Government health insurance and moving to a different province

[maphraw]

I used to work for a Thai company and I was fully covered regarding government hospital health insurance. I was let go of my position and then a few years later I was asked to come back and work but I had then become 65 years of age. The admin people said they would no longer deduct the required amount for health insurance from my monthly salary because of my age but they said I could go to the local social security office and sign up for full health insurance coverage using any government hospital of my choosing as long as it was in the province I was working in. The cost was very inexpensive, about 450 Baht a month. The amount was deducted from my bank account every month and I was sent a monthly receipt showing the deduction. I have recently been laid off and have moved to another province. I am wondering if I have to live in the same province to continue to get the coverage I have had or do I have to transfer the coverage to the the province I am now living in. When I first enrolled, I asked the social security people to send the monthly receipt to my Thai wife's house which is in another province and they said they could not. It would have to be sent to an address in the province I was working in. Which leads me to conclude that unless I move back to that province I was working in and submit a new mailing address, I will no longer be covered. I would hate to lose the insurance since it is so cheap and covers everything. I went back to where I used to work to collect any post I had and the admin people told me they had sent all my post back to post office because I no longer work there. Any suggestions about what to do?

[TerryLH]

Go to the SS office in your new province.

Tell them you've moved, and want to continue paying on your own.

They'll do the paperwork and set you up with a new hospital.

[worgeordie]

Can you get Government health insurance if you don't have a work permit?

regards worgeordie

[TerryLH]

Do you mean Social Security if you're working illegally? Probably No.

Yes if your spouse or child is working for the government or State Enterprise and their health coverage includes you.

[maphraw]

Actually, I am wondering if I can keep using the same hospital and government insurance in the province I had been living and working in despite having moved to a new province. There might be a regulation which states that once you relocate to a different province with a new mailing address you must change your policy or renew your policy in that province. The reason I am asking is because I liked the government hospital located in the province I had been living and working in.Much better than the province I have recently moved to. Thanks.

[stevenl]

Actually, I am wondering if I can keep using the same hospital and government insurance in the province I had been living and working in despite having moved to a new province. There might be a regulation which states that once you relocate to a different province with a new mailing address you must change your policy or renew your policy in that province. The reason I am asking is because I liked the government hospital located in the province I had been living and working in.Much better than the province I have recently moved to. Thanks.

I hope Terry gets back to you, he is THE one for these kind of questions. I am not an expert on these matters, but would presume you'll have to move hospital.

Or go to the local SSO office yourself,in my experience they are very helpful and will go out of their way to answer any questions.

[WitawatWatawit]

I was told quite emphatically that I had to change to a hospital in my new province (went to SSO hq in Nonthaburi and had it all sorted out by the excellent staff there). I do not understand why you don't just select a hospital closest to your new residence and get a copy of your records from your old hospital for the new place. At your age, do you really want to be travelling to the old hospital in another province for treatment (which could be quite frequent)? I'm not completely happy with my current hospital, but beggars can't be choosers.