Health Insurance for Thai Citizens NOT expats

[CREATING WAVES]

I have a Thai wife and a baby on the way and we reside in Thailand. I've looked into private health insurance specialising in expats but could someone please show me:

* A website link to what a Thai citizen is covered for without private health insurance. As in if a Thai citizen is injured on the roads or becomes sick or basically anything more than a flu

* Secondly, any suggestions for upgrading or taking out private health insurance for a Thai citizen and not an expat? (I guess they'd be double pricing system in place?)

 

Any information or any point in the right direction would be much appreciated!

 

[Sheryl]

All Thai citizens have health coverage. If they are civil servants, it is under the Civil Service Social Security system; if they are employed in the formal private sector, it is the regular Social Security system and everyone else comes under the "universal" scheme AKA "30 baht" or "gold card".

 

The website for the "universal" scheme is   http://www.nhso.go.th/eng/Site/Default.aspx

 

Virtually everything is covered, free of charge (of 30 baht charge depending in the hospital) ,  with few exceptions e.g. medications not on the Ministry of Public Health's drug list. These would rarely be necessary.  There is a co-payment required for hemodialysis but not peritoneal dialysis.  Even organ transplants are covered. Only a ward room is included but one can pay extra for private or semi-rpivate.

 

This coverage is limited to the hospital which covers the area where the Thai is listed in a tabian ban or higher level facility that it refers them to.  If you and your wife reside somewhere other than where she is listed in a tabian ban (as many Thais do), it is worth getting that changed so that she does not have to travel far for health care. And make sure the baby when s/he arrives is listed in the tabian ban for the area where you actually live.

 

In case of an emergency, Thais are eligible for free care for up to 72 hours at any hospital including private ones and the law was recently tightened in that regard. The hospitals providing the emergency care are reimbursed for it by the respective government scheme, but of course the rate of reimbursement is lower than normal private hospital charges, for which reason the private hospitals aren't happy about this but it is starting to be enforced.

 

Any problems encountered in getting care under the universal scheme should immediately be referred to the NHSO hotline (I think 1330, but check the website) they are very helpful in my experience.

 

Because all Thais have coverage through the government the market for private insurance for Thais is quite limited and premiums as a result higher than they would be in countries where private insurance is widespread. I believe BUPA Thailand has a policy just for Thais, will be shown only on their Thai language website. I am not sure what it covers.

 

The only advantage to private coverage is choice of hospital. So if you are considering a private policy for her make sure it is not limited to government hospitals and that the coverage is sufficient to cover care in the better private hospitals, otherwise there is really no advantage at all.

 

Private policy outpatient cover here is too expensive to be worth it - the amount of extra premium essentially equals the maximum pay-out. So you would be looking at inpatient only.

 

Be warned that care at private hospitals is not necessarily better than in government hospitals. Up-country especially the opposite tends to hold true.

 

[chakatee]

most expat policies she can ride on your policy, no double pricing on the fact that she is Thai, only based on her age-group.

[CREATING WAVES]

Thank you Sheryl! This has filled in so many 'gaps' from different sources and as its such an important issue I sincerely thank you for the update.

Edited May 31, 2017 by CREATING WAVES

[CREATING WAVES]

After showing my wife this, she would like to ask what documents she would need to change her hospital to where she resides now. Ie from Non Khai to Pattaya if her name is not on a local chanote? What document would suffice for a hospital, rental receipt? 

[lopburi3]

Believe she needs to change her name to be on a local home register (as living there - this is the blue book of who lives in residence - not the home deed).  Most do not bother, and keep at family home, but that is what they are supposed to do and then they would have local hospital coverage.  

Edited May 31, 2017 by lopburi3

[Chou Anou]

My Thai girlfriend has BUPA; I pay for it, about $600 a year (she's 50 and unemployed, takes care of her grandson full-time).  $600 once a year is no big deal for me, worth it for the extra peace of mind and choice of hospital.  Can't remember which level; it's not the highest, but not the lowest either...I think one down from the highest.

[Sheryl]

After showing my wife this, she would like to ask what documents she would need to change her hospital to where she resides now. Ie from Non Khai to Pattaya if her name is not on a local chanote? What document would suffice for a hospital, rental receipt? 

 

She needs to be listed in a tabian ban for where she now lives. Listing in a tabian ban has nothing to do with ownership so irrelevant that not in a chanote. But she will need to go to the ampur together with the landlord to be added to his tabian ban. At some point in the process she will also have to arrange to be removed from the tabian ban in Nong Khai which will necessitate a trip up there.

 

Alternatively if you have any friends in Pattaya willing to add her to their tabian ban, could do that.

 

[CREATING WAVES]

Thank you all once again, I will look into the tabian ban and Bupa Thailand options. Much appreciated!

[Rob 45]

On 5/31/2017 at 11:32 PM, Chou Anou said:

My Thai girlfriend has BUPA; I pay for it, about $600 a year (she's 50 and unemployed, takes care of her grandson full-time).  $600 once a year is no big deal for me, worth it for the extra peace of mind and choice of hospital.  Can't remember which level; it's not the highest, but not the lowest either...I think one down from the highest.

 

Curious, if you know, has this price changed at all in the last year+?

Do you have any idea what a Thai would be talking about if they say they pay 800-900 THB per month for "social insurance"?

Edited October 1, 2018 by Rob 45

[chakatee]

3 hours ago, Rob 45 said:

any idea what a Thai would be talking about if they say they pay 800-900 THB per month for "social insurance"

750 is the max. social security contribution per month.

[Cletus]

3 hours ago, Rob 45 said:

 

Curious, if you know, has this price changed at all in the last year+?

Do you have any idea what a Thai would be talking about if they say they pay 800-900 THB per month for "social insurance"?

I think they have the option to integrate what the employer is paying for a better covering.

[Chou Anou]

16 hours ago, Rob 45 said:

 

Curious, if you know, has this price changed at all in the last year+?

Do you have any idea what a Thai would be talking about if they say they pay 800-900 THB per month for "social insurance"?

 

Her premium for 2018 (paid it back in April) was 19,000; up about 2k from the previous year. Of course, BUPA is now AETNA. Plus we're assuming it went up due to her age (turned 52 this year). See other commenters for more on "social insurance."

[Rob 45]

2 hours ago, Chou Anou said:

 

Her premium for 2018 (paid it back in April) was 19,000; up about 2k from the previous year. Of course, BUPA is now AETNA. Plus we're assuming it went up due to her age (turned 52 this year). See other commenters for more on "social insurance."

 

Thanks a lot. Very helpful.