Went this afternoon to see how easy it was staff very good and helpful 2 photo fill in form a few tests out within one and half hour

I took a Thai person with me made things very easy but found out after that they now have a foreigner working there to help so Hang Dong for us was easy get my card in 1 week very happy

Is there a certain hospital one must register with, depending on where we live?

HAPPYME:

What paperwork did you have to take/ show please?

Well happyme nearly bumped into you. We got to Hang Dong Hospital at 11.30am and they pretty well close everything down for lunch but still out before 2pm.

Was with my Thai wife. We submitted photocopies of her id card, the blue house book proving address, my passport and photocopy of the first page. plus 2 photos.

Surprisingly they didn't even look at my visa page .I have a retirement visa,so it would appear that they would even take people on if it was a tourist visa which seems, a bit strange but the question was never asked.

Tests included BP,urine, chest x ray and blood test,go back next week to collect results and card. Total cost 2,800 baht which included 600 baht for tests.

Now Hang Dong Hospital is hardly a state of the art medical facility and while I will still see my local Doctor it gives some piece of mind that should one have an accident or a sudden illnes

you will not be involved in a massive bill.

Didn't see any foreigner helping out but the girl in the office speaks passable English and the whole outing was relatively easy to navigate.

Is there a certain hospital one must register with, depending on where we live?

Didn't ask the question but I would suggest go to the nearest Gov hospital to where you live.I think that's covered on a seperate thread that is running

I went to my local hospital, Doi Saket,to see about registering for this health care, didn't hold out much hope but was pleasantly surprised when they checked in their computer and told me I was registered for this program some five years ago when I got my yellow book. I am registered at one of the bigger hospitals in Chiang Mai, name eludes me at present. Too bad I was not aware of this some three years ago when I had an emergency operation that finished up costing me about 60,000 baht. Very helpful lady in Doi Saket hospital and spoke very good English.

I think that all your excitement about having this expat government insurance is misplaced. Do you really think that you are going to get expensive procedures and medicine free for a paltry sum of Bt2800 a year? This figure was designed for migrant workers average medical expenditure and not for expats. Although expats are being accepted under the scheme in some hospitals.

Expats will not use the scheme in the same way as migrant workers who are basically poor. The latter will go to hospital for even minor ailments to save a few baht, but the former will obviously try to use the scheme for more costly procedures and may get them for a while until the government realizes that expats using the scheme is very costly and they will amend it or maybe set a more realistic yearly fee.

As for those who have the card issued by your local hospital, I think you will be disappointed about what the hospital will actually provide in the way of free services and medicine.

Although I have the free 30 bt facility at my local hospital. I do not use it any more. My last visit was as follows.

A four hour wait to see the doctor. He ordered a simple blood test and told me to come back the next day at 8.am. I did so and was told the doctor would not be in until after lunch. So I went away and came back. Another one and half hours wait and cosulting my blood tests he told me I should see a specialist in a large hospital and gave me a prescription for some medicine I needed but the rest I would have to pay for because it was not on the hospital list. He gave me a note to give the nurse to make an appointment at a large hospital. She told me that the earliest appointment available to see the specialist was in about two months time. I went to pick up my medicine at the pharmacy. I got some of it but was told to come back in two days to get the rest since they were out of stock. The hospital I have to use is one hour from my house and the large hospital is one hour in the other direction. I checked the few packets of medicine and found that I could get all of it for a few hundred baht but the petrol for my car cost a lot more. After that experience I now use the large government hospital without my card and saw a specialist there for Bt300 after a 20 minute wait.

After many phone calls my wife got onto someone in BKK last week and they sent us off to Nakornping Hospital (even though we live close to Hang Dong.)

Very helpful staff and as others have mentioned, had a few tests and an xRay. Go back for results later this week.

Two points:

1: Would have thought that someone would have pointed us in the direction of Hang Dong Hospital which is a whole lot closer.

2: Hope "gamini" isn't right and that it proves to be a worthwhile exercise (when the time comes for something serious) Don't mind paying a higher

premium, just want to know that the facility is reliable and available when required.

Hang Dong Hospital is here: http://goo.gl/maps/HIgJj

You can change that next year, if you already registered at Nakornping.

But please report your experience, and make a picture of your card and post it here (personal details removed).

2 photo and copy of passport plus passport and 2.800 Bt that was it so easy and so helpfull

,

2 photo and copy of passport plus passport and 2.800 Bt that was it so easy and so helpfull

,

sorry house book plus copy of house owners id card

I think that all your excitement about having this expat government insurance is misplaced. Do you really think that you are going to get expensive procedures and medicine free for a paltry sum of Bt2800 a year? This figure was designed for migrant workers average medical expenditure and not for expats. Although expats are being accepted under the scheme in some hospitals.

Expats will not use the scheme in the same way as migrant workers who are basically poor. The latter will go to hospital for even minor ailments to save a few baht, but the former will obviously try to use the scheme for more costly procedures and may get them for a while until the government realizes that expats using the scheme is very costly and they will amend it or maybe set a more realistic yearly fee.

As for those who have the card issued by your local hospital, I think you will be disappointed about what the hospital will actually provide in the way of free services and medicine.

Although I have the free 30 bt facility at my local hospital. I do not use it any more. My last visit was as follows.

A four hour wait to see the doctor. He ordered a simple blood test and told me to come back the next day at 8.am. I did so and was told the doctor would not be in until after lunch. So I went away and came back. Another one and half hours wait and cosulting my blood tests he told me I should see a specialist in a large hospital and gave me a prescription for some medicine I needed but the rest I would have to pay for because it was not on the hospital list. He gave me a note to give the nurse to make an appointment at a large hospital. She told me that the earliest appointment available to see the specialist was in about two months time. I went to pick up my medicine at the pharmacy. I got some of it but was told to come back in two days to get the rest since they were out of stock. The hospital I have to use is one hour from my house and the large hospital is one hour in the other direction. I checked the few packets of medicine and found that I could get all of it for a few hundred baht but the petrol for my car cost a lot more. After that experience I now use the large government hospital without my card and saw a specialist there for Bt300 after a 20 minute wait.

That sounds like a standard hospital in the UK.

Rather than open a new topic, wouldn't it be better to share your experience in getting the new government health plan in this topic already running:

The new Government Health Insurance - info for TV members in Chiang Mai

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