Health Check: Phuket Immigration confirms mandatory health insurance for O-A ‘retirement’ visas not in force

[rocketdave]

As I said a few months ago if they demand that I have a health insurance policy to stay here I will leave.

Not because I think that health insurance is a bad thing it's just because I'm 70, have three existing preconditions (diabetes 2, hypertension, gout) and the amount I'm asked to pay annually is 90% of the required cover. That is not insurance it is robbery so bye bye Thailand hello Cambodia!

[derek robert]

20 hours ago, peter14 said:

Well all foreigner exodus  and the retire one that will not buy fridge car home  schootforntheir wife or gf... making immigration harsh will NOT help anyone come back .. Thailand soften your stance or loose all...

This 800000 in the bank is putting our lives at risk we are the only ones with money in bank if you do not use an agent getting scared

[jackdd]

4 hours ago, chrissables said:

Then this whole thread is about nothing! ???? Why are Phuket Immigration even talking about it.

The "reporter" who wrote this news article just doesn't understand what she is talking about.

[Caine]

On 8/3/2019 at 4:00 AM, LivinLOS said:

Every time its explained so poorly.. 

 

There isnt an O-A visa extension or renewal anyway.. There is a 12 month in country extension (of the permission of stay), on the basis of retirement, that can be given to anyone who satisfies the conditions for that retirement class. 

 

No one in authority so far has said it will be applied to retirement extensions. It 'may' be applied to O-A visa applications outside the country (but isnt yet) and it is applied for O-X visas applied for outside the country. 

 

Everything else is fear mongering at this point. 

What’s fearful about it ? if you can’t afford it you shouldn’t be here

[Caine]

On 8/3/2019 at 7:08 AM, madmen said:

'owever, as of Wednesday (July 31), no Royal Thai Embassies or consulates abroad contacted and checked by The Phuket News made any mention of the mandatory health insurance requirement in their details of visa requirements for O-A visas."


Was never going to see the light of day with the rip off premiums

Move along now folks nothing more to see

An Ostrich will always be an Ostrich. 

[marcusarelus]

5 hours ago, LivinLOS said:

it has to be one of the specific approved policies.. not just 'any policy of that amount of cover'.. 

https://longstay.tgia.org/

I believe if you read the ministers letter it does say other policies.  Now if you want to go along the half full headline in this topic don't mention that.  If the person was trying to write a factual headline he would have written, "No Insurance required for new O-A visas."

[CharlieH]

Reported troll comment removed

[lkv]

6 hours ago, chrissables said:

 Why are Phuket Immigration even talking about it.

To mentally prepare the people for imminent enforcement.

[LivinLOS]

2 hours ago, Caine said:

What’s fearful about it ? if you can’t afford it you shouldn’t be here

And yet so many are.. Look at all the...

 

6 hours ago, rocketdave said:

As I said a few months ago if they demand that I have a health insurance policy to stay here I will leave.

 

[LivinLOS]

1 hour ago, marcusarelus said:

I believe if you read the ministers letter it does say other policies.  Now if you want to go along the half full headline in this topic don't mention that.  If the person was trying to write a factual headline he would have written, "No Insurance required for new O-A visas."

Currently, for the O-X visas those are the only legal policies.. 

 

What future plans or enforcement happens is anyones guess. 

[Benmart]

On 8/3/2019 at 12:01 PM, GeorgeCross said:

mandatory health insurance.. buckle up its coming ????

Please tell me when. I don't add to an already confusing situation by embarking on speculation. 

[stevenl]

7 hours ago, chrissables said:

Then this whole thread is about nothing! ???? Why are Phuket Immigration even talking about it.

Exactly.

[stevenl]

2 hours ago, marcusarelus said:

I believe if you read the ministers letter it does say other policies.  Now if you want to go along the half full headline in this topic don't mention that.  If the person was trying to write a factual headline he would have written, "No Insurance required for new O-A visas."

Those visa are applied for at embassies/consulates, Phuket immigration will have no knowledge about that.

[marcusarelus]

On 8/4/2019 at 4:18 PM, lkv said:

To mentally prepare the people for imminent enforcement.

It would be enforced in home countries not Phuket as it's a O-A visa not available in Thailand.  

[lkv]

5 hours ago, marcusarelus said:

It would be enforced in home countries not Phuket as it's a O-A visa not available in Thailand.  

Any insurance, if required for other visa categories will be local insurance, following the O-X model.

 

Furthermore, it's unfair for people that use non O extensions not to be insured, they could get sick also?

 

That's what Phuket Immigration is likely doing, trying to get us all used with the idea of mandatory local insurance for all long stays, regardless of visa type.

 

Time will tell if I was right or wrong.

[George FmplesdaCosteedback]

I often wonder how it is that Thai Immigration, from the front desk to the top of the tree, is allowed to make their own rules up day to day, person to person and each office/embassy without any legal oversight.

????

[dode57k]

On 8/3/2019 at 11:38 AM, 4MyEgo said:

Totally agree, while it's expensive for some, one has to ask oneself, are you prepared to pay big money out of your own pocket, or risk not being treated in a better environment if you had the choice. I also understand some cannot get insurance, fair enough. 

 

I have insurance for emergency and elective surgery only, as outpatient is cheap enough for me to pay.

 

The above said, 180 baht per day I do not consider expensive in my situation for a 1.2 mil US $ coverage and while I can afford it, I will maintain the coverage.

 

I'm currently OK as covered by employers health insurance but when I retire God knows. Understand the need for "emergency" cover but I see Chemotherapy is "outpatient" Are people just taking their chances on cancer. Really wish I could find an affordable policy for just the "big stuff" both inpatient and outpatient

[CLS]

I just spoke to an AIA insurance agent here in Thailand.... their best policy still only gives you 10,000 baht coverage for out-patient cover... they do not have a policy that covers 40,000 !!!!
So no-one can purchase that in Thailand.... maybe immigration should talk to insurers first to see what policies they provide instead of pulling figures out of the air as to what foreigners should buy!

40k is per year, not per visit.


Sent from my iPhone using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[Sheryl]

I'm currently OK as covered by employers health insurance but when I retire God knows. Understand the need for "emergency" cover but I see Chemotherapy is "outpatient" Are people just taking their chances on cancer. Really wish I could find an affordable policy for just the "big stuff" both inpatient and outpatient

Many inpatient policies include outpt cancer treatment. I know cigna and April do for starters.

Sent from my SM-J701F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[4MyEgo]

10 hours ago, dode57k said:

I'm currently OK as covered by employers health insurance but when I retire God knows. Understand the need for "emergency" cover but I see Chemotherapy is "outpatient" Are people just taking their chances on cancer. Really wish I could find an affordable policy for just the "big stuff" both inpatient and outpatient

Nothing wrong with wishing, but what if you had to face the reality tomorrow when you retire and couldn't find an "affordable policy" that covers both emergency and Chemotherapy ?

 

The way I see it is, if you are unfortunate and were dealt the big C card, at least with an emergency cover policy, it also covers elective surgery, which means you would be covered for the big C surgery.

 

As for Chemotherapy being part of an outpatient policy, if one cannot afford both or chooses not to pay for both, I believe cover under an emergency policy outweighs not insurance at all, yes cover for both would be best, but it all boils down to affordability, and really, what are the chances of getting the big C, i.e. unless it's in the family tree ?

 

My family tree are heart attacks, had mine at 47, 12 years ago, stent inserted and been fine ever since, maintain a healthy weight and eat well, and of course some exercise. Back in the old country government Medicare would cover me, waiting period if not an emergency, if an emergency, straight in, payments to Cardiologist for visits, about half costs recovered, Medicare payments from me today if I was retired back in the old country = zero.

 

Unfortunately for me I don't have that luxury here, that said if I was working and earning what I was earning prior to retiring back in the old country, Medicare through a compulsory tax levy would cost me about the same as emergency cover here.  So it's 6, 2, 1, half dozen the other, now for me and the family it costs us about 120,000 baht per year, that said, one has to ask oneself, if one ended up in a hospital for either elective surgery or an emergency, would it be more than 120,000 baht for the surgery, stay, etc, etc and at what point do you keep paying, or take the risk and self insure saving the 120,000 baht per year, putting it aside in a slush fund and hope nothing ever happens and in 10 years you can say, hey I have an extra 1.2 million baht here that I forgot about and then just leave it there and don't put anymore aside or keep building it up, )%%#@&(* hang on a minute, I think I'm into something here ????

 

You might want to start putting the money aside now into that slush fund before you retire, depending on how many years you have left, putting the maximum you can put aside, like $1,000 a month till you retire, so as to get well ahead, if you can afford $33 a day x 365 days a year x 4 years for argument would cover you for 8 and a bit years @ 60,000 baht per year if you took out emergency cover here  ?

 

Just a thought/alternative

 

[dode57k]

8 hours ago, Sheryl said:

Many inpatient policies include outpt cancer treatment. I know cigna and April do for starters.

Sent from my SM-J701F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

I'll have a look, thanks

[dode57k]

4 hours ago, 4MyEgo said:

Nothing wrong with wishing, but what if you had to face the reality tomorrow when you retire and couldn't find an "affordable policy" that covers both emergency and Chemotherapy ?

 

The way I see it is, if you are unfortunate and were dealt the big C card, at least with an emergency cover policy, it also covers elective surgery, which means you would be covered for the big C surgery.

 

As for Chemotherapy being part of an outpatient policy, if one cannot afford both or chooses not to pay for both, I believe cover under an emergency policy outweighs not insurance at all, yes cover for both would be best, but it all boils down to affordability, and really, what are the chances of getting the big C, i.e. unless it's in the family tree ?

 

My family tree are heart attacks, had mine at 47, 12 years ago, stent inserted and been fine ever since, maintain a healthy weight and eat well, and of course some exercise. Back in the old country government Medicare would cover me, waiting period if not an emergency, if an emergency, straight in, payments to Cardiologist for visits, about half costs recovered, Medicare payments from me today if I was retired back in the old country = zero.

 

Unfortunately for me I don't have that luxury here, that said if I was working and earning what I was earning prior to retiring back in the old country, Medicare through a compulsory tax levy would cost me about the same as emergency cover here.  So it's 6, 2, 1, half dozen the other, now for me and the family it costs us about 120,000 baht per year, that said, one has to ask oneself, if one ended up in a hospital for either elective surgery or an emergency, would it be more than 120,000 baht for the surgery, stay, etc, etc and at what point do you keep paying, or take the risk and self insure saving the 120,000 baht per year, putting it aside in a slush fund and hope nothing ever happens and in 10 years you can say, hey I have an extra 1.2 million baht here that I forgot about and then just leave it there and don't put anymore aside or keep building it up, )%%#@&(* hang on a minute, I think I'm into something here ????

 

You might want to start putting the money aside now into that slush fund before you retire, depending on how many years you have left, putting the maximum you can put aside, like $1,000 a month till you retire, so as to get well ahead, if you can afford $33 a day x 365 days a year x 4 years for argument would cover you for 8 and a bit years @ 60,000 baht per year if you took out emergency cover here  ?

 

Just a thought/alternative

 

Thanks for the reply. Given me something to think about. Appreciate it.