Yellow Book and Insurance

[FredLee]

Picked up my yellow house book this morning. The gentleman at the Amphur that handled all my paperwork told me that I was now eligible to get the Thai insurance card for use at the government hospitals. I have read conflicting posts on this before, but the overall consensus as I remember it is that the insurance is for Thai citizens only. I don't intend to try it as I already have adequate insurance, but it would certainly be a boon to those that for one reason or another have difficulty getting insurance here, if he is in fact correct.

[Sparkles]

My Doctor informed me of that benefit a while ago and a timely reminder to get a yellow book,thank you.Once over 70 insurance premium costs are prohibitive

[worgeordie]

I thought they had stopped that provision,a while ago, it depends

on the first and maybe the 2nd digit of the number of your book,.

if you are eligible for the health benefits

regards Worgeordie

[Issangeorge]

We checked at our amphur a couple of weeks ago and they said we could not get insurance with a yello book.

Sent from my i-mobile IQ 6 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Sparkles]

We checked at our amphur a couple of weeks ago and they said we could not get insurance with a yello book.

Sent from my i-mobile IQ 6 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Well they may well be right but at the end of the day its the hospital that makes the decision,hopefully someone will come forward with some info

[anto]

We checked at our amphur a couple of weeks ago and they said we could not get insurance with a yello book.

Sent from my i-mobile IQ 6 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Well they may well be right but at the end of the day its the hospital that makes the decision,hopefully someone will come forward with some info

Having recently got the very coveted yellow book i would also like to know for sure .

[transam]

Open your book. Top of the first page, 4 numbers then a dash then 6 numbers. If the first number of the 6 is not a 5 or 6 your stuffed. That's what I was told. I have a 0, and that's what it means.

[Hugh Jarse]

We checked at our amphur a couple of weeks ago and they said we could not get insurance with a yello book.

Sent from my i-mobile IQ 6 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Well they may well be right but at the end of the day its the hospital that makes the decision,hopefully someone will come forward with some info

Having recently got the very coveted yellow book i would also like to know for sure .

What documention do the Amphur Office require before issuing the "Yellow" book? And do you still need to be accompanied by the headman of the Tamboon? Grateful.

[gamini]

Free health insurance is only for Thais and permanent residents. Quite frankly I can't see any beneifit of having a yellow housebook and it it is certainly not "coveted" by any expat who has been here long enough to know that it gives no avantage over those who dont have one.

[jollyposty]

Free health insurance is only for Thais and permanent residents. Quite frankly I can't see any beneifit of having a yellow housebook and it it is certainly not "coveted" by any expat who has been here long enough to know that it gives no avantage over those who dont have one.

I thought that with THE book your wife cant have the BIB throw you out when she throws one.. I know that when you go to a national park and show THE book you pay the thai price and not the farang price happy days as the cashier don't like it..

[worgeordie]

Free health insurance is only for Thais and permanent residents. Quite frankly I can't see any beneifit of having a yellow housebook and it it is certainly not "coveted" by any expat who has been here long enough to know that it gives no avantage over those who dont have one.

Hi gamini, I am afraid you are wrong, I have a yellow book and get free treatment,tablets,examinations,and blood work done every month,

at my local Government hospital, and I rate it better than Lana hospital,the Nurses,Doctors are very friendly and helpful,and seem to take

a real interest in my problems, while the Dr. at Lana,was not happy at all when you did not buy the medicines from their dispensary,at

inflated prices.

So I am one Expat who coverts his yellow book,

regards Worgeordie

[wolf5370]

Free health insurance is only for Thais and permanent residents. Quite frankly I can't see any beneifit of having a yellow housebook and it it is certainly not "coveted" by any expat who has been here long enough to know that it gives no avantage over those who dont have one.

Hi gamini, I am afraid you are wrong, I have a yellow book and get free treatment,tablets,examinations,and blood work done every month,

at my local Government hospital, and I rate it better than Lana hospital,the Nurses,Doctors are very friendly and helpful,and seem to take

a real interest in my problems, while the Dr. at Lana,was not happy at all when you did not buy the medicines from their dispensary,at

inflated prices.

So I am one Expat who coverts his yellow book,

regards Worgeordie

...and do you have the numbers Transam mentioned in post #7 ?

[worgeordie]

Free health insurance is only for Thais and permanent residents. Quite frankly I can't see any beneifit of having a yellow housebook and it it is certainly not "coveted" by any expat who has been here long enough to know that it gives no avantage over those who dont have one.

Hi gamini, I am afraid you are wrong, I have a yellow book and get free treatment,tablets,examinations,and blood work done every month,

at my local Government hospital, and I rate it better than Lana hospital,the Nurses,Doctors are very friendly and helpful,and seem to take

a real interest in my problems, while the Dr. at Lana,was not happy at all when you did not buy the medicines from their dispensary,at

inflated prices.

So I am one Expat who coverts his yellow book,

regards Worgeordie

...and do you have the numbers Transam mentioned in post #7 ?

Well I must have the correct numbers as I would not be able to get treatment Etc, BUT as I said earlier I believe they have now stopped issuing yellow books that give you health benefits. regards Worgeordie

[BB1955]

Ok I got the yellow book a couple of months ago in Hang Dong . We had gone to the hospital a few weeks prior and they were not sure if I would be covered or not . After getting the book we took it to the hospital they checked on the computer and advised I could not be covered . She stated that there was a time it was open to foreigners married to Thai s . But that has stopped . Now please if anyone knows different please tell me ..

Prior to that my wife got her book for the house . She took it to the hospital and was excepted and has used it a few times .

But Please if anyone knows insurance can be got with the yellow book and a way to do it I would like to know ....

[BB1955]

Open your book. Top of the first page, 4 numbers then a dash then 6 numbers. If the first number of the 6 is not a 5 or 6 your stuffed. That's what I was told. I have a 0, and that's what it means.

I have a 0 as well and was not able to get on it ....

[fcgprg]

Open your book. Top of the first page, 4 numbers then a dash then 6 numbers. If the first number of the 6 is not a 5 or 6 your stuffed. That's what I was told. I have a 0, and that's what it means.

I have a 0 as well and was not able to get on it ....

Same 0 is the first of the 6 numbers ,so cannot get it also.

[hml367]

Look through this and see if it is easy to understand:

http://www.jointlearningnetwork.org/sites/jlnstage.affinitybridge.com/files/2002_National_Health_Security_Act_BE_2545.pdf

[hml367]

Another..... see Remarks at the bottom of page :

http://whothailand.healthrepository.org/bitstream/123456789/590/1/National%20Health%20Act_2007.pdf

[BB1955]

Another..... see Remarks at the bottom of page :

http://whothailand.healthrepository.org/bitstream/123456789/590/1/National%20Health%20Act_2007.pdf

Both are easy to understand but didnt seem to answer the question . Just how the sytem is set up . Or did I miss something ?

[hml367]

It seemed to me to explain how the system is setup.

Maybe the question is if someone other than a Thai citizen qualifies for the healthcare benefits. I would then refer to the following in the National Health Security Act:

Chapter 1

Right to Health service

Section 5 The Thai population shall be entitled to a Health

service with such standards and efficiency as prescribed in this Act.

Section 6

Any person with the purpose of enjoying the rights

pursuant to Section 5 shall request for an enrollment at the Office, the

Offices subsidiaries, or such other offices as prescribed by the Office to

select his personal Health care unit.

Enrollment request to select a personal Health care unit or to

change personal Health care unit shall be pursuant to such regulations,

procedures, and conditions as prescribed by the Board, having mainly

regard to the personal convenience and necessity.

In the case where any person is entitled to select a Health care

unit pursuant to other rules in receiving medical welfare or pursuant to

his right under other laws, rules, regulations, notifications, resolutions of

the Cabinet, or orders, he shall enjoy his right of Health service at a Health

care unit pursuant to such rules in obtaining medical welfare or his

personal rights.

Ultimately, in my opinion, a person should go to the designated office and try to register if they think they qualify.

I doubt whether anything posted on ThaiVisa, including my posts, have any authority whatsoever.

As for a "Yellow Book", I don't think it grants anything. It merely verifies a persons place of residence in Thailand.

[NancyL]

The only way a foreigner is going to be able to receive free gov't health care is if they've worked in Thailand and paid into the system, which I believe they call Social Security. They have to work for a minimum period of time and then continue to pay into the system once they're no longer working.

Some foreigners may receive coverage if their wives work for a gov't agency or private employer that offers family insurance coverage as a benefit. This is not the free gov't health care, but an enhanced program.

Simply having a yellow book does not entitle a foreigner to participate in the basic health care system available to all Thai citizens. There are reports of some foreigners using their yellow book to obtain free care at local hospitals, but these foreigners will be in for a rude (and potentially life-threatening) awakening if the have a problem too serious to be handled at their local hospital and then are referred to a provincial or regional hospital, like Suan Dok.

I know several foreigners who had been receiving the free Thai medical care in a village hospital, only to find themselves in serious trouble when the local hospital didn't have the resources/equipment/knowledge to handle their medical problem and they were asked for a deposit and expected to pay a bill at Suan Dok.

[bluweyze]

Free health insurance is only for Thais and permanent residents. Quite frankly I can't see any beneifit of having a yellow housebook and it it is certainly not "coveted" by any expat who has been here long enough to know that it gives no avantage over those who dont have one.

It has the advantage of never needing to go and obtain a certificate of residence, so that is definitely one more advantage than zero. Perhaps I haven't been here long enough to understand though!

[fcgprg]

Free health insurance is only for Thais and permanent residents. Quite frankly I can't see any beneifit of having a yellow housebook and it it is certainly not "coveted" by any expat who has been here long enough to know that it gives no avantage over those who dont have one.

It has the advantage of never needing to go and obtain a certificate of residence, so that is definitely one more advantage than zero. Perhaps I haven't been here long enough to understand though!

When you have a yellow book you also get a Thai ID number which is in the system,

[khwaibah]

Free health insurance is only for Thais and permanent residents. Quite frankly I can't see any beneifit of having a yellow housebook and it it is certainly not "coveted" by any expat who has been here long enough to know that it gives no avantage over those who dont have one.

It has the advantage of never needing to go and obtain a certificate of residence, so that is definitely one more advantage than zero. Perhaps I haven't been here long enough to understand though!

Not all government agencies will accept it or give you Thai price for admission. (Fact)

[fcgprg]

Free health insurance is only for Thais and permanent residents. Quite frankly I can't see any beneifit of having a yellow housebook and it it is certainly not "coveted" by any expat who has been here long enough to know that it gives no avantage over those who dont have one.

It has the advantage of never needing to go and obtain a certificate of residence, so that is definitely one more advantage than zero. Perhaps I haven't been here long enough to understand though!

Not all government agencies will accept it or give you Thai price for admission. (Fact)

Which are the government agencies that will not accept it I have not come across any up to now that do not accept the yellow book.

[BB1955]

What I was told was there was a time when a foreign husband or wife of a Thai who was in the country under a spouse based visa and obtained a yellow book showing there residence in Thailand was added into the registry when the Yellow book is processed in Bangkok . At that time there ID number was placed into the health care system and allowed them to get care under the 30 baht plan . I was told since then they have stopped adding the ID numbers into the system in Bangkok . So when you go to the hospital show them the yellow book they attempt to enter your ID number but the computer will not except it . Thats what happened to me and I was standing right there at the computer when she tried . She went on to say that those already in the system where being honored ... So if you got on it good for you .... Still if I just got a yellow book I would still attempt to get on it , never hurts to try . Again if someone else knows different share it with everyone .

[fcgprg]

What I was told was there was a time when a foreign husband or wife of a Thai who was in the country under a spouse based visa and obtained a yellow book showing there residence in Thailand was added into the registry when the Yellow book is processed in Bangkok . At that time there ID number was placed into the health care system and allowed them to get care under the 30 baht plan . I was told since then they have stopped adding the ID numbers into the system in Bangkok . So when you go to the hospital show them the yellow book they attempt to enter your ID number but the computer will not except it . Thats what happened to me and I was standing right there at the computer when she tried . She went on to say that those already in the system where being honored ... So if you got on it good for you .... Still if I just got a yellow book I would still attempt to get on it , never hurts to try . Again if someone else knows different share it with everyone .

again anyone can try but if your first number of the 6 is a 0 you will not be accepted ,your ID number is still in the system but you cannot get free health treatment.

[transam]

What I was told was there was a time when a foreign husband or wife of a Thai who was in the country under a spouse based visa and obtained a yellow book showing there residence in Thailand was added into the registry when the Yellow book is processed in Bangkok . At that time there ID number was placed into the health care system and allowed them to get care under the 30 baht plan . I was told since then they have stopped adding the ID numbers into the system in Bangkok . So when you go to the hospital show them the yellow book they attempt to enter your ID number but the computer will not except it . Thats what happened to me and I was standing right there at the computer when she tried . She went on to say that those already in the system where being honored ... So if you got on it good for you .... Still if I just got a yellow book I would still attempt to get on it , never hurts to try . Again if someone else knows different share it with everyone .

again anyone can try but if your first number of the 6 is a 0 you will not be accepted ,your ID number is still in the system but you cannot get free health treatment.

Yep, we have a friend who tried to sort it. Noooooooooooooooooooo can do.

[Arkady]

I checked my eligibility at the district office a couple of years ago. The official had a look in the computer and found my name there, confirming that I was eligible. However, I was registered in around 2000 when the gold card thing was launched, as I was already in a blue book by then. She said that the regulations changed a few years ago and she could no longer register foreigners in the system but those already in it stay in. I don't have a card but was told to go the hospital I am registered at and present my passport and blue book for them to check in the computer. My Thai wife was told to the same but just show her ID card. I don't think they issue the "gold" cards at all any more. Neither of us have ever tried this and I am in the social security system anyway.

It seems very odd that different district offices have different ideas about this. You would think that the system would be set up not to accept entries of new names without Thai nationality, if that is the regulation. Perhaps it is.

[gamini]

Free health insurance is only for Thais and permanent residents. Quite frankly I can't see any beneifit of having a yellow housebook and it it is certainly not "coveted" by any expat who has been here long enough to know that it gives no avantage over those who dont have one.

It has the advantage of never needing to go and obtain a certificate of residence, so that is definitely one more advantage than zero. Perhaps I haven't been here long enough to understand though!

I have been living here for over 30 years and have never heard of a certificate of residence or never once been asked for one, My driving licence gets me into parks etc at the Thai ;price and my passport with retirement visa is all that is reqired for any banking and other requirements.