Compulsory healthcare for foreigners a matter of choice: Poll

[ericthai]

As long as it IS OPTIONAL, I don't care what they do. If they try and force us to pay some bs fee then there will be trouble....

Really?? What trouble is that?

[Morden]

Some thoughts / analyses ;

Assuming the 500 bahy per visitor entry covers up to 30 days (normal tourist entry duration) then if it could be extended at that rate 500/month it would mean 6000 baht / year for health/medical coverage.

Oh yeah. Considering that the age of pong staying farangs is quite high,if the govt can cover for 6000,baht , how come bupa charges 3,or 4 times that?

The new migrant workers' scheme, costing THB2,200 per year is, owing to a what may be an error in the drafting of the law, available to expat. residents. I don't know about BUPA's higher rates but they will vary according to the policyholder's age and other factors. That makes the present government scheme look attractive but if you ever have an opportunity to compare government hospital treatment with private care you will see that the former is inferior by a large margin. It's up to you to make your own choice but if my life or quality of life depended on the care I received I would never consider a government hospital as a choice. Furthermore, if you buy the right private insurance you will be guaranteed cover for life. The government can withdraw its scheme at any time.

[NoshowJones]

Oh, please! Look at how insurance really works and we can see that we would pay MORE for care if we had this system. I don't see a benefit yet. Sent from my MyPhone A919 Duo using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Insurance companies are like banks. the biggest cheats and crooks in the business and cannot be trusted, they are quick to grab your money, but when it comes to paying out, they check the small print to see if they can avoid it. We all know the reason for the small print, it's small because they hope you will not notice it.

Do you have an insurance policy document with small print or do you mean that you don't bother to read them?

Read my post again.

[Morden]

Oh, please! Look at how insurance really works and we can see that we would pay MORE for care if we had this system. I don't see a benefit yet. Sent from my MyPhone A919 Duo using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Insurance companies are like banks. the biggest cheats and crooks in the business and cannot be trusted, they are quick to grab your money, but when it comes to paying out, they check the small print to see if they can avoid it. We all know the reason for the small print, it's small because they hope you will not notice it.

Do you have an insurance policy document with small print or do you mean that you don't bother to read them?

Read my post again.

I read it again.

Do you have an insurance policy document with small print or do you mean that you don't bother to read them?

[ericthai]

Oh, please! Look at how insurance really works and we can see that we would pay MORE for care if we had this system. I don't see a benefit yet. Sent from my MyPhone A919 Duo using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Insurance companies are like banks. the biggest cheats and crooks in the business and cannot be trusted, they are quick to grab your money, but when it comes to paying out, they check the small print to see if they can avoid it. We all know the reason for the small print, it's small because they hope you will not notice it.

Maybe you are dealing with the wrong companies. I have never had an issue with any of my insurance companies neither in the USA or Thailand.

If you read a policy and understand what you are buying then there should be no problem. You know what you are paying for and what is covered or not

covered. Every time I went to the hospital my insurance paid they part I paid mine. Same when I had an accident with my car, the insurance company took care of it no issues. Now if you deal with a no-name out to get you low cost insurance company then you might have issue and fight to get claims paid better I have always used well know companies and never had an issue.

[SailingHome]

Some thoughts / analyses ;

 

Assuming the 500 bahy per visitor entry covers up to 30 days (normal tourist entry duration) then if it could be extended at that rate 500/month it would mean 6000 baht / year for health/medical coverage.

So... it will be like Philippines health where only if it major surgery or specific illnesses like cataracts or malaria will they pay, and only then they pay about ehat you paid in? Not sure I see the benefit to anybody but the administrators.

Sent from my MyPhone A919 Duo using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[SailingHome]

As long as it IS OPTIONAL, I don't care what they do. If they try and force us to pay some bs fee then there will be trouble....

Really?? What trouble is that?

ummm... pay for the healthcare filling out forms and,waiting amd,hour every time we enter OR tipping the immigration officer the same,price or more to bypass the insurance may be one 'bother' or 'trouble' as some would call it.

Sent from my MyPhone A919 Duo using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[NoshowJones]

Oh, please! Look at how insurance really works and we can see that we would pay MORE for care if we had this system. I don't see a benefit yet. Sent from my MyPhone A919 Duo using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Insurance companies are like banks. the biggest cheats and crooks in the business and cannot be trusted, they are quick to grab your money, but when it comes to paying out, they check the small print to see if they can avoid it. We all know the reason for the small print, it's small because they hope you will not notice it.

Maybe you are dealing with the wrong companies. I have never had an issue with any of my insurance companies neither in the USA or Thailand.

If you read a policy and understand what you are buying then there should be no problem. You know what you are paying for and what is covered or not

covered. Every time I went to the hospital my insurance paid they part I paid mine. Same when I had an accident with my car, the insurance company took care of it no issues. Now if you deal with a no-name out to get you low cost insurance company then you might have issue and fight to get claims paid better I have always used well know companies and never had an issue.

I am actually only talking about the UK, I have never tried to tried to claim any insurance in Thailand, there are complaints all the time about people having to fight to get their claims paid out, and all you hear is "read the small print" but the Thai banks are crooks, ie 150 Baht or is it now 180 Baht to use an ATM with a foreign debit card. If you read my post, I am on about anyone (Mr Morden does not seem to understand this) who uses small print, they are doing this hoping, people will not notice it. If I am wrong, then why is the print small in the first place.

[Morden]

Oh, please! Look at how insurance really works and we can see that we would pay MORE for care if we had this system. I don't see a benefit yet. Sent from my MyPhone A919 Duo using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Insurance companies are like banks. the biggest cheats and crooks in the business and cannot be trusted, they are quick to grab your money, but when it comes to paying out, they check the small print to see if they can avoid it. We all know the reason for the small print, it's small because they hope you will not notice it.

Maybe you are dealing with the wrong companies. I have never had an issue with any of my insurance companies neither in the USA or Thailand.

If you read a policy and understand what you are buying then there should be no problem. You know what you are paying for and what is covered or not

covered. Every time I went to the hospital my insurance paid they part I paid mine. Same when I had an accident with my car, the insurance company took care of it no issues. Now if you deal with a no-name out to get you low cost insurance company then you might have issue and fight to get claims paid better I have always used well know companies and never had an issue.

I am actually only talking about the UK, I have never tried to tried to claim any insurance in Thailand, there are complaints all the time about people having to fight to get their claims paid out, and all you hear is "read the small print" but the Thai banks are crooks, ie 150 Baht or is it now 180 Baht to use an ATM with a foreign debit card. If you read my post, I am on about anyone (Mr Morden does not seem to understand this) who uses small print, they are doing this hoping, people will not notice it. If I am wrong, then why is the print small in the first place.

Insurance companies in the UK are highly regulated and are obliged to make a full disclosure of the cover and terms before you commit yourself. There are also IFAs and brokers who are subject to regulations and who will offer a range of products and give impartial advice. If you have a complaint about your insurer or broker, it will have a complaints procedure approved by the regulator and, if you are still not satisfied after using that, you can appeal to the regulator.

UK policies do not have small print. The law and regulations require them to include every condition and exclusion in their policy wordings. The policy wordings are in plain English. Policies are contracts binding in law on both parties. If you subscribe to a contract without reading it then you have no valid grounds to complain if you claim for something that's not covered. If you don't understand something you can ask your insurer, IFA or broker to explain.

In Thailand, I buy insurance through brokers and from companies which follow the rules common in Western countries. So far, I have been very pleased with all aspects of the service given by them. I would never buy insurance through a bank in any country. They are neither expert nor impartial.

[indyuk]

I am interested in the proposed hospital specific health insurgence where in you are covered for all normal procedures at you local government hospital. I tried to sign up for it in Banglamung Hospital. Admin said that is being introduced but has been rolled out in Bangkok first. They assured me that it will be available Nationally to all foreign nationals. On my inquiry on cost they said that the annual premium will be approximately Baht 2,000.

Anyone have more info on this Insurance?

[NoshowJones]

OK Mr Morden, I will take your word for it. I have been in Thailand now for eight years, and I know when I lived in the UK, insurance companies used small print, and I still say small print is used so companies, any companies, hope that it will not be noticed. If that is not the case, then why don't companies use lettering the same size all the time? That is the only thing I have been saying since this debate began.

[Morden]

I am interested in the proposed hospital specific health insurgence where in you are covered for all normal procedures at you local government hospital. I tried to sign up for it in Banglamung Hospital. Admin said that is being introduced but has been rolled out in Bangkok first. They assured me that it will be available Nationally to all foreign nationals. On my inquiry on cost they said that the annual premium will be approximately Baht 2,000.

Anyone have more info on this Insurance?

I know that it's available in a number of Provinces by application to the government hospital nearest to your home. It costs THB2,200pa plus THB600 for an initial medical examination.

[Morden]

OK Mr Morden, I will take your word for it. I have been in Thailand now for eight years, and I know when I lived in the UK, insurance companies used small print, and I still say small print is used so companies, any companies, hope that it will not be noticed. If that is not the case, then why don't companies use lettering the same size all the time? That is the only thing I have been saying since this debate began.

Do you have an example of a small print policy document that you could scan and post on here?

[ericthai]

Oh, please! Look at how insurance really works and we can see that we would pay MORE for care if we had this system. I don't see a benefit yet. Sent from my MyPhone A919 Duo using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Insurance companies are like banks. the biggest cheats and crooks in the business and cannot be trusted, they are quick to grab your money, but when it comes to paying out, they check the small print to see if they can avoid it. We all know the reason for the small print, it's small because they hope you will not notice it.

Maybe you are dealing with the wrong companies. I have never had an issue with any of my insurance companies neither in the USA or Thailand.

If you read a policy and understand what you are buying then there should be no problem. You know what you are paying for and what is covered or not

covered. Every time I went to the hospital my insurance paid they part I paid mine. Same when I had an accident with my car, the insurance company took care of it no issues. Now if you deal with a no-name out to get you low cost insurance company then you might have issue and fight to get claims paid better I have always used well know companies and never had an issue.

I am actually only talking about the UK, I have never tried to tried to claim any insurance in Thailand, there are complaints all the time about people having to fight to get their claims paid out, and all you hear is "read the small print" but the Thai banks are crooks, ie 150 Baht or is it now 180 Baht to use an ATM with a foreign debit card. If you read my post, I am on about anyone (Mr Morden does not seem to understand this) who uses small print, they are doing this hoping, people will not notice it. If I am wrong, then why is the print small in the first place.

understood. Maybe he is trying to point out that there is no small print. I know all my polices in the USA had no small print. I have had no issues with insurance companies here in Thailand either. I had two or three bumps and scrap over the last 15 years and all were taken care of with no issues. My health insurance I have not really used so cant say. Hoping I dont have to use it for a long time.

[NoshowJones]

That's true Ericthai, perhaps Mr Morden is right about the UK insurance companies in the UK not having the small print anymore. I just remember in the past about UK ICs not paying out for claims and going on about the small print, it was happening all the time. I'll tell you one thing. I bet your Thai health insurance payments increase when you get to about 65 or 70.

[NoshowJones]

OK Mr Morden, I will take your word for it. I have been in Thailand now for eight years, and I know when I lived in the UK, insurance companies used small print, and I still say small print is used so companies, any companies, hope that it will not be noticed. If that is not the case, then why don't companies use lettering the same size all the time? That is the only thing I have been saying since this debate began.

Do you have an example of a small print policy document that you could scan and post on here?

No, I have been in Thailand for eight years now, but as I said, your probably right about the small print not being used anymore, there have been a few changes in the law over the years, but when I meet some friends from the UK, I will ask them, I could PM you with what I hear if you like.

[Gonsalviz]

Some thoughts / analyses ;

Assuming the 500 bahy per visitor entry covers up to 30 days (normal tourist entry duration) then if it could be extended at that rate 500/month it would mean 6000 baht / year for health/medical coverage.

Oh yeah. Considering that the age of pong staying farangs is quite high,if the govt can cover for 6000,baht , how come bupa charges 3,or 4 times that?

You obviously have never been admitted to a government hospital.

[Gonsalviz]

I have been through an appendectomy, a hernia operation, batteries of tests, including a CT scan and biopsy due to a kidney malfunction.

I have yet to have a problem paying for this from my pocket. I cannot by insurance due to the kidney malfunction. The biopsy is the only thing performed at a government hospital. I'd just as soon die than go through that again. (the hospital, not the biopsy)

The fact that I come from the USA (land of the most expensive, and increasing as we speak, medical treatment in the world) makes the prices in Thailand seem trivial.

I am fairly certain that 3rd world nationals et al would probably not be able to afford treatment at private hospitals and would find government hospitals normal.

It should not be free but it is not very expensive either. Some form of proof of payment would be advisable.

[evadgib]

It would make a difference if healthcare costs were based on nature of injury rather of ethnicity of patient and that the costs were published/displayed beforehand.

Edited December 12, 2013 by evadgib