Medical insurance in Thailand for expats

[jwest10]

Hi Very new to this forum and I have a OPD card from my local hospital and giving me as being informed can get medical help as and when and also believe covered for an emergency and do not believe they turn people away.
I am married to A Thai and I used to be a school teacher for 5 years. Also, my wife has sisters working at the local hospital.
Amazing in that my thai Family and they tried to get me on their insurance several times without success and I have no serious medical problems.
Am I covered?

[tonray]

No you have to buy insurance if you want insurance coverage.

[jwest10]

Just now, tonray said:

No you have to buy insurance if you want insurance coverage.

Yes was asking as I have a hospital white card and have my wifes relatives working at the same hospital  and yes normally would have to pay of course. thanks

[Sheryl]

The card is just patient registration. Gives you a patient number that links to your medical records. It has nothing to do with payment. You will be charged for treatment. Outpatient visits and minor hospitalizations will be quite affordable but if you have a major accident or catastrophic illness (heart attack, stroke, cancer etc) even in a government hospital costs can reach 2 million baht or so. Should get insurance.

 

 

[Nemesis7]

Please do have your medical insurance in this unpredictable land before you jump off the balcony and survive or get robbed or run over, anything can happen....

[thailand49]

Quote:  " given me as being inform "  you have no idea what you are doing. Go to the Thai Visa medical section.

Good luck

[janpharma]

Waiting Colin's reply....

[Tony125]

5 hours ago, Sheryl said:

The card is just patient registration. Gives you a patient number that links to your medical records. It has nothing to do with payment. You will be charged for treatment. Outpatient visits and minor hospitalizations will be quite affordable but if you have a major accident or catastrophic illness (heart attack, stroke, cancer etc) even in a government hospital costs can reach 2 million baht or so. Should get insurance.

 

 

The OP says he worked as a teacher for 5 years, if he was paying into the Social Security Scheme he should have been covered and can keep his coverage by continuing to pay into it  even if he is no longer teaching. Is that not correct?

[Suradit69]

3 hours ago, Nemesis7 said:

Please do have your medical insurance in this unpredictable land before you jump off the balcony and survive or get robbed or run over, anything can happen....

Not sure in what way this "land" is unpredictable. Getting robbed isn't normally covered by medical insurance and getting run over is probably less of a threat if you're sober, whether in Thailand or elsewhere. Things like a heart attack, cancer or even a multitude of less traumatic illnesses hardly are unique to Thailand. I've made good use of my insurance without ever once being robbed or run over or jumping off a balcony.

 

Agree the O/P should make sure he's covered by insurance just as would anyone living in any country that didn't provide nanny state "free" medical care.

[silverado1]

6 hours ago, Sheryl said:

The card is just patient registration. Gives you a patient number that links to your medical records. It has nothing to do with payment. You will be charged for treatment. Outpatient visits and minor hospitalizations will be quite affordable but if you have a major accident or catastrophic illness (heart attack, stroke, cancer etc) even in a government hospital costs can reach 2 million baht or so. Should get insurance.

 

 

hi Sheryl, what i scare the most here in thailand (issan , near cambodia border) is the biting from scorpions, scolopenders, snakes and spiders... do you think this kind of treatment would cost  too much (how much ???) in a public hospital same in prasat / a dispensary (same in kapchoeng ) without insurance ?

[Sheryl]

52 minutes ago, Tony125 said:

The OP says he worked as a teacher for 5 years, if he was paying into the Social Security Scheme he should have been covered and can keep his coverage by continuing to pay into it  even if he is no longer teaching. Is that not correct?

Correct if he was under social Security. However if he taught in a private school he may not have been. For some reason private schools are exempt.

[TerryLH]

"The OP says he worked as a teacher for 5 years, if he was paying into the Social Security Scheme he should have been covered and can keep his coverage by continuing to pay into it  even if he is no longer teaching. Is that not correct?"

 

There is also a time limit to apply after you become ineligible through work.  

 

 

lkv posted info about the new 10 year visa that requires health insurance.  There is apparently insurance available for that visa through http://longstay.tgia.org/.

It doesn't say that it is or isn't available to anyone not getting the new 10 year visa.

At least there is something now available for some expats.  It might be nice to find out if is available for all.

[khunPer]

OP, as Sheryl posted, insurance is first option. There are several not too old threads in the forum about expat-insurance, worth making a search and look through, as many questions may be answered there, and many possibilities mentioned; also insurance vs. self-insurance.

[wanderluster]

try contacting https://www.aainsure.net/contact_us.html              and ask them about what you want

 

also ask about expat group insurance, they offer special deals to expat clubs.

 

english should not be a problem

[garbolino]

6 hours ago, wanderluster said:

try contacting https://www.aainsure.net/contact_us.html              and ask them about what you want

 

also ask about expat group insurance, they offer special deals to expat clubs.

 

english should not be a problem

i wet to expats club Pattaya a couple of weeks ago....very helpful....got forms for health insurance.....covered by AXA insurance.....I would not advise anyone to take out health insurance with a Thai company.

I had insurance 6 yrs ago with one......they did not pay out for my time in hospital !!! Muang Thai was the insurance

[wanderluster]

19 minutes ago, garbolino said:

i wet to expats club Pattaya a couple of weeks ago....very helpful....got forms for health insurance.....covered by AXA insurance.....I would not advise anyone to take out health insurance with a Thai company.

I had insurance 6 yrs ago with one......they did not pay out for my time in hospital !!! Muang Thai was the insurance

personally i only use accident insurance from kasikorn bank it costs me 2700 baht a yr.  very cheap.  in the last 4 yrs have had 4 accidents( all small in the 3-5 k region) and never had a problem with them paying out.   before that i had expat club insurance through AA at about 15k - 20 k a yr had 1 bad accident and they paid out about 125k for it. no sicknesses so dont know on that front.

[Sheryl]

9 hours ago, TerryLH said:

...lkv posted info about the new 10 year visa that requires health insurance.  There is apparently insurance available for that visa through http://longstay.tgia.org/....

 

at a glance, those are 4 Thai companies who mainly do life insurance and what they offer (1) is an insufficient level of cover (capped at 400,000 baht per event - you need 2-5 million to be adequately insured here) and (2) not good value for money - premiums are high relative to what you get. There are much better alternatives to be had, from companies that specialize in health insurance.

 

One those and other grounds I would not recommend this. It's only advantage is that it also provides the  OPD coverage required for the 10 year visa, but unless getting the 10 year visa there is no need for that (in other words the insurance requirements for the 01 year visa do not make sense relative to what one would actually need to avoid being unable to pay medical bills).

[jwest10]

20 hours ago, Sheryl said:

The card is just patient registration. Gives you a patient number that links to your medical records. It has nothing to do with payment. You will be charged for treatment. Outpatient visits and minor hospitalizations will be quite affordable but if you have a major accident or catastrophic illness (heart attack, stroke, cancer etc) even in a government hospital costs can reach 2 million baht or so. Should get insurance.

 

 

Yes thanks for advice and the International firms quotes are very, very large and unaffordable.  I have quotes from the Thai Companies and they differ too. Can anyone recommend one just for myself for in- house emergencies and Prakam seem extremely good.
My main concern and it is not just here in Thailand is that when you reach 70 years old they can cancel your polcy or then increase your premium substantially.
They say no upper limit and just asking advice and think that the local hospital where my wife's sisters work  state they will not refuse you or one emergency and I suppose it depends which hospital, where one lives etc and I live where there are very few expats.
It amazes me that one who supports his Thai Family for just about everything, yet can not get on the Thai Family scheme and they have tried several times and not refused on any medical reasons??

Yes rules are rules and I am not Thai, but believe having wife's relatives working at the local hospital would ensure treatment and yes have this card and yes been in once and yes the double stndard pricing, but still very reasonable, as compared to the western World and assured they would not turn you away from one emergency!!!

Edited August 31, 2017 by jwest10

[jwest10]

20 hours ago, Sheryl said:

The card is just patient registration. Gives you a patient number that links to your medical records. It has nothing to do with payment. You will be charged for treatment. Outpatient visits and minor hospitalizations will be quite affordable but if you have a major accident or catastrophic illness (heart attack, stroke, cancer etc) even in a government hospital costs can reach 2 million baht or so. Should get insurance.

 

 

Sheryl,
The card was not exactly given to me and my wife and to fight tooth and nail for it and perhaps not given too many out in my area, but I know and was with her.

[jwest10]

3 hours ago, garbolino said:

i wet to expats club Pattaya a couple of weeks ago....very helpful....got forms for health insurance.....covered by AXA insurance.....I would not advise anyone to take out health insurance with a Thai company.

I had insurance 6 yrs ago with one......they did not pay out for my time in hospital !!! Muang Thai was the insurance

Ok have seen them in the past and why would you not recommend taking out health insurance with a Thai Company, apart from your amazing experience, so why did they refuse to pay your claim.
I guess some people would not like the apparently the crowded conditions, but the quotes also give how much per day for a room or semi private room

Edited August 31, 2017 by jwest10

[Sheryl]

23 minutes ago, jwest10 said:

Yes thanks for advice and the International firms quotes are very, very large and unaffordable.  I have quotes from the Thai Companies and they differ too. Can anyone recommend one just for myself for in- house emergencies and Prakam seem extremely good.
My main concern and it is not just here in Thailand is that when you reach 70 years old they can cancel your polcy or then increase your premium substantially.
They say no upper limit and just asking advice and think that the local hospital where my wife's sisters work  state they will not refuse you or one emergency and I suppose it depends which hospital, where one lives etc and I live where there are very few expats.
It amazes me that one who supports his Thai Family for just about everything, yet can not get on the Thai Family scheme and they have tried several times and not refused on any medical reasons??

Yes rules are rules and I am not Thai, but believe having wife's relatives working at the local hospital would ensure treatment and yes have this card and yes been in once and yes the double stndard pricing, but still very reasonable, as compared to the western World and assured they would not turn you away from one emergency!!!

They will not turn you away in an emergency but (1) they will limit the care they provide if you cannot pay and (2) they will expect to be paid for the care they provide...even to the point for refusing to let you leave (or worst case, your family collect your body) until the bill is settled.

 

And bear in mind that there are a lot of things you might need medical care for that are not life and death emergencies but seriously affect your quality of life. Cataracts. Hip replacements etc.

 

Where your wife's relatives work makes no difference. Only if your wife were herself covered under the civil service scheme would you be eligible for coverage.

 

International insurance is not really more expensive than Thai issued policies in fact less expensive relative to what you get for it (level of cover etc). They will not cancel your policy when you turn a certain age and unlike Thai policies will not up your premiums on an individual basis because you have developed a chronic illness (as Thia insurers are allowed to and often will). Of course, premiums will rise with age, that is inevitable.

 

The key is to get an international policy with as large an excess or copay as you can afford (substantially lowers premium rates) and limited to inpatient cover.

 

 

 

 

[jwest10]

2 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

They will not turn you away in an emergency but (1) they will limit the care they provide if you cannot pay and (2) they will expect to be paid for the care they provide...even to the point for refusing to let you leave (or worst case, your family collect your body) until the bill is settled.

 

And bear in mind that there are a lot of things you might need medical care for that are not life and death emergencies but seriously affect your quality of life. Cataracts. Hip replacements etc.

 

Where your wife's relatives work makes no difference. Only if your wife were herself covered under the civil service scheme would you be eligible for coverage.

 

International insurance is not really more expensive than Thai issued policies in fact less expensive relative to what you get for it (level of cover etc). They will not cancel your policy when you turn a certain age and unlike Thai policies will not up your premiums on an individual basis because you have developed a chronic illness (as Thia insurers are allowed to and often will). Of course, premiums will rise with age, that is inevitable.

 

The key is to get an international policy with as large an excess or copay as you can afford (substantially lowers premium rates) and limited to inpatient cover.

 

 

 

 

Thanks and yes I am finding International Companies have huge premiums and yes one would get more coverage. Any Thai insurance companies, apart from the ones advertised do you know and have good reports on. Each to their own choice, I guess will be the reply.

Thanks for advise appreciate it.

[Sheryl]

Among the Thai insurers I would probably recommend MSH.

 

But note that with any Thai insurer, they will raise your rates on an individual basis if your "risk profile" changes i.e. if you develop a chronic disease etc.

 

Rates are not that much lower than an international policy, and in the long term may be much more.

[Tony125]

5 hours ago, jwest10 said:

Sheryl,
The card was not exactly given to me and my wife and to fight tooth and nail for it and perhaps not given too many out in my area, but I know and was with her.

How long ago were you a teacher and did you pay into the Social Security Scheme?  If you did then you were covered for health care and may still be eligible if you continue to pay into it.