Will mandatory health insurance force you to leave Thailand?

[brewsterbudgen]

Incorrect.
https://www.surreyandsussex.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Entitlement-to-NHS-Hospital-Treatment-for-Non-Resident-UK-Citizens.pdf

If a returning expat can show that they are now permanently residing in the UK they will not be charged for NHS treatment.

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[Catoni]

6 hours ago, AAArdvark said:

They are people who have the cash to pay for their medical care or are prepared to return to their home country for advanced care if needed.

They are people who get social medical coverage like in Canada or some European countries or elsewhere, but lose that coverage if they leave the country. 

    They might have the money to go to cheap areas of the world and economy. But if they are older and/or have health conditions, might not be able to get health coverage out of their home country, or might be able to get coverage only if they pay thousands and thousands of dollars...which they can’t afford in retirement. 

  So I repeat...those people should never travel. If they can’t get, or can’t afford the cost of health insurance out of your country at your age or can’t even find a company that will cover you at a cost you can afford....then you can’t afford your dream of travel or retiring in Southeast Asia.

  They must simply abandon their dream and just live out the rest of their life at home. It’s too bad for them....but that’s the reality. 

   Let them see other countries on YouTube or let them read travel magazines. 

   Traveling internationally and/or becoming an expat and moving to live in a tropical country is for the younger well off crowd who can easily get travel health insurance. And it’s for the older retired folks who have no health problems and can get health insurance at a reasonable cost or have health problems but they are very well off financially and can pay for very very pricy health insurance. 

    If you’re old, have health problems, only have the money to live okay in Southeast Asia but you can’t get or don’t have the thousands to pay for health insurance...then Stay In Your Own Home Country.

     Forget your dream and get some other hobby to enjoy in your golden years. Southeast Asia and the rest of the world is not for you. 

[ThePioneer]

2 hours ago, Krataiboy said:

You don't, by any chance, work for Immigration?

 

Not all, I'm just not one of those whiners on this forum who claim that Thailand does require a health insurance because foreigners are not wanted here.

 

From my link it seems clear that this is a requirement in many countries, not least in the countries where those whiners were born

[Catoni]

5 hours ago, Joe Mcseismic said:

And just how are you going to get to the airport, go through formalities and fly home after:-

 

A serious road accident.

A heart attack.

Pneumonia.

A stroke and a myriad of other conditions.

 

People seem to forget that it maybe impossible to fly back and/or the airline will not allow you to fly back as you are a risk.

In that case, you should stay in your home country if you have coverage there. Do not travel or become an expat in some other country around the world. Stay home!

[Max69xl]

8 hours ago, rocketdave said:

I'm on an extension based on retirement. Should this insurance become mandatory for me I will leave (thinking about moving anyway.)

I have had many rows with beer soaked experts who think everybody should have health insurance but as I point out I'm over 70 with three existing conditions. The quotes I have obtained for the required cover is an annual payment of 90% of said cover (increasing yearly) so if I can pay that premium I could pay the medical bill out of my pocket and save myself a fortune.

Then you can't choose a very good hospital,because they cost a small fortune, especially in Phuket, BKK and Pattaya. You have to know where to go. 

[Kurtf]

Most retirees that come to Thailand are OLD and health insurance if even available at all is very very expensive. So naturally they will move somewhere else like Vietnam for example. Seems so obvious to me.

[madmen]

13 minutes ago, Kurtf said:

Most retirees that come to Thailand are OLD and health insurance if even available at all is very very expensive. So naturally they will move somewhere else like Vietnam for example. Seems so obvious to me.

Because You're less likely to get sick in Vietnam? You didn't put much thought into that post but thanks for Laugh's ☺☺☺

[Catoni]

6 hours ago, natway09 said:

If you live in Thailand as an expat (age immaterial) & don"t have any health insurance 

you are walking a tightrope.

As to those who complain that too expensive because I am old & have too many preexisting

conditions ,,, did you not think this through before deciding to make Thailand your home?

You can't have the chicken & the egg always.

Scenario, get knocked over as an innocent streetwalker  by a speeding bike going through a red light He has no money, nor a licence) & you need 

2 operations & traction for 8 weeks  cost 2.3 million With no so called health cover 

are you in a position to pay ? If not ,, think seriously if you should be living here.

The above scenario did happen & was resolved by the Police Hospital accepting a 12 month pay off but what if not ?

Depressing. When you get old and if you’re not wealthy....better to just stay in your home country and wait to for the end of your life. 

[timewilltell]

10 hours ago, Joe Mcseismic said:

You should have it anyway, regardless. The older you are, the more important it is.

As for those that say they are too old now and it's too expensive, I ask why didn't you start in your fifties? Getting old and ill health is very predictable. It's not like it just suddenly appears, eh? 

Well Joe - starting in  your fifties does not stop the aging process and so the premiums when you are 76 are either not available or so expensive with such all-encompassing exclusions that they are worthless.

 

So the real point that is being missed here is that as you get into your late 70's and 80's really Thailand is not the place to be anymore - and that applies to anyone unless exceedingly rich and will certainly have zero to do with how long they have been paying into and not claiming on their health insurance.

 

Retirement in Thailand is really a non-option unless you intend on leaving the living at an early age.

[Krataiboy]

4 hours ago, ThePioneer said:

 

Not all, I'm just not one of those whiners on this forum who claim that Thailand does require a health insurance because foreigners are not wanted here.

 

From my link it seems clear that this is a requirement in many countries, not least in the countries where those whiners were born

The point is it has never been a requirement here until now.  And it is rather heartless to to dismiss as "whining" the legitimate concerns of retirees faced with a problem not of their own making.

 

Many are single, divorced or widowed long-stayers in LOS, grown too old to qualify for any kind of insurance, let alone the "affordable" variety. Then there are the numerous others on modest and often frozen pensions, already struggling against the relentless rise of the baht to provide for their Thai wives and families.

 

Hopefully, the Thai Government will be aware of these inherent problems and be prepared to take a humane and nuanced approach than are some of the contributors to this Forum. 

[Roy Baht]

13 hours ago, elgenon said:

Yes, I don't understand how the gov't could require policies for old guys who, because of their age, would have a hard time getting a good policy.

Umm... It means if you're old go home.

[Speedhump]

7 hours ago, ThaiBunny said:

It's every two years and it's for the very simple reason that you don't have to show any money in Thailand.  An O-A gives you up to two years if you do a visa run just before the end of the first year. You're then stamped in for a further year

Thanks. So if they are prepared to jump through the hoops of a new visa every two years instead of extension they must be really hard up. So I guess it's a good thing they should have local health insurance (although the minimum level of cover demanded is hardly enough to have an op for an ingrown toenail, should be lot higher). 

[Jen65]

The article in question that was published citing the reason behind the introduction of this new requirement stated it was due to colossal unpaid medical bills by foreigners !!  Surely this is the responsibility of the medical establishment that treat foreigners to ensure that their medical bills are going to be paid before any treatment !! The UK was in similar position where many foreigners (mostly visitors) abused the NHS system until it was tightened up .  So why is Thailand any different and foreigners allowed to abuse the system ??  

On another point regarding the proposed free visa for Chinese and Indians (which is discriminatory) , are immigration going to check these visitors have adequate medical insurance ??? The institutions and the government have only themselves to blame if the proper steps have not been taken in the first place  -  and not now to shove the blame on resident farangs who, with any common sense will have medical insurance .   

[Rocking Robert]

If u don’t have insurance what do u do when something happens.  And something always happens

[amexpat]

7 minutes ago, Rocking Robert said:

If u don’t have insurance what do u do when something happens.  And something always happens

 

Same as when you do have worthless, high premium, low payout, policies with extensive exclusions. 

[simon43]

Well Joe - starting in  your fifties does not stop the aging process and so the premiums when you are 76 are either not available or so expensive with such all-encompassing exclusions that they are worthless.

 

Why's that?  You take out an insurance policy in your 50's with a decent expat insurance company, such as Cigna or BUPA.  Your policy insures you for life - they cannot refuse to cover you in future years, regardless of how many times you claim or how many illnesses/diseases you acquire in later years.  They cannot increase your insurance premium because of all these illnesses you acquire - they can only increase your premium in line with all other insurees in your age band.

 

Am I missing something here?

[Alex2554]

19 hours ago, adam1948 said:

Oh well, if you haven't met an expat who lives here on a O A Visa then I guess there are none ...... case solved ... you must get around a lot! knowing all the expats who live in Thailand WOW! you must get tired with all your traveling

No one can live on any type of visa. Visa has used at the day you enter the country

[goodguy]

On 8/19/2019 at 4:39 PM, Speedhump said:

Thanks. So if they are prepared to jump through the hoops of a new visa every two years instead of extension they must be really hard up. So I guess it's a good thing they should have local health insurance (although the minimum level of cover demanded is hardly enough to have an op for an ingrown toenail, should be lot higher). 

Op for an ingrown toe nail?  Are you kidding?  Back here in the UK,  A local Chiropadist did just that, how much?  Ten Pounds.

[Speedhump]

5 hours ago, goodguy said:

Op for an ingrown toe nail?  Are you kidding?  Back here in the UK,  A local Chiropadist did just that, how much?  Ten Pounds.

I'm guessing that's cheap. Never had one. I could have chosen a different example, then, my intention was only to exaggerate the general uselessness of the minimum insurance cover demanded for visa purposes. 

[justin case]

majority of thai people pay no taxes and get free healthcare

 

how come farang with family have right to NOTHING AT ALL, again...

 

and that after proving 400k/800k rentless on an account

[Max69xl]

6 hours ago, justin case said:

majority of thai people pay no taxes and get free healthcare

 

how come farang with family have right to NOTHING AT ALL, again...

 

and that after proving 400k/800k rentless on an account

The free health care for Thai people cost a fortune. I read about it in The Nation,I think. The quality of the health care depends on where they're staying in Thailand.