Local hospital foreigner insurance (2,800 bath)

[gvpraag]

One year ago I was offered a foreigner insurance by the Bangrakam (Phitsanulok area) hospital. I had to pay 2,800 bath/year and receive the same free health care as the Thai people (30 bath per visit). To qualify I had a thorough check-up, but everything was OK.

Hospital is nice, people are friendly, I have a very competent and English speaking physician and I was happy to be covered when I got an infection in my right leg and I had to be treated in the hospital for five days. I paid 1,000 bath a day for a very good private room. So far so good.

Yesterday I tried to make the payment for the coming year, which starts March 1st.

At the office they told me that the foreigner arrangement was now for Asian people only (Burmese, Cambodjan etc). They also handed me (attached) copy of a letter (in Thai) they received from Bangkok in JULY LAST YEAR with the new rules.

As in most Thai offices the ladies were to busy with their Facebook to inform me in time so that I could look for some other insurance.

Please let me know if people had similar experiences.

[Expattaff1308]

I joined up at Udon to be told only a few months later it had stopped and it was only for Asians.

As far as I am aware the Thai State Hospitals do not offer Health Insurance.

Depending on your age you will need to shop around, Im currently with Muang Thai who I got thro Kasikorn bank. http://www.muangthaiinsurance.com/en/insurance/pa/pahealthsmile

[lopburi3]

There has been much discussion of this on forum - it was designed for adjacent country workers only. Due to misunderstandings many hospitals in some areas did indeed enroll other expat type patients in error (and some have honored that signup until expiration of the one year period).

[Sheryl]

yes, discussed many times.

They were actually never supposed to issue it to expats but the directive was unclearly worded. It has since been clarified and in some places they have rescinded the cards, in others just don't renew them.

And in a couple of places, mainly in Issan, they are still issuing them apparently not having read the directive.

[gvpraag]

I joined up at Udon to be told only a few months later it had stopped and it was only for Asians.

As far as I am aware the Thai State Hospitals do not offer Health Insurance.

Depending on your age you will need to shop around, Im currently with Muang Thai who I got thro Kasikorn bank. http://www.muangthaiinsurance.com/en/insurance/pa/pahealthsmile

Shop around at 77 (within a week) is not very easy. Fortunately I am pretty healthy and fit enough to play singles tennis.

I have yearly check-ups without any problem so far, so I hope I can minimize my healthcare costs in the (remaining) future.

Furthermore I have some savings, so please do not feel sorry for me.

[Suradit69]

As in most Thai offices the ladies were to busy with their Facebook to inform me in time so that I could look for some other insurance.

Rather unfair to blame the office ladies (with unnecessary snide comment about using Facebook) for a poorly worded directive, the subsequent misinterpretation of the directive and a failure to take an executive decision to notify you, Presumably they didn't tell you that you were guaranteed renewal either. Insurance providers quite often make decisions that can effect whole classes of insured upon renewal and the blame is rarely attributed to office clerks.

[gvpraag]

As in most Thai offices the ladies were to busy with their Facebook to inform me in time so that I could look for some other insurance.

Rather unfair to blame the office ladies (with unnecessary snide comment about using Facebook) for a poorly worded directive, the subsequent misinterpretation of the directive and a failure to take an executive decision to notify you, Presumably they didn't tell you that you were guaranteed renewal either. Insurance providers quite often make decisions that can effect whole classes of insured upon renewal and the blame is rarely attributed to office clerks.

The remark was caused by many bad experiences, but you are right: it was useless to put this one in (this part) of the forum. Sorry.