30 Baht scheme changed?

[jobe33]

I have a friend from Myanmar who lives in Chiang Mai and who as far as I know is legally living here. She has a passport and previously could benefit from the 30 Baht scheme. Recently she had a minor accident and she told me this 30 Baht scheme was not available at her hospital anymore so she has to pay the bills herself. Has the situation changed and can a hospital refuse to treat her according to the 30 Baht scheme?

[TheAppletons]

The "30 baht scheme" hasn't been in effect for non-Thai citizens for more than a year. Check the health and medicine forum for more information, if needed.

[terminatorchiangmai]

The "30 baht scheme" hasn't been in effect for non-Thai citizens for more than a year. Check the health and medicine forum for more information, if needed.

That's right.

To many wealthy foreigners where making use of the scheme ass well.

That ruined it for the people that really needed it.

[NancyL]

The 30 baht scheme continues for people from neighboring countries like Burma. It's those of us who aren't from neighboring countries who can no longer utilize the program. The OP's Burmese friend is probably not going to the correct hospital. If she lives in Muang Chiang Mai, then her hospital is Nakorn Ping hospital.

[mascarabertha]

The "30 baht scheme" hasn't been in effect for non-Thai citizens for more than a year. Check the health and medicine forum for more information, if needed.

and there you go mr oracle

[jobe33]

The 30 baht scheme continues for people from neighboring countries like Burma. It's those of us who aren't from neighboring countries who can no longer utilize the program. The OP's Burmese friend is probably not going to the correct hospital. If she lives in Muang Chiang Mai, then her hospital is Nakorn Ping hospital.

I just copied this from http://www.lannacarenet.org/foreigner-health-insurance-program-moph-directive/

"As of December 3, 2013 Nakorn Ping hospital announced it would not accept new enrollments into the UC for foreigner program, because of the high number of elderly foreign people with critical health problems who enrolled during the first six weeks of the program. They continued to extend services to those already enrolled, but ceased on February 13, 2014. A couple weeks later, they announced they will issue a refund to all foreigners who have had their insurance cancelled – but will deduct the cost of services utilized from the refund. The claim for refund must be made in person at Nakorn Ping hospital. It is necessary to bring your passport, original receipt for the insurance and insurance card. If you do not have any of these items you must bring a police report stating they are missing."

For the first time in my life I start to feel some sympathy for Thaksin Shinawatra, Place yourself in the shoes of a dirt poor person who has to undergo a hospital treatment. I can imagine that increased prostitution would be an unwanted side effect of the invalidating of the 30 Baht scheme, just to pay the bills.

[jobe33]

deleted

[NancyL]

I guess we should have made the Lanna Care Net site more specific. As I said in the previous post, it was continued for people from neighboring countries when it was discontinued for "foreigners" from non-neighboring countries. Perhaps it's been discontinued for ALL foreigners, both migrants laborers from neighboring countries and us white people recently.

I see where Jobe33 has posed the question about whether Burmese citizens are still able to access the 30 baht program in the Health Forum. That's the place to obtain the most up-to-date information.

[Mapguy]

To talk about legitimate access to the 30-bhat scheme for foreigners, which is the "catch all" basic national healthcare program designed for THAI citizens, then you can check out some adaptations to ASEAN policies and their implementation in Thailand.

The reports noted above about so-called farang "clients" in Chiang Mai, basically those who went to Nakorn Ping Hospital, are true, as NancyL and others have noted. That's old news. End of that story!

I have no idea what OP means by "increased prostitution" as a result for lack of access. Perhaps his friend is living in the wrong country at the wrong time in a very vulnerable condition. If his friend is in need of medical care, perhaps OP might take care of that expense.

[jobe33]

To talk about legitimate access to the 30-bhat scheme for foreigners, which is the "catch all" basic national healthcare program designed for THAI citizens, then you can check out some adaptations to ASEAN policies and their implementation in Thailand.

The reports noted above about so-called farang "clients" in Chiang Mai, basically those who went to Nakorn Ping Hospital, are true, as NancyL and others have noted. That's old news. End of that story!

I have no idea what OP means by "increased prostitution" as a result for lack of access. Perhaps his friend is living in the wrong country at the wrong time in a very vulnerable condition. If his friend is in need of medical care, perhaps OP might take care of that expense.

"Increased prostitution", easy to understand : more people will prostitute themselves because they have to pay a hospital bill somehow. I'm not talking about my friend, I'm just talking in general.