Details of mandatory health insurance for Non-Imm O-A visas to be announced next week

[Peterw42]

7 minutes ago, miamiman123 said:

Who are these non immigrant o-a people examples??? 

Anyone with an OA visa, OA is the visa you get from home country, often referred to as retirement visa.

[bowerboy]

My first reaction was that it would be interesting to follow the money chain up and see who owns the insurance company involved (assuming it’s a monopoly) but I don’t think there is that much money to be made in the big scheme of things.

 

The big one that we are all slowly being led down the path towards is the day that 7/11 start getting the sole rights to distribute lottery tickets through their stores...we are working towards that and that will definitely be a case of the Junta being told what to do by one of the people controlling them.

 

 

[Mango Bob]

The country just want to screw us out of every penny they can get from us.  This insurance is useless.  It would never cover us.  The PM need to get off his ass and stop lying and making up his own rules.  The paralimart must get involved here and question what good this does  It is not us who live here that are the probems.  The idiots are screwing the good guy while  the criminals and terrorist are running around laughing at them.  PM get off you damn ass and stop this before it too late for you and this country.

[wombat]

2 hours ago, mtls2005 said:

I thought that the plan was to increase the airport PSC from 700 baht to 800 baht as of 1 October 2019, and that the resulting 3.8 BILLION baht generated annually would go to the MoH to cover the ~ 200 million baht unrecovered annual medical expenses incurred by foreigners, with a tidy 3.6 BILLION baht left over for, well, stuff.

 

https://morning-news.bectero.com/economy/24-May-2019/144181

 

 

 

lets not confuse things with logic

 

[Mango Bob]

We don't run around blowing up the city we don't hide and do not need that stupid TM30.   WE have better insurance than you offer here witch is worthless.  I would never use a Thai Hospital unless it is an international one.  Your police would never cover it.  But my insurance does but you don't accept that.  You people are idiots.

 

[ThaiBunny]

1 hour ago, mania said:

Most responsible tourists have travel insurance....Same as most responsible Expats

Could you provide some evidence of this? Or does not having insurance automatically mean they must not be "responsible"?

[Tofer]

33 minutes ago, Time Traveller said:

Thailand's become a joke of a country. Not only does farang get charged more than thais for virtually everything. They get stupid fines for address reporting mistakes (thats the reason the make it so complicated), ridiculous rules from immigration (you need money in the bank to prove you can support yourself, but you're not allowed to use it!!!!!) and now required to make mandatory donations to thai insurance companies.

It's not even a good place to invest anymore. Even at the worst, it was still way better under Thaksin's government.

Long live Thaksin, may he return to claim his rightful title that was stolen from him by criminals

 

 

The money you show for visa extensions CAN be used once the extension has been awarded!

 

Who told you different?

[grantbkk]

5 minutes ago, bowerboy said:

My first reaction was that it would be interesting to follow the money chain up and see who owns the insurance company involved (assuming it’s a monopoly) but I don’t think there is that much money to be made in the big scheme of things.

 

The big one that we are all slowly being led down the path towards is the day that 7/11 start getting the sole rights to distribute lottery tickets through their stores...we are working towards that and that will definitely be a case of the Junta being told what to do by one of the people controlling them.

 

 

This is not a money grab by insurance companies alone.  The billions of Baht this scheme (their word, means scam) has several usual suspects in line to collect. In the interest of fairness and transparency does Thai Visa stand to gain any cash stream beyond advertising revenue? I always thought it strange the ads began before the announcement of the pending insurance fiasco.  Asking for a friend. I already have insurance. 

[Pinot]

I opened a thread about the 400/40 Insurance policy here:

 

The 400/40 Thai Health Insurance Policy

[Jingthing]

The money you show for visa extensions CAN be used once the extension has been awarded!
 
Who told you different?

Not really. For retirement extensions you can't go under 800k for 3 months after and after that never under 400k until the beginning of the next 800k baht 3 months seasoning period. So basically at least 400k locked up indefinitely as long as you want to keep getting extensions.

Sent from my Lenovo A7020a48 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[Classic Ray]

Most Western tourists come here on visa exemption for up to thirty days, so won’t have to have insurance, even though they are the most likely to need treatment, especially after road collisions, and are the ones who could easily skip without paying. 

 

So the insurance should be added to the airport tax for all tourists if the intent is to prevent non payment of hospital bills.

 

But that is a red herring, it’s an income stream for insurance companies with easy targets.

[phetpeter]

I find it amazing, how many expats think that going to a private hospital, for most problems is the best thing todo? The first thing they do is ask you what type of room would they like? 10k on the bill. Yes it needs a couple of stitches. and a couple of paracetamols, plus an injection of paracetamol. an overnight stay to make sure you don't come down with a fever or the stitches bust! and what would you like for dinner, please make sure a friend stays with you, but, we will charge for a nurse to come in every 4 hours to check you BP. smile and leave again. That will be 20K...cash or card?

 

Government hospital, clean, stitch. told to go buy paracetamols at 7/11 (10baht), pop in each day to change dressing, check its healing nicely. Whats that you paying SS? Free. Not paying then that will be 200 baht! 

 

For me, paying SS, 5 years ago Heart attack, Government hospital, every 3 months check up tablets, every six months Cat Scan, xray, ecg etc. Once a year Cancer tag checks. all other other checks and treatment, eyes stomach etc. FREE!

Treated with respect, and many times pushed to the front, as the only foreigner. When stayed in hospital private room 200 baht per night.

[Kelsall]

Not mentioned in any other publication.  We shall see if this announcement even happens.

[fforest1]

The agents for your new mandatory Thai insurance policy... 

[billsmart]

I'll be waiting anxiously to see just what the details on this new law is. I hope it's presented more clearly than all the others that have been changed, (or now enforced) lately.

 

The questions I have right now would be only two:

1. The article says it would apply to APPLICATIONS for a Non-Immigrant O-A visa. Would it also apply to those who already have them. For example, would it be a requirement for an extension of stay?
2. Most insurance requirements allow for a secured deposit bond in lieu of insurance. In this case, that could be a secure bond of THB 440K. This, of course, would have to be on top of the THB 400K or THB 800K required for the different types of Non-Immigrant O-A stay extensions (which I always thought was for this purpose, to assure the foreigner has enough money to get them through a rough patch or at pay for their trip back to their home country.) At 73, it would be easier and less costly for me to post such a bond than try to get private insurance.

 

What also could be considered, but probably isn't, is for the Thai government to run an insurance plan which would allow foreigners the same access and treatment at Thai government hospitals as Thai's have. That, I would think, would not only bring in some money to the Thai government, but would not be very costly for either the insured or the government because the accommodations and services could be easily absorbed by the existing government hospital operations.

Anyway, I'll be looking for more details of this change with interest and trepidation. 

[phiti]

I think the main bone of contention is to do with the 40,000 THB outpatient cover. 
If the outpatient departments required you pay a deposit, of let's say 2,000 THB, and this could be applied to anyone without a Thai ID card, this would negate the requirement for outpatient insurance and provide more comprehensive cover for the hospitals as it would apply to all non-Thai.

After consulting the doctor and receiving any necessary treatment, the patient would visit the cashier, as normal, but either for a refund on, or to pay the excess on the cost of that visit.

But perhaps my idea does not suit the insurance companies who may have been lobbying hard for this.

[yellowboat]

Scam, pick a neighboring country to reside, and only visit Thailand when the itch needs to be scratched. 

[Rampant20]

I dare say they want to stop people who cant support themselves finding themselves unable to pay excessive medical bills. Will also help reduce the go fund me people who refuse to cover themselves for retirement or long stays in Thailand. I don't have an issue with it to be honest.

 

[Tofer]

4 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Not really. For retirement extensions you can't go under 800k for 3 months after and after that never under 400k until the beginning of the next 800k baht 3 months seasoning period. So basically at least 400k locked up indefinitely as long as you want to keep getting extensions.

Sent from my Lenovo A7020a48 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

That doesn't accord with my experience.

 

In fact on my last extension I was forced to take a 2 month extension as my seasoning money arrived one day late to satisfy the 400k requirement for a marriage extension, previously a retirement extension, as they didn't want any glitches on the paperwork being sent to Bangkok.

 

My bank account showed around 100k prior to the deposit of my seasoning money, and there were no repercussions.... In all 4 of my extensions (3 x retirement) my account has shown far less than the 400k you state has to be maintained prior to the seasoning period.

[AboutThaim]

2 hours ago, Vacuum said:

Yes, but many expats can't get an insurance because of their age.

Maybe they're not trying hard enough.  I look for travel insurance when in Oz every year. Some will insure up to 99 years old.  Health insurance is probably much more expensive or difficult.  This year about $750 for 9 months for TI.

[peter14]

Thailand getting more and more and more expensive .   .....  less and less people will move and remain here ! 

[nursebob]

2 hours ago, tracker1 said:

I would have thought with the millions of tourists flooding Thailand that they would be more of a medical problem then a few hundred expats living here !

I thought the government were going to charge tourists 100 baht entry fee to Thailand to cover this.

[peter14]

13 minutes ago, yellowboat said:

Scam, pick a neighboring country to reside, and only visit Thailand when the itch needs to be scratched. 

Exactly ... 

[ThaiFelix]

I would be very interested to see who are new shareholders in these health insurance companies.  Especially since just before this was first announced??

[moe666]

2 hours ago, Sticky Wicket said:

If you are going to advertise as a tourist destination then you are bound to have a few unwanted costs. However compared to what comes in it's a drop in the ocean.

 

Also they don't advertise how dangerous the country is! 

Most of the injuries/deaths will have been caused by a Thai or Thailand

You know that how any stats to back up a very wild and misleading statement

[fforest1]

15 minutes ago, nursebob said:

I thought the government were going to charge tourists 100 baht entry fee to Thailand to cover this.

I think it was just torture for the Thai insurance companies the thought of farangs having money in their bank that was not going to them....After all farangs would just be spending their own money foolishly ......

[Old Croc]

25 minutes ago, Tofer said:

40 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Not really. For retirement extensions you can't go under 800k for 3 months after and after that never under 400k until the beginning of the next 800k baht 3 months seasoning period. So basically at least 400k locked up indefinitely as long as you want to keep getting extensions.

That doesn't accord with my experience.

In fact on my last extension I was forced to take a 2 month extension as my seasoning money arrived one day late to satisfy the 400k requirement for a marriage extension, previously a retirement extension, as they didn't want any glitches on the paperwork being sent to Bangkok.

My bank account showed around 100k prior to the deposit of my seasoning money, and there were no repercussions.... In all 4 of my extensions (3 x retirement) my account has shown far less than the 400k you state has to be maintained prior to the seasoning period.

The post you are quoting outlines the new, current, requirements for a retirement visa extension. In force from 1 July 2019 I believe. Previously you could remove the 800k from your bank as soon as the extension was granted, but had to seed it for 3 months before the next one.

Marriage extensions have different rules for lump sums and seeding, which you apparently didn't meet anyway, and luckily was granted an extension until you did.

[Mango Bob]

Did you notice there is no source to this post other than Thaivisa.   Who is the source Thaivisa and why don't I see one listed.  

[Pedrogaz]

The sad thing is that we will be none the wiser and full of questions after the insurance details are announced.

[brian2f2f]

3 hours ago, holy cow cm said:

I still find this extremely hard to believe as the hospital will never let you leave until paid in full. How do you rack up a bill and then walk away?

 

All we can do is wait and see what comes out and how it is written. Not going to speculate, but I have my feeling there is more to it than that..

I'm with you and expecting them to add it for extensions as well and requiring proof at time of extension. I hope I am wrong but we shall know soon enough.