Thailand to require foreign tourists to buy health insurance

[chiang mai]

If I was forced to buy compulsary health insurance here in Thailand, surely it would only be for use at government hospitals, otherwise it's going to be far too expensive - the problem they are trying to resolve is the losses at the governement hospitals not the private hospital patients who can't pay.

But if I needed treatment and I chose to ignore the insurance and the governement hospitals and use a private hospital and pay cash, do I get a refund on my insurance costs, you see the dliema.

[ginjag]

Here here to mandatory insurance. When I worked in the hotel trade here the amount of our guests who didn't have either and, when the sh*t hit the fan, seemed to feel that it was the both the hotel's and Thailand's responsibility to dig them out of situation they found themselves in at no cost to themselves.

I just returned from a trip home and the all singing and dancing travel insurance price was negligible.

Basically if you're dumb enough to travel without insurance you'd do the world a favour by staying at home.

O.K. so I'm dumb enough to be here, and pushing into my last quarter century cannot get insurance, especially if you already have a medical record.

I'll pay my fees when I have to------,my home is here thanks and when they make me have the insurance I'll be glad to accept.

When making clever comments think about other persons, Your comments are for the silly sods that have NO thought on the subject and don't care. I DO thanks,

Just pointing out to you that with all your hotel trade experience, have a thought for the not SO DUMB

[bkk_mike]

Thai government hospitals are free for Thais not for foreigners. Maybe they should implement a reciprocal policy in the UK so that Thais turning up at a British hospital are required to either pay or show their insurance documents? I wonder how many xenophobic Asian countries are left in the 21st century?

That system already exists, all non-residents either pay or provide insurance.

Actually - not 100% true.

Emergency treatment in the UK until you're "stabilised" is free, regardless of where you're from. (so if you have a heart attack the ambulance will still come and get you and take you to the ER, and probably into the ICU for free).

After you're stable - yes, a bill will start accruing charges. (or at least it's supposed to - but the NHS isn't really set up for billing people, so it doesn't always happen).

Getting insurance once you're over 60 is still relatively OK, as a lot of travel policies will still cover you. It really starts to get hard at 75, and ridiculous at 85. - and that's for westerners. Try getting insurance for a Thai - once they're 70, your only options are worldwide policies from the US - with ambulance cover and stuff that you don't actually need for a trip to the UK (and they're not cheap).

[davejones]

Very easy to do. Just add an extra charge to all airline tickets to cover foreigner medical expenses. Airlines already collect tax, so they could make the change to their system in about 2 mins. e.g. if medical costs average out at $5 per tourists, then they just add $5 to each ticket, or each visa. Very simple indeed. No proof needed, as all hospitals will know everyone is covered. Many on here are overthinking this and seeing problems where there aren't any. Why should Thai taxpayers pay for tourists that need medical treatment? This is a great idea.

[thaigold]

Why should Thailand bear the costs of a visiting tourist? Travel insurance is dirt cheap (outside of the destination country). Travel insurance, no problem. Why is this news anyway?

[jpeg]

BTW tell me a country that has free health care. Even Canada will cost you money if you are a traveler. If you are hurt int he US you are screwed if you do not have good health care.

I agree that you should either be able to prove you have health insurance or for us that have been here awhile the funds in a Thai bank to support you if you are injured.

Monaco. Free healthcare is provided to citizens and tourists alike from the proceeds of their casinos via Princess Grace Fund. However, Thailand does not have casinos.

Edited June 29, 2013 by jpeg

[amykat]

I recently re-read a travel medical policy I previously bought in Thailand from AIA. It excluded almost everything that would likely happen on a vacation.

Not covered: any pre-existing conditions, any conditions that could be from a treatment for a pre-exisiting condition (like an adverse reaction to some medication you take), all bacterial infections, anything related to pregnancy, anything that happens while you have any alcohol in your body, or drugs, or medications. Any accident or injury from any and all sports, adventure type things, car accidents, motorbike accidents, puplic transport accidents, anything related to your flight. Of course any "acts of God" so the Tsunami I suppose wouldn't have been covered, any war or civil disturbance, etc. Anything you could have caught from another country and brought with you ...like a mosquito disease , a virus, etc. The list is longer but these are the things I can remember right now.

So, what happens, and who pays, for all of the above things, in these cases? Won't Thailand still be in the same boat with some few people who can't pay??

This is the main problem with insurance ... it won't pay in most/many cases.

[BrianCR]

How many of you without insurance would be willing to pay 3-5K baht/month to participate in the Thai national health insurance program without pre-existing conditions? ie. full coverage.

When did you dream those figures up? The Thai Social Security System that you are referring to charges employed Thai or Westerners between 420 - 750 baht per month depending on salary! It covers full medical treatment including prescriptions/operations/admitted and non admitted persons and a full return on all your payments when you reach the age of 60. Also regardless of income the monthly fee drops to 420 baht from that age on and, you can reclaim all further fee's paid every six months from your local Social Security Office, regardless of which office you made your payments as they are all computer linked

There is no medical and preexisting conditions are also covered!

Edited June 29, 2013 by BrianCR

[navara]

So those 20 million tourists have to buy expensive insurances, while they have to pay cash at any Thai hospital anyway.

[Thai at Heart]

Tourists?

You do realise this includes hundreds of business people per hour from Singapore and other areas coming in twice a week for meetings for example?

[RedQualia]

As usual, the headline of this story is incorrect. Thailand has not announced new requirements for all tourists to have health/accident insurance. Thailand is thinking about it. Or rather, some people in the government of Thailand are thinking about it. Nothing more than that.

[stingray]

I have International Healt Care Insurance and i will not buy a Thai insurance again, when i covered by my international insurance. This is another scam to rip of money from tourists, what about all the cambodian and burmese workers in this country? Do they have Thai healt insurance?

[Soutpeel]

Tourists?

You do realise this includes hundreds of business people per hour from Singapore and other areas coming in twice a week for meetings for example?

But you do know most of these businessmen will have private health insurance anyway

[culicine]

The health ministry set up the meeting after Thailand's government asked it to address concerns about the financial burden on the country's state hospitals, which are required to provide foreigners with free medical service, Pradit said.

Free medical services for foreigners at state hospitals.... when did that start then?

I as thinking the same, fees for foreigners are normally double at surgeries and hospitals anyway.

Anyone have a list of the medical facilities in Chiangmai who provide the free service for farangs? I have been using Chiangmai Ram and can't even get out the door until you pay.

My wife is a civil servant and I'm covered under her scheme along with my son. I've visited government hospitals numerous times (mainly for kidney stone treatment / ultrasounds. Never been charged any more than the locals as far as I can tell. Well as for private hospitals they will gouge out how much they want from whoever they want.

Anyway, not sure how this plan will work out. What do they do in the US if you are a tourist who gets injured and has no insurance?

[Toscano]

I'm 76yrs and healthy , live in Thailand . I couldn't come to Thailand as a visitor because nobody would insure me .

Perhaps in Thailand one could get an insurance cover note , the same as when one needs a health certificate to renew the drivers licence .

Never see a doctor , people outside the licencing office go and get it for you .

Edited June 29, 2013 by metisdead
Bold font removed.

[PoodMaiDai]

Just in time. Myanmar is look pretty darn juicy to a lot of tourists.

[1020]

"Thailand to require foreign tourists to buy health insurance"

Nowhere in the article does it say that.

[freedom4life]

should be my choice and mine alone...don't interfere with my personal life and travels.

[Thai at Heart]

Tourists?

You do realise this includes hundreds of business people per hour from Singapore and other areas coming in twice a week for meetings for example?

But you do know most of these businessmen will have private health insurance anyway

Thousands are on domestic Singaporean or Malay insurance. Basically, you want to come for a meeting everyone has to be insured now for international travel. My previous employer used to have a conference in Bangkok every year with 200 attendees.

You think they will continue if they have to shell for bupa? No way.

Very costly for conferences and mice

They should allow a buy in for tourists/retirees to the same cost as a Thai employee to get into the Thai system.

1000 baht per month is plenty. Over 65s cannot get private insurance here at a reasonable cost.

Many companies in the region choose to self insure.

Edited June 29, 2013 by Thai at Heart

[spectrumisgreen]

Here here to mandatory insurance. When I worked in the hotel trade here the amount of our guests who didn't have either and, when the sh*t hit the fan, seemed to feel that it was the both the hotel's and Thailand's responsibility to dig them out of situation they found themselves in at no cost to themselves.

I just returned from a trip home and the all singing and dancing travel insurance price was negligible.

Basically if you're dumb enough to travel without insurance you'd do the world a favour by staying at home.

Agree totally.. what other 'argument' is there really? There is just NO excuse for not having any insurance.. my only concern of first reading of the new 'policy' was if the requirement would be to get travellers to buy insurance from within Thailand, meaning a money-spinner and the potential for lots of scamming and cheapie versions.. ARRIVING with insurance already in place is just how it should be.. a no-brainer.. as you say folks without it shouldn't travel.. full stop!!!

[jpeg]

"Thailand to require foreign tourists to buy health insurance"

Nowhere in the article does it say that.

I know, but it garners 'hits' for this site.

[mancub]

So , taking into account that there is

A: no "free " medical service available to foreign tourists , it's pay as you go , show your insurance details and/or produce a credit card ,

B: Embassy/consular staff are available to assist most nationalities , who can't immediately meet their treatment costs

...then the rare cases that actually leave Thai state hospitals out of pocket would probably equate to bugger all ....and could be negated by raising airport dep tax by ?baht per person x 25 million . Probably just a few satang I'd wager !

[chiang mai]

Here here to mandatory insurance. When I worked in the hotel trade here the amount of our guests who didn't have either and, when the sh*t hit the fan, seemed to feel that it was the both the hotel's and Thailand's responsibility to dig them out of situation they found themselves in at no cost to themselves.

I just returned from a trip home and the all singing and dancing travel insurance price was negligible.

Basically if you're dumb enough to travel without insurance you'd do the world a favour by staying at home.

Agree totally.. what other 'argument' is there really? There is just NO excuse for not having any insurance.. my only concern of first reading of the new 'policy' was if the requirement would be to get travellers to buy insurance from within Thailand, meaning a money-spinner and the potential for lots of scamming and cheapie versions.. ARRIVING with insurance already in place is just how it should be.. a no-brainer.. as you say folks without it shouldn't travel.. full stop!!!

Disagreed totally, I choose not to pay insurance company premiums and prefer to pay cash for the services I need this approach has served me well for at least ten years, only people who are scared or forced to pay for insurance.

[mickjn]

As I said a while ago just hike the airport Tax by ฿200 a passenger

200 baht lets be fair,put $200 on every ticket air fares to Thailand are very cheap

[marstons]

Even the all dumb ass Thai government cannot force foreign airlines to add insurance to the price of an airline ticket, many people already have it and i doubt it would be legal to do it. The thai goverment tend to forget 100,000's of there citizens get free health care outside of Thailand and are not a burden on the thai health service. If this comes in, last straw for me i am offski. in 17 years i never have and never will use public health, guess these means 2 fingers to all who cannot get insurance through age etc

[1020]

"Thailand to require foreign tourists to buy health insurance"

Nowhere in the article does it say that.

I know, but it garners 'hits' for this site.

And gets the simplier folk all riled up.

[Briggsy]

Never, never happen.

[12DrinkMore]

it's just Thai version Kubuki theater to appease the Xenophobes/Racists.

Nothing will come of it.... They can't stop people from driving on the sidewalks. Or even build decent sidewalks.

There are bigger fish to fry.

In their minds, there are no bigger fish than the rich Farang.

[jamhar]

I cant see Thailand doing anything that could hurt the tourism business, and imposing a mandatory insurance, or an "insurance tax" would most certainly would.

Question such as,

"Is it that dangerous to go there?"

"are there that many diseases there?"

"do that many tourist get hurt there?"

Not a great seller for the tourism industry.

And the neighboring countries would capitalize

ie, "come to beautiful Cambodia, where we don't require health insurance for a simple holiday getaway"

I'm an engineer, not an ad guy

but i can see that this is a clusterf*ck from a mile away.

Hopefully people will come to their senses,

but if not, knock yourself out.

[marstons]

I've got a better idea, why don't they insist that anyone who wants a visa for say twelve months, has to deposit a sum of money into a Thai bank, I don't know, something like THB 800,000 or so, I'll bet they never thought of that one.

They did for the retirement visa but how many people do it, sure many get the letter to say they have. what ever scam they come up with on the insurance there will be another scam to get around it organised it by the officials in charge of running it, tea money option. As long as there is a Thailand there will be a Tea money option.

Edited June 29, 2013 by marstons