oxford.

[7by7]

Does any other country do this ?

Yes, lots.

For example, unless you are a qualifying family member of an EEA national and travelling with or to join that EEA national then health insurance is mandatory when applying for a Schengen visa.

Edited July 1, 2013 by 7by7

[gk10002000]

What exactly do they mean by health insurance? I am a US citizen. I carry Blue Cross Blue Shield from Florida, my state of residence. Of course that won't be recognized directly over in Thailand. If I go to a hospital, they bill me. I then submit a claim to Blue Cross. In the past, I did buy some travel/medical insurance, but found out in the details that it did not do me much good.

1: The insurance company does NOT directly pay the hospital or doctor bill.

Now, maybe if you live in Thailand and have policy with Bupa or some hospital chain, direct billing is done, but I am sure that any or most valid insurance policies and coverages foreign travelers will have will NOT deal directly with Thailand. So I can't imagine how something this official was proposing could be implemented, especially for tourists. Now, I can imagine them requiring some proof of insurance. I always carry my insurance cards and can always contact Blue Cross if needed. I can't imagine the Thais becoming knowledgable in all the possible and valid health insurance companies that exist in so many foreign countries.

[anotheruser]

The Thai health care plan will amount to what Cambodian borders have already.. . Two Dollars to check up on you and you can refuse. If they think this is mandatory I can print my own health insurance cards. Lloyds of London is the best. Poor people go to Thailand for health tourism, and nobody else that isn't going to die in the near future cares. Nobody with any kind of self respect that can afford western hospitals would ever come over here to seek treatment.

Do they require a TB test or any medical check up for retirees over 50? How will they differentiate between different health care systems in different countries? In a small amount of all but a handful of an almost negligible amount of acceptable Thai hospitals will the typical insurance company actually pay? The best Thai hospital is hardly prestigious.

Thailand isn't exactly the hub of medical care for anybody with money. If you are having any kind of treatment in Thailand, it means... you can't afford a good place to seek treatment.

They will probably bundle the tax into the airline tickets to hide the fee. Land borders? Really?

Foreigners already pay for their own health care 100%. The government may be failing to keep their 30 Baht promise to their own people and need some money. I have never received free healthcare in thailand and this insurance scheme just gets people involved that don't need to be.

Oh dear, you really should do your research on medical care here in Thailand before you let your fingers get ahead of your brain!

Blue Cross/Blue Shiled of the US has an agreement with Bumrungrad Hospital in Bangkok whereby US insurance cases are handled at Bumrungrad and this has been an increasing stream of their business for several years, it seems that the standards of care at Bumrungrad are at least comparable to anything in the US from an insurance perspective and yes, the prices are/were lower. Bumrungrad and Bangkok Hospitals are also the prefered hospitals of choice for residents of many Middle Eastern countries, interesting this should be the case when closer hospitals include a range of American and European hospitals in the Gulf states which in themsleves are of a very high standard.

So no, medical care in Thailand is not the poor mans choice, it is very often the prefered choice and many people now travel a long way to take advantage of it.

Oh okay, one hospital has one arrangement with an international insurance company. That is very reassuring. do you really think the Sheik of where ever goes to Bumrungrad if there is a choice between that and the mayo clinic? does Tony Blair go there? Thailand is the affordable choice in comparison to a slow death in an NHS line. I understand this but Thailand is not on the forefront of medical technology. Unless you need sex re-assignment surgery cheaply. No elite people come to thailand for this, they have it well in hand.

Thailand has one hospital ranked as 11th, which I am sure has been funded by some un-named source lately.

Nobody with any real money would travel to Thailand for medical treatment. It is affordable and relatively good but rich people are not coming for heart transplants.

http://hospitals.webometrics.info/en/world

The Blue Cross example with Bumrungrad was an example and not a complete list but I think you understood that!

My previous response was a rebuttal to your statement where you said, "Nobody with any kind of self respect that can afford western hospitals would ever come over here to seek treatment", clearly that is not the case and very clearly your statement is wholly incorrect. You seem to forget that the Far East and Asia contains billions of people and is home to some very sophisticated and technically advanced medical facilities, residents of that area have no inclination or need to travel to the West,for the same care, even to the Mayo Clinic. So whilst the likes of the Sheik and Tony Blair may elect to go to premier European or US hospitals, their Asian counterparts will almost certainly not and will instead head for Chula Hosptal, Bumrungrad, NUH in Singapore and the Queen Elizabeth in Hong Kong, the West is not the centre of the world!.

The great thing about health care is that once you reach a certain a level of care and proficency you become just one of a myriad of choices for would be patients, the remaining determining factors are likely to be cost and location. Having previously been a patient in Bumrungrad in Bangkok and also the John Radcliffe in Oxford, I know for sure which one I would choose any day of the week and wouldn't be Oxford.

Okay point taken. Let's just say affluent westerners aren't waiting in line.

[devilish]

This seems way out of character for normally lazy Thai-style. I do fortunately have health insurance, but would they require special tourist/travel abroad=only health insurance ? ? ? jeez... a little unreasonable to request as much for normal tourists.

Why not health insurance for a small fee upon entering the country ?

[Spellforce]

I only hope that it is reciprocal.

This is always reciprocal.

Thais travelling to UK, USA etc should also be required to have medical insurance, commensurate with the standard of care at western government hospitals.

That's why I think that the thai representatives & rich thais who travel, won't validate this proposal.

[chiang mai]

I copied the following from another thread where it was posted today, courtesy Mapranghomes, it makes the point rather well that it WILL be reciprocal and that foriegners entering the UK will have to raise a deposit to cover health care costs: (apologies that it's the Sun newspaper):

ALL foreigners arriving in Britain will face a fee of up to thousands of pounds to pay for their healthcare.

The levy will be mandatory for everyone except tourists for any stay longer than six months in a new Government plan.

It will be paid upfront, before migrants know whether they will need any treatment and will be imposed even if they have private health insurance, The Sun can reveal.

The scheme — which hopes to recoup the £200million a year the NHS currently pays treating non-Brits — will be unveiled by Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt tomorrow.

A senior source told The Sun: “The pressures on the health service are already huge with our ageing population, so we need to start relieving the burden.

“A migrant flat fee re-introduces the important contributory principle. Why should foreigners get treatment for free, while British citizens pay for theirs through their taxes?”

The charge’s exact figure has yet to be decided, and is expected to be put out to a public consultation.

But a heated row is raging in the Coalition over whether it should be set at a few hundred pounds or to several thousand, The Sun has learned.

And the proposals are already facing strong opposition from the Business and Education departments.

Ministers there insist it could hit investment and talent coming in to the country by making it too expensive for many — as well as slashing colleges’ and universities’ potential income.

The levy — which already exists in some nations such as Australia — will appear in the government’s flagship Immigration Bill in the autumn.

Mr Hunt will also unveil a new registration and tracking system to spot freeloading foreign patients trying to rip off British taxpayers

Read more: http://www.thesun.co...l#ixzz2XrhHIPz0

[Spellforce]

The levy will be mandatory for everyone except tourists for any stay longer than six months in a new Government plan.

If UK starts, Thailand will apply the same rule, this is fare.

[chiang mai]

The levy will be mandatory for everyone except tourists for any stay longer than six months in a new Government plan.

If UK starts, Thailand will apply the same rule, this is fare.

Thailand didn't originate this concept, in fact they seem to have copied it from the UK on this occaision - Thailand the hub of legislation copiers. or put another way, we can't think these things up by ourselves, let's see what other governements are doing and do the same.

[Spellforce]

Thailand didn't originate this concept, in fact they seem to have copied it from the UK on this occaision - Thailand the hub of legislation copiers. or put another way, we can't think these things up by ourselves, let's see what other governements are doing and do the same.

But the health care are free in UK and according to the reciprocal principle, a tourist won't have to pay anything in Thailand .. even in the pharmacies !

[Spellforce]

OR if you are a UK tourist, you will have to show your UK tourist VISA in the pharmacy, and you won't have to pay your 30 bahts paracetamol. Easy

[chiang mai]

Thailand didn't originate this concept, in fact they seem to have copied it from the UK on this occaision - Thailand the hub of legislation copiers. or put another way, we can't think these things up by ourselves, let's see what other governements are doing and do the same.

But the health care are free in UK and according to the reciprocal principle, a tourist won't have to pay anything in Thailand .. even in the pharmacies !

I don't know where you got that from, the NHS is free to resident citizens in the UK, pharmacy bills are paid by the patient on a fixed rate basis. Nothing even remotely similar is being proposed in Thailand as far as I can see.

[wolf5370]

Wonder if they thought of doing a cost benefit of this. Just how much is lost through "free" treatment (I imagine they have to cover emergency treatment if costs can not be recouped after) each year that is not retrieved after the fact. Compare that to the benefit of selling insurance for the small number of tourists who are not already covered on holiday, annual, multi-trip, credit card/bank account, etc, coverage already. Then take into account lost tourists (as cost increases); how long the benefit of charging will last (how long would it be before everyone who could get covered from home, does, instead of paying the visa top up); how many tourists would be put off; cost of collection and providing the coverage.

Not to mention that many people simply can not get health insurance (my mother can't - due to past illness). How would people feel about giving personal medical history etc to some immigration bod? Due to the nature of bulk selling (catch all) - it is likely there will be many exclusions to claims on the policy, so again pushing visitors to buy externally.

So, the benefit to Thailand is???

[Spellforce]

I don't know where you got that from, the NHS is free to resident citizens in the UK, pharmacy bills are paid by the patient on a fixed rate basis. Nothing even remotely similar is being proposed in Thailand as far as I can see.

Because of the article above that says "Why should foreigners get treatment for free, while British citizens pay for theirs through their taxes?”".

[Soutpeel]

Why should foreigners get treatment for free, while British citizens pay for theirs through their taxes?”".

There in could be the solution for farang "residents" in Thailand wanting them to avail themselves to "free" or subsidised medical treatment in Thailand, pay income tax here...

[7by7]

I don't know where you got that from, the NHS is free to resident citizens in the UK, pharmacy bills are paid by the patient on a fixed rate basis. Nothing even remotely similar is being proposed in Thailand as far as I can see.

Because of the article above that says "Why should foreigners get treatment for free, while British citizens pay for theirs through their taxes?”".

The article actually says "A senior source told the Sun..........."

As explained several times in this thread, visitors to the UK do not get free NHS treatment; except for initial treatment in an A & E department, walk in centre or with a GP and treatment for certain conditions, such as psychiatric disorders.

Even that may be charged if the condition is pre existing; when my sister in law visited she was charged for treatment at a walk in centre because the accident which caused the, minor, injury to her eyeball occurred while she was still in Thailand.

UK residents, whether they be migrants or citizens, do receive full NHS treatment; but the vast majority of those either work and pay tax themselves or are a family member of someone who does.

There could be a case, though, for charging foreign students; but the overseas student fees they have to pay to their university or college already heavily subsidise the fees charged to British students.

But isn't this a topic about a proposal that Thailand follows the lead of many countries, including most of Europe, in introducing mandatory health insurance for tourists; not about who and who can't access free NHS care in the UK?

As for the Sun:

Edited July 2, 2013 by 7by7

[Salapoo]

People realize that the title of the thread is a LIE, right?

Surely people actually read the article?

Strange website, that posts lies as some sort of fact in their news thread titles.

[Jingthing]

People realize that the title of the thread is a LIE, right?

Surely people actually read the article?

Strange website, that posts lies as some sort of fact in their news thread titles.

That's a bit strong but a more apt title would be something like this:

Thailand considers requiring foreign tourists to buy health insurance

[sustento]

A much more apt title would be:

Thailand considers requiring foreign tourists to buy TRAVEL insurance

[Johpa]

Nobody with any real money would travel to Thailand for medical treatment. It is affordable and relatively good but rich people are not coming for heart transplants.

Ah, but some relatively well off people do come to Thailand, as well as India, for numerous procedures and treatment although not heart transplants nor cutting edge cancer therapy. But of course the extraordinarily wealthy, have no need to come to Thailand just as they have no need to clip coupons. But yes, there are those of us who are pathetic middle class scum without any "real" money who do take our fake funds to Thailand to be able to afford health and dental care that is equal to, if not better, than what can be found at least here in the USofA.

[Jay Sata]

Any traveller who does not have insurance is a fool.

The Thai government could easily add a little extra to the cost of a visa which would compensate for

access to medical attention.

[Jingthing]

Any traveller who does not have insurance is a fool.

The Thai government could easily add a little extra to the cost of a visa which would compensate for

access to medical attention.

Most tourists enter WITHOUT visas ...

[Jay Sata]

Permit to stay or whatever it's not rocket science to collect the fee.

Edited July 4, 2013 by Jay Sata

[Jingthing]

Permit to stay or whatever it's not rocket science to collect the fee.

The immigration lines at BKK are long enough!

Edited July 4, 2013 by Jingthing

[Jay Sata]

It's easy to devise a system of paying on-line prior to entry.

As for the immigration lines the biggest culprits are those who fail to fill out the landing card.

I've seen loads fill it out at the desk.

[Jingthing]

It's easy to devise a system of paying on-line prior to entry.

...

Easy huh?

It's like we're living in DIFFERENT countries.

It would be "easy" to have an online 90 day reporting facility too ...

In any case, this ain't gonna happen anyway, and I think most veteran expats would agree.

Edited July 4, 2013 by Jingthing

[slapout]

Permit to stay or whatever it's not rocket science to collect the fee.

Consider who is proposing this program (Thai Politicians), foreigners targeted, (foreign exchange invovled), who will adminstrator the program, (civil employees), who will provide insurance (local companies, in part) by the time they finish fleecing the tourists, skimming from fees, accounting, etc rocket science/planning/lift off, will look simple.

[Tomtomtom69]

Emergency medical services are provided and in some cases people with chronic problems have been treated despite being unable to pay.

In just one example:

Jetsada Jongpaiboonpattana, director of the state-run Vachira Phuket Hospital, said the hospital spent about 3 million baht last year on treating foreign tourists for free.

The cost involves medical services for accidents, emergency care and operations, and taking care of dead foreigners whose bodies were left at the hospital.

The hospital has now set up a foundation and accepts donations from patients to help pay for foreign patients who cannot afford medical fees.

This matter comes up every time this topic is brought up. Those of us who actually pay for our treatment end up paying more for those foreigners who are unable to pay hospital charges.

While it may be difficult to enact and enforce, it's certainly a reasonable matter of concern.

I suppose it can't cost that much. If a big hospital in Phuket states it spends 'only' 3 million baht on treatment for foreigners that can't/ don't pay, I wonder how many hospitals in the country would have a similar expense. Phuket is probably one of the most touristic areas of the country, so there are probably few hospitals that exceed this amount. I actually think that 90, if not more, percent of all hospitals in the country hardly get to treat any tourists at all. Somewhere I read something about 20 million tourists in a year. If they all pay 100 baht, either included in their ticket just like some countries charge an airport tax or just on arrival, then that would mean 2 billion baht. I strongly doubt the costs of unpaid treatments by foreign tourists would exceed this amount of money. No need to look at anyones age, medical past, or whatever.

I might be wrong.

This is all good and well, but as I have stated before, what's the deal with Myanmar, Cambodian and Lao nationals? Most of them don't have insurance and are likely to be the biggest drain on any hospital's resources here in Thailand. These people need to be covered urgently coz I am quite certain that they have a much greater likelihood of being treated for free than a western foreigner who is much more likely to be insured and who can always go back home to even better medical treatment in their home countries, whereas citizens of these three nations have grossly inferior treatment options available back home. Residents of border areas often head into Thailand to give birth (for example Myawaddy residents head to Mae Sot) because on the Myanmar side the hospitals are so bad their babies might die.