Health Insurance, are the 'benefits' linked to inflation?

[rayinkrabi]

Lots of good and informative posts on health insurance here on TV, but I can't find anything regarding how/if the actual amounts covered (benefits) are adjusted in line with inflation?

This might not sound such a big deal now but could be a major issue in, say, 10 or 15 yrs time. I received these replies after I questioned this with Thai Health and Bupa:

"Please kindly be informed that the benefit amount nor premium are linked to inflation." (Thai Health)

"How old again?" (Bupa) ???

Any thoughts on this?

[AAInsuranceBrokers]

Sorry but the policies are not linked to inflation - note the Thai Health plans, although are very good, are just the basics and the benefits will not cover all the bills in (say) 10 years time for something serious at a Private/International hospital.

[rayinkrabi]

Thanks AA, this is exactly the conclusion I came to. I've seen your posts on the insurance forum many times and found them to be very helpful, thx again.

having established that the 'benefits' are not linked to inflation,I am now seriously wondering if they are even adequate at todays costs? For example, all the 'plans' which itemise the benefit costs state around 1000 baht for an ambulance, I suspect the actual cost would be many times that especially in tourist areas such as Ao Nang, Phuket etc. This leads me to wonder how realistic are the other costs? (room, surgeon, doctor, etc.)

Can any one throw any light on this please? Come to that, it will be very interesting to hear from anyone who has had to make an insurance claim at any time to compare 1) How much were the actual total costs? including the amount you had to pay as the 'deductable' 2) how long were you in hospital (if applicable)? 3) How would you rate the service given by your insurance company? Dates would be useful plus any additional info.

I reckon this could prove to be valuable information to anyone, like myself, who is in the market for decent affordable health insurance.

[Pungdo]

rayinkrabi,

I have had the Expats Club health insurance policy here in Pattaya that AA manage, I have had 4 stints in hospital over the 7 years I have had it.

Varying things, haven't had a great run health wise here in Thailand.

1: Broke my hand and had to get it pinned

2: Pnuemonia

3: Swine Flu

4: Collapsed Lung

The longest inpatient stay from any of those was 3 or 4 days and the most I had to pay was in the vicinity of 1,500 baht out of total bills in the vicinity of 60,000 to 80,000 baht.

Policy wise, originally I had the higher of the 2 fee options, but the last 2 or 3 years since they introduced a middle level policy option I have been taking that.

Hope that helps you out a little.

Bam Bam

[Card]

rayinkrabi,

I have had the Expats Club health insurance policy here in Pattaya that AA manage, I have had 4 stints in hospital over the 7 years I have had it.

Varying things, haven't had a great run health wise here in Thailand.

1: Broke my hand and had to get it pinned

2: Pnuemonia

3: Swine Flu

4: Collapsed Lung

The longest inpatient stay from any of those was 3 or 4 days and the most I had to pay was in the vicinity of 1,500 baht out of total bills in the vicinity of 60,000 to 80,000 baht.

Policy wise, originally I had the higher of the 2 fee options, but the last 2 or 3 years since they introduced a middle level policy option I have been taking that.

Hope that helps you out a little.

Bam Bam

Yes, but how much have you paid in premiums over 7 years?

[hugh2121]

Many health insurers here will tell you the premium for your current age. They are not all up front with maybe doubling of cost at age 65 or 70. Also beware of plan age limits. You could faithfully pay premiums for maybe 10 years or more without making a claim, only to find that when you reach age 70 and might need the insurance you are declined renewal.

As far as cover is concerned, read carefully the terms and conditions, you only get what you pay for. A good private hospital will cost about 2000THB per day for room, 500 for food. Drugs and meds will be charged at prices inflated way above the price at a local pharmacy. They always want to keep you on a saline drip, in many cases unnecessarily as water is provided in the air conditioned room. A recent one night stay in excellent private hospital, preceded by visit to OPD with food poisoning cost me 14,000. Even though I refused take home meds. A long stay with a chronic condition can cost millions (THB). Look for insurance to cover the basics and go home for more intensive treatment is my advice.

[Kiniyeow]

Yes, I'm rather curious on the annual premiums also. I say this as I've recently received some quotes for medical insurance and the cheapest one was almost $2,000 a year for me. (age 55)

Well I just recently had to get my appendix out and paid for the whole thing on my own (80,000Baht or $2,400). This is the first surgery that I've ever had and hopefully won't have too many more but you never know, so I guess my question is, why should I pay almost the same amount for a premium as what it costs for the whole operation? Granted, you never know what is going to happen to you, but it seems to me that the ends doesn't justify the means if you can't get lower annual premiums.

[Sandman77]

Comparing to eu insurance also inside worldwide operation company's the benefits and payment in case of high hospital coasts are very low!

My insurance from home covers hospital coasts up to 120000€

The problem some insurance did allowed only there nationals to apply

For a lower monthly rate and covering

All travel insurance I found in the eu

Cannot extend without flying back home and make new insurance again!

Aswer on hotline was , the risk that hospital coasts can rise, is higher when traveling goes longer!

[alfieconn]

Yes, I'm rather curious on the annual premiums also. I say this as I've recently received some quotes for medical insurance and the cheapest one was almost $2,000 a year for me. (age 55)

Well I just recently had to get my appendix out and paid for the whole thing on my own (80,000Baht or $2,400). This is the first surgery that I've ever had and hopefully won't have too many more but you never know, so I guess my question is, why should I pay almost the same amount for a premium as what it costs for the whole operation? Granted, you never know what is going to happen to you, but it seems to me that the ends doesn't justify the means if you can't get lower annual premiums.

Well iv'e just renewed my policy, age 53, 5m baht cover albeit with a 40,000 baht deductible, premium of 27,500 baht.

why should I pay almost the same amount for a premium as what it costs for the whole operation?

Your not ! that's just one operation, how about if your operation/treatment came to 5m Baht ! are you paying 5m in premiums ?

[Jonmarleesco]

Those answers are truly Thai. Age range, together with medical inflation, as opposed to general inflation. You won't be surprised to hear that medical inflation tends to move ahead of the bog-standard kind, though that is borne out by increasing charges in Thai hospitals, as well as globally.

[rayinkrabi]

Intersting replies so far, thanks. Good point also made by Jon, "medical inflation tends to move ahead of the bog-standard kind," as this is another suspicion of mine and I'm now trying to substantiate this.

Emailed to the Bangkok Phuket Hosptal the other day "Is it possible to give me an idea of actual costs regarding ambulance call out, room rates, anesthetic, doctor and surgeon fees etc. Could you also please tell me how these rates have changed/increased over the past years."

I'll let you know when I get a reply, anyone already have these details? I also intend to ask the same questions at my local gov hospitals. Ray.

[jacko45k]

No, normally the premium goes up and the benefits remain the same, unless it provides the 100% remuneration or some large overall limit.

If all categories have caps on them, I have seen those remain frozen with an increasing premium, which seems unfair.

[richard_smith237]

Wife, Infant Child and I all covered with BUPA International.

Premium for Wife: Approx GBP 1600 per year (no deductible)

Premium for Child from Birth GBP 270 for 6 months (no deductible)

Premium for myself (through work) US$ 2700

Ceilings for all Policies are US1,500,000

Inpatient Only (inc X-rays etc) / Outpatient treatment not covered.

Claim in previous years have been negligible - However, I'm not covered to consider profitability. I cover my family to ensure we're not caught short when / if the big stuff happens.

This year was fairly big: Claims in the past year:

Wife: Illness: 78,000 baht (3 day stay in Samitivej)

Wife: Child Birth: 230,000 baht (4 day stay in Bumrungrad)

Infant: Illness: 300,000 baht (10 day stay in Samitivej)

All of these costs were paid through direct settlement with the Insurer.

They would also be much cheaper at good, but less renown hospital.

Next Years Premium:

Wife and Child: GBP 1200 (with a GBP 500 deductible each).

In the past I've been charged THB 1800 for an ambulance (back injury) - This was covered by BUPA.

[rayinkrabi]

Thanks Richard, good info, expensive but good. Many Congratulations on the birth of your child also, I hope wife and child fully recovered now.

[grumpyoldman]

Greetings again Ray.

My experience with the BUPA Platinum that I pay about 39,000 a year for 2 mil in coverage.

Hernia repair laparoscopic, or laproscopic 3 years ago, anyway they used tools made small incisions in my belly, went and dropped a mesh in. Prior I had the hospital billing team correspond with BUPA to make sure 100% covered. Well, in the end they said I needed to pay 10,000thb for the tools used............whatever wasn't going to sweat it.

Hospital billed BUPA 300,000 for operation and one nights stay in a very nice room Bangkok Phuket Hospital. A pal of mine had the same surgery out of pocket and his Thai wife negotiated 120,000thb final billl with the same hospital,same procedure.

Pretty sure between the hospital and insurer there is some wrangling over how much the insurer actually has to pay. Hospital sends inflated price, insurer counters etc.

[rayinkrabi]

Good morning GoM, I take it you would recommend Bupa after your experience then? I'm a bit unclear about the 'extra' 10k you had to pay or was that the normal excess (deductible)? Hope you're fully recovered from that op now, any follow up treatment needed? Cheers, Ray.

[grumpyoldman]

Good morning GoM, I take it you would recommend Bupa after your experience then? I'm a bit unclear about the 'extra' 10k you had to pay or was that the normal excess (deductible)? Hope you're fully recovered from that op now, any follow up treatment needed? Cheers, Ray.

Hi Ray,

yes overall I would recommend BUPA.

Regarding the extra 10K, it was claimed after the surgery (of course..) that the tools involved in the laparoscopic operation were not covered. Now why this wasn't brought up before (?) I don't know as I made sure prior to the surgery both the hospital admins and BUPA were in concert. So yes, that was baffling.

No followup needed, due to the modern type of surgery (old style hernia op not the way to go) I was back to walking 4kms in about two weeks, full throttle 4km runs 6 weeks, full exercise program no holdups, 8 weeks. All the best, GOM