Piggybacking My Stepdaughter's Health Benefits

[fittobethaied]

I am legally married to a Thai national whose daughter is a certified government school teacher. As a government employee my stepdaughter's mother and father are entitled to "piggyback" on her health benefits at the government hospitals. Her father is also a government employee and has his own benefits' package for himself and his family, so only my wife is currently registered at two local hospitals to receive benefits off my stepdaughter. I have asked both my wife, who is also a former teacher, and my stepdaughter to check with the government offices to see if I would qualify to piggyback off her benefits as a stepfather, but they both insist that isn't possible. I strongly suspect that they are only guessing and have never actually made any serious attempt to confirm the facts and have never been able to produce any written rules and regulations pertaining to the matter. My wife says that she has called the pertinent office for their answer on the matter, but there again I suspect that employee was only guessing and gave my wife the usual quick unconfirmed negative response. Therefore, it is my sincere hope that someone on this forum is in a similar situation and knows for sure if I do or do not qualify to receive health benefits off my stepdaughter's government health plan. Thank you in advance for your replies!

[CharlieH]

I do not "know" for certain, but would say that unless you are a Thai National (which you are not) it is highly unlikely.

[fittobethaied]

I do not "know" for certain, but would say that unless you are a Thai National (which you are not) it is highly unlikely.

I truly appreciate your reply CharlieH, but I can imagine that is exactly what the employee at the government office thought when my wife questioned her. Because this situation doesn't fit the mold it was much easier to "guess" and just say no than to get off their butts and go find a real answer. There has to be some sort of a guidebook that offers criterion.

[Sheryl]

Thai nationality is irrelevant.

What is relevant is, did u ever formally adopt your stepdaughter?

[fittobethaied]

Thai nationality is irrelevant.

What is relevant is, did u ever formally adopt your stepdaughter?

Nope...never saw any real reason to do that since she was already 22 years old and living outside the home even before her mother and I met and married. She has a good relationship with her biological father, so adoption at this point would not be a good idea. Thanks for the reply. I'm still waiting for some feedback from someone who knows the facts right out of a government guidebook. Speculation is not going to do me any good!

[chrisinth]

Thai nationality is irrelevant.

What is relevant is, did u ever formally adopt your stepdaughter?

Nope...never saw any real reason to do that since she was already 22 years old and living outside the home even before her mother and I met and married. She has a good relationship with her biological father, so adoption at this point would not be a good idea. Thanks for the reply. I'm still waiting for some feedback from someone who knows the facts right out of a government guidebook. Speculation is not going to do me any good!

I think the point Sheryl was making is that unless you actually adopted your ;step daughter' she has no relationship to you in the eyes of the law.

[Lamphen]

You will have to get hold of the terms and conditions - or the rules of the policy.

Under the section; definitions - you will find whom that is eligible for cover under the policy.

E.g.; Eligible under this policy is the employee, the employees parents and the employees siblings.

Under this policy the definition of parents means; biological parents and step-parents (by legal adoption).

You are not eligible for cover if you do not find your relationship to your step daughter described in the eligibility definition of the policy.

I trust this helps - but you need to obtain the policy wording in order to confirm either way.

[Sheryl]

It is not an individual insurance policy. It is a health care coverage system for all civil servants. Individuals in it don't have a document such as you describe, just a card. Benefits are imited to the civil service employee and their dependent parents and dependent children. The OP is neither a dependent nor her parent (legally or biologically). He simply happens to be married to her mother.

[Lamphen]

My reply was in respect of a group insurance.

This is standard in all the group health insurances me and my colleagues sell to multinational companies and organizations all over the world.

Just for information.

[fittobethaied]

I am the OP and it has been nearly one year since I originally posted this topic, and I still have no concrete answers. Perhaps it's time to readdress the matter since no one has been able to produce any written formal rules and regs pertaining to this situation. All I ever get is guesses and speculation, but no confirmation one way or the other from any official resources. I would genuinely appreciate any additional feedback on the matter if someone out there is per chance in the true know having personally investigated this matter. Thanks in advance for your courteous responses.