Government medical free with marriage visa?

[Kenny202]

Been contemplating which way to go as far as health insurance. Guy told me last night if a foreigner has a marriage visa you get the 30 baht government medical in a govt hospital. Hard to beleive. Anyone know if true or not?

[MJCM]

Maybe true if the wife has a job as a government official, but not 100% sure

[IMA_FARANG]

No, it is not true.

[colinneil]

Only true if your wife is a government employee

I get it, my wife is a school director.

[IMA_FARANG]

Maybe true if the wife has a job as a government official, but not 100% sure

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I doubt it.....in such a case the Thai might qualify.....but probably not her Farang spouse.

If you work and pay into the system (pqy9ng taxes) you then can draw benefits out.

Don't pay in, then no benefits out.

Of course, I could be wrong.

Edited June 13, 2016 by IMA_FARANG

[MJCM]

Maybe true if the wife has a job as a government official, but not 100% sure

------------------

I doubt it.....in such a case the Thai might qualify.....but probably not her Farang spouse.

If you work and pay into the system (pqy9ng taxes) you then can draw benefits out.

Don't pay in, then no benefits out.

Of course, I could be wrong.

See Post #4 by Colinneil.

Only true if your wife is a government employee

I get it, my wife is a school director.

[colinneil]

Maybe true if the wife has a job as a government official, but not 100% sure

------------------

I doubt it.....in such a case the Thai might qualify.....but probably not her Farang spouse.

If you work and pay into the system (pqy9ng taxes) you then can draw benefits out.

Don't pay in, then no benefits out.

Of course, I could be wrong.

See Post #4 by Colinneil.

Only true if your wife is a government employee

I get it, my wife is a school director.

Yes i get it, most posters will remember my earlier posts about my problem.

Motorbike accident, 7 months in hospital, still receiving help/treatment.

Almost all paid for through my wifes medical insurance tied to her job.

[TerryLH]

"Almost all paid for through my wifes medical insurance tied to her job."

That is not under the '30 baht' plan.

Civil service employees have their own plan, which does cover their families (spouse and children).

That includes foreigners married to the employee.

"Only true if your wife is a government employee"

Not all government employees are covered by this insurance, but if they are their families are covered.

The family coverage is not for those under the '30 baht' or Social Security plans.

[Kenny202]

Thanks guys. The guy who told me wife isn't a government employee. I'm sure he thinks he's covered but by the sounds of it won't be. Same as all the guys I've spoken to here been out of Australia for years but are convinced they are still covered for Medicare because they go back to oz for 2 weeks holiday every year

Edited June 13, 2016 by Kenny202

[Sheryl]

"Almost all paid for through my wifes medical insurance tied to her job."

That is not under the '30 baht' plan.

Civil service employees have their own plan, which does cover their families (spouse and children).

That includes foreigners married to the employee.

"Only true if your wife is a government employee"

Not all government employees are covered by this insurance, but if they are their families are covered.

The family coverage is not for those under the '30 baht' or Social Security plans.

As above. Marriage to a Thai does not entitle you to coverage under the "30 baht" scheme. However, if the Thai spouse is a covered under the civil service social security scheme, souse and children are also covered. Not the case for the regular social security scheme nor the "30 baht" scheme.

You need health insurance for yourself.

[Morakot]

Only true if your wife is a government employee

Correct, for legal spouse!

[mikebell]

Just to muddy the waters; if my two step-daughters get teaching jobs (thanks to me paying for their college education) in Government schools, will their mother & husband (me) qualify for cheap (free) medicare?

[Kenny202]

It's funny. My missus is on a farang wife forum. She asked the same question and now they're all arguing and calling each other names same as on here. Couple of women swearing husbands had cancer, extensive treatments under the 30 baht scheme. Others saying they paid tea money get their husbands free treatment. Other side calling BS. Obviously it's not true but you gotta laugh

[MJCM]

It's funny. My missus is on a farang wife forum. She asked the same question and now they're all arguing and calling each other names same as on here. Couple of women swearing husbands had cancer, extensive treatments under the 30 baht scheme. Others saying they paid tea money get their husbands free treatment. Other side calling BS. Obviously it's not true but you gotta laugh

Nice to hear, that not only ThaiVisa members are that way

[TerryLH]

Because medical treatment at government facilities is often very inexpensive here, many think they are under some sort of special plan or scheme.

The reality is usually that they are paying the regular price, but the cost seems to them to be something special.

[Sheryl]

A couple of years back the government launched a system to enroll migrant workers in the 30 baht scheme for an annual fee of about 2,600 baht. .When they did so, the circular that went out failed to specify migrant workers and simply said "foreigner". Many (but not all) provinces understood this to mean that resident expats could be enrolled in it as well, and many were. Within a year it got clarified that it was for migrant workers from neighboring countries only, but in that interim a number of resident expats received treatment - including some quite costly care - under the scheme. This may be where the confusion is coming from.

In addition, in small government hospitals is locations with few foreigners there is sometimes no system in place to collect fees from patients and not worth their while to start one so farangs may be treated for free. These are usually just community hospitals, so low level of care, nothing sophisticated.

[Kenny202]

A couple of years back the government launched a system to enroll migrant workers in the 30 baht scheme for an annual fee of about 2,600 baht. .When they did so, the circular that went out failed to specify migrant workers and simply said "foreigner". Many (but not all) provinces understood this to mean that resident expats could be enrolled in it as well, and many were. Within a year it got clarified that it was for migrant workers from neighboring countries only, but in that interim a number of resident expats received treatment - including some quite costly care - under the scheme. This may be where the confusion is coming from.

In addition, in small government hospitals is locations with few foreigners there is sometimes no system in place to collect fees from patients and not worth their while to start one so farangs may be treated for free. These are usually just community hospitals, so low level of care, nothing sophisticated.

thanks Sheryl. I've looked into medical insurance here and while it's not too bad now (around $2500 / I'm 53 yo) it will be prohibitive for me as I get older.

I've met many expats here, none who have medical insurance and only pay as they go at the govt hospitals. They all say cheap and reasonable services. Obviously all of us would rather be staying in a private hospital. But having said that I've heard while the comforts and service is better in private here, the actual medical services / care are better in the govt hospitals.

I've spoken to people who have had major surgery in govt hospitals for motor bike accidents, heart surgery etc and costs were under 200k thb. Others on TV (scare monger team) claim people getting stuck with expenses of 2-5 million baht for similar procedures. What are the reallities?

[Sheryl]

The reality is that with a catastrophic illness or accident -- think prolonged ICU stay, multiple specialized surgeries - the tab in a government hospital can easily reach 1 - 1.5 million baht. I don't recall having encountered higher than that. In a private hospital, could reach 3-5 mill.

It is a great mistake to be lulled into thinking care at a government hospital will always be affordable based on the costs of an uncomplicated single procedure someone had. That person who had heart surgery (likely not surgery but rather angioplasty + stents) for under 200K was in and out within a few night max and no complications. Have a major heart attack landing you in the Coronary ICU in unstable condition, followed by surgery with a rocky post-op course and prolonged ICU stay, and it's a very different matter....or have a stroke likewise putting you in ICU and requiring multiple surgeries to relieve elevated intracranial pressure, and ditto.

Of course, "affordable" is a relative term, for some people a 1-2 million baht tab in a worse case scenario is something they can manage.

Bear in mind, though, if you go the "self insured" route, that once your savings are gone they are gone, and once you have had a major health expense the option of getting insurance is likely out the window.

Also bear in mind that costs are going up, and will continue to do so.

[Kenny202]

Sobering thoughts :-(