nitehawk42 Posted August 21, 2019 Share Posted August 21, 2019 Why do Thai hospitals not accept American health insurance. I am covered by Aetna (USA). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThaiBunny Posted August 21, 2019 Share Posted August 21, 2019 Because some American insurers will pay for treatment anywhere in the world Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NCC1701A Posted August 21, 2019 Share Posted August 21, 2019 6 minutes ago, nitehawk42 said: I am covered by Aetna (USA). I have Aetna Thailand. I wonder if there is any connection between the two "divisions"? most likely not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThaiBunny Posted August 21, 2019 Share Posted August 21, 2019 An American friend of mine has lived in Bangkok for many years and his US health insurer covers all medical expenses beyond the first $500 in any calendar year. I can recall more than 10 years ago American insurers were encouraging their members to travel to India or Thailand for (e.g.) hip replacements because they were so much cheaper than at home Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wgdanson Posted August 21, 2019 Share Posted August 21, 2019 39 minutes ago, ThaiBunny said: Because some American insurers will pay for treatment anywhere in the world Sorry, no comprendez. The OP asked why Thai hospitals WILL NOT accept American insurance, yet you say the opposite. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThaiBunny Posted August 21, 2019 Share Posted August 21, 2019 8 minutes ago, wgdanson said: Sorry, no comprendez. The OP asked why Thai hospitals WILL NOT accept American insurance, yet you say the opposite. If you look at his post you will see he edited it after I posted my response Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wgdanson Posted August 21, 2019 Share Posted August 21, 2019 Sorry Bunny. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheryl Posted August 21, 2019 Share Posted August 21, 2019 Many will. This is not universal. What hospital did you encounter this in? Sent from my SM-J701F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pib Posted August 21, 2019 Share Posted August 21, 2019 I expect the great majority of Thai hospitals will not accept American or any other country's insurance simply because it takes work and specific knowledge to file claims with insurance companies....file the claims in the format/in the detail required by the insurance company. Instead, the patient must pay the hospital and then the patient file for reimbursement. Thai hospitals are familiar with Thai insurance companies....they speak the same language...understand the claim forms/requirements...the online claim systems...they can easily communicate to resolve a claim...etc. Yes, you do hear of a few Thai hospitals which will file claims with certain foreign insurance companies, but it's uncommon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pib Posted August 21, 2019 Share Posted August 21, 2019 10 minutes ago, Sheryl said: Many will. Sent from my SM-J701F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app Sheryl, Can you list a some of those many...and which foreign insurance companies they favor? Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheryl Posted August 21, 2019 Share Posted August 21, 2019 All the large "international" hospitals in Bangkok will and so usually will their provincial affiliates. It is not in a hospital's interests to refuse to accept insurance....especially any hospital that treats many tourists or resident expats.Many, many people have expat policies issued by companies based abroad, usually EU country or UK. I haven't heard of any of these being refused at a private hospital. My own insurance is issued out of France and has direct billing arrangement wirh all the major private Thai hospitals.US insurance, if not a specific travel or expat policy, will usually not cover treatment abroad except perhaps in emergency so that may have been an issue.Insurers can provide a list of Thai hospitals they have direct billing arrangements with and that is something to consider when choosing a policy. It is often possible to arrange direct payment for hospitals not on the list as well, but has to be discussed with the insurer and the hospital at the time. Basically it is a matter of getting the insurer to send the hospital a GOP (guarantee of payment). That in turn requires the hospital to submit certain information often on an insurer-specific form. If the hospital has a halfway competent 3rd party payer office just need to have the insurance company send them the forms and instructions (in case of existing direct billing arrangement they should already have them). As most of us know "cannot" is an overused phrase in Thailand and often the first resort whenever confronted with anything new or different. More often than not it is untrue.Sent from my SM-J701F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scubascuba3 Posted August 21, 2019 Share Posted August 21, 2019 The RSU Healthcare in Bangkok wouldn't go through my UK travel insurance, they only dealt with certain health insurance companies i hadn't heard of Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pib Posted August 22, 2019 Share Posted August 22, 2019 13 hours ago, Sheryl said: As most of us know "cannot" is an overused phrase in Thailand and often the first resort whenever confronted with anything new or different. More often than not it is untrue. My hospital here in Bangkok, Thonburi II Hosptial, is a "cannot." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheryl Posted August 22, 2019 Share Posted August 22, 2019 You have private insurance or Tricare? Most Thai hospitals won't do direct payment with Tricare. Thonburi and Thonburi 2 hospitals do not treat many non-Thais and I would nto class them as "international" hospitals. (For which reason their rates are are comparatively good). That said, in case of inpatient hospitalization and assuming private insurance, not Tricare, it should be possible to arrange direct pay though you might have to contact the insurer yourself to initiate the process. I doubt there is anything you can do re OPD visits. By the way I would pick Thonburi over Thonburi 2. Many of the top docs at Siriraj have hours at Thonburi. Not so much the case at Thonburi 2, it is rare that I find a doc I would recommend seeing there, Sent from my SM-J701F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pib Posted August 23, 2019 Share Posted August 23, 2019 17 hours ago, Sheryl said: You have private insurance or Tricare? Most Thai hospitals won't do direct payment with Tricare. Thonburi and Thonburi 2 hospitals do not treat many non-Thais and I would nto class them as "international" hospitals. (For which reason their rates are are comparatively good). That said, in case of inpatient hospitalization and assuming private insurance, not Tricare, it should be possible to arrange direct pay though you might have to contact the insurer yourself to initiate the process. I doubt there is anything you can do re OPD visits. By the way I would pick Thonburi over Thonburi 2. Many of the top docs at Siriraj have hours at Thonburi. Not so much the case at Thonburi 2, it is rare that I find a doc I would recommend seeing there, Sent from my SM-J701F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app I use Tricare. Thonburi II is only about a 5 minute drive from our home. Many of the specialists that come to Thonburi II are from Siriraj or equally good HiSo hospitals. Very happy with Thonburi II and doctors for the last 11 years the wife and I have used them. And we have had the same general family practice doc for 11 years. Plus a few years ago they opened their new building that doubled the hospital size. You are right about Thonburi Hosptial or Thonburi II Hosptial not treating many farangs but I figure that's simply because they are located in western Bangkok where not many farangs live. But go over to central Bangkok and farangs are dime a dozen....along with many tourists in the hotels....along with quite a few hospitals that cater to foreigners "at a very healthy price." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cucuy Posted August 23, 2019 Share Posted August 23, 2019 I expect the great majority of Thai hospitals will not accept American or any other country's insurance simply because it takes work and specific knowledge to file claims with insurance companies....file the claims in the format/in the detail required by the insurance company. Instead, the patient must pay the hospital and then the patient file for reimbursement. Thai hospitals are familiar with Thai insurance companies....they speak the same language...understand the claim forms/requirements...the online claim systems...they can easily communicate to resolve a claim...etc. Yes, you do hear of a few Thai hospitals which will file claims with certain foreign insurance companies, but it's uncommon. They except TRICARE overseas that’s what I use. I use it all the time here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pib Posted August 23, 2019 Share Posted August 23, 2019 15 minutes ago, Cucuy said: They except TRICARE overseas that’s what I use. I use it all the time here. Specifically who is "they?" Are you saying Thonburi II Hospital? And just to confirm you say "they" will direct bill Tricare? And to add I did see a list one time of approx 10 hospitals that would delay payment requirements for Tricare's 75% reimbursement...only require the patient's 25% cost share. Give the patient a month or so 30 days to file and get reimbursed from Tricare and then go pay the hospital the outstanding balance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cucuy Posted August 23, 2019 Share Posted August 23, 2019 Specifically who is "they?" Are you saying Thonburi II Hospital? And just to confirm you say "they" will direct bill Tricare? And to add I did see a list one time of approx 10 hospitals that would delay payment requirements for Tricare's 75% reimbursement...only require the patient's 25% cost share. Give the patient a month or so 30 days to file and get reimbursed from Tricare and then go pay the hospital the outstanding balance.Well Bangkok hospital where I live has accepted my OCONUS TRICARE for several years since I’ve been retired here I’ve never had a single problem with it at all. Would you like me to find the link for oconus TRICARE and send it to you? I can but I’d have to google it because I have not needed to login to my TRICARE for years man. But they always accept it every time no problem. I’m retired military im assuming that you are as well? Am I right? And yes they will direct bill TRICARE but you have to sign up for oconus TRICARE. Does that help? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pib Posted August 23, 2019 Share Posted August 23, 2019 Just now, Cucuy said: Well Bangkok hospital where I live has accepted my OCONUS TRICARE for several years since I’ve been retired here I’ve never had a single problem with it at all. Would you like me to find the link for oconus TRICARE and send it to you? I can but I’d have to google it because I have not needed to login to my TRICARE for years man. But they always accept it every time no problem. I’m retired military im assuming that you are as well? Am I right? No need for the link....I've been using Tricare for decades. Yes, I'm retired military. There is no list of Thailand hospitals which accept Tricare on the Tricare website. The JUSMAGTHAI Tricare Office put out a list one time of hospitals that would accept Tricare but it was a limited list of 10 or so hospitals. Since Bangkok Hospital is in central Bangkok I expect it was on the list. Do they direct bill "out-patient" care also? Repeat, out-patient care? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pib Posted August 23, 2019 Share Posted August 23, 2019 For any of you living in central Bangkok Praram9 Hospital does accept Tricare for "in-patient" care. Below is the answer I got when asking in May 2019. Please note the conditions/general exclusions talked at the end of the email which are: 1. For outpatient treatment >> you pay and send a claim directly to Tricare.2. For inpatient treatment, you pay 25 % exclude home medication and ambulance service for taking you back home. Quote From: Amornrat Kunpolpitaksa <[email protected]>Sent: Tuesday, May 21, 2019To: XXXXXXXSubject: Fw: Do Your Accept U.S. Military "Tricare" Medical Insurance Dear K.XXXXX,Thank you for choosing Praram9 hospital.Let me answer your question as below,Do you accept U.S. military “Tricare” medical insurance? Yes, we do.By using Tricare medical coverage. We would like to request for relevant document as below,1. a copy of your passport both you and your wife2. a copy of your Tricare medcal insurance.3. your SSN 4. contact person in emergency case5. Your phone ( you and your wife ) and permanent address in Thailand6. Your underlying disease for us to select our specialist properly. I will prepare your hospital file number for your visit our facilities next time after getting documents from you. Let me explain the conditions and general exclusion for using Tricare medical insurance as follows1. For outpatient treatment >> you pay and send a claim directly to Tricare.2. For inpatient treatment, you pay 25 % exclude home medication and ambulance service for taking you back home.If you need any further information, please feel free to contact me.Thank you and Best Regards,Amornrat KunpolpoitaksaFinancial ManagerPhone 02 202 9999 ext 39401Mobile : 081 834- 4101 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cucuy Posted August 23, 2019 Share Posted August 23, 2019 No need for the link....I've been using Tricare for decades. Yes, I'm retired military. There is no list of Thailand hospitals which accept Tricare on the Tricare website. The JUSMAGTHAI Tricare Office put out a list one time of hospitals that would accept Tricare but it was a limited list of 10 or so hospitals. Since Bangkok Hospital is in central Bangkok I expect it was on the list. Do they direct bill "out-patient" care also? Repeat, out-patient care? No I remember seeing Bangkok hospital on the list last time I was on the TRICARE website it’s there along with a list of other hospitals I’m sure about that I do remember it. But I have never really used TRICARE for outpatient care so I don’t know about that sorry. I’ve only used TRICARE for inpatient care only. When ever I do outpatient stuff I just go to the local clinic and pay for it out of pocket but it’s really not expensive at all. Inpatient care can get really expensive sometimes but thank God for TRICARE. Sorry if I didn’t help you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cucuy Posted August 23, 2019 Share Posted August 23, 2019 No need for the link....I've been using Tricare for decades. Yes, I'm retired military. There is no list of Thailand hospitals which accept Tricare on the Tricare website. The JUSMAGTHAI Tricare Office put out a list one time of hospitals that would accept Tricare but it was a limited list of 10 or so hospitals. Since Bangkok Hospital is in central Bangkok I expect it was on the list. Do they direct bill "out-patient" care also? Repeat, out-patient care? Also I’ve visited JUSMAG before. Also I don’t live in Bangkok but there are Bangkok hospitals all over Thailand. See my last reply Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MargaretShackelford Posted August 23, 2019 Share Posted August 23, 2019 The insurance policies are different from the American policies. That's why they don't accept the insurance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cucuy Posted August 23, 2019 Share Posted August 23, 2019 The insurance policies are different from the American policies. That's why they don't accept the insurance.Well I know for sure that at least my local Bangkok hospital does in fact accept my TRICARE because I’ve been using it here for years now but I don’t know about other American insurance companies. TRICARE is easily accepted because it’s for the military and those of us who are retired military so oconus TRICARE is accepted pretty much world wide in most countries including Thailand I’ve been using my oconus TRICARE for several years now here in Thailand and it’s never been a problem it was just a little bit of a hassle getting signed up for oconus TRICARE. Oconus means overseas it’s a military term. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cucuy Posted August 23, 2019 Share Posted August 23, 2019 But like I said I don’t know about outpatient care because I’ve only used my oconus TRICARE for inpatient care only, and I’ve been using it here for several years now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pib Posted August 23, 2019 Share Posted August 23, 2019 1 hour ago, Cucuy said: No I remember seeing Bangkok hospital on the list last time I was on the TRICARE website it’s there along with a list of other hospitals I’m sure about that I do remember it. Here is what you are probably talking about....I listed the hospitals/providers below. And obviously even the Tricare website list is not complete since Pararm 9 Hospital told me in May 2019 they will accept Tricare for in-patient service. But the pickings are slim. http://www.tricare-overseas.com/beneficiaries/resources/provider-search Bumrungrad International Hospital Bangkok Hospital Medical Center Samitivej Sukhumvit Hospital Chiangmai Ram Hospital BNH Hospital Piyachat Ruengvisesh Samitivej Sukhumvit Hospital And below is a quote from a 24 July 2019 JUSMAGTHAI Tricare Office Newsletter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheryl Posted August 23, 2019 Share Posted August 23, 2019 Tricare is an anomaly and indeed only the largest "international" hospitals do direct payment with them, presumably because their procedures/requirements are unusually complex or time consuming. Private expat and travel insurance from US companies is widely accepted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike787 Posted August 23, 2019 Share Posted August 23, 2019 Corruption! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cucuy Posted August 23, 2019 Share Posted August 23, 2019 Here is what you are probably talking about....I listed the hospitals/providers below. And obviously even the Tricare website list is not complete since Pararm 9 Hospital told me in May 2019 they will accept Tricare for in-patient service. But the pickings are slim. http://www.tricare-overseas.com/beneficiaries/resources/provider-search Bumrungrad International HospitalBangkok Hospital Medical CenterSamitivej Sukhumvit HospitalChiangmai Ram HospitalBNH HospitalPiyachat RuengviseshSamitivej Sukhumvit Hospital And below is a quote from a 24 July 2019 JUSMAGTHAI Tricare Office Newsletter Yeah I think that was it. If you’re signed up for oconus TRICARE the hospital will accept it just talk to the hospital administrator or case worker. I have been using my TRICARE for years here because I’m signed up for oconus TRICARE. It was definitely a hassle getting signed up for oconus TRICARE though but it’s doable I did it years ago when I retired here for both my wife and I. But again I’ve only used it for inpatient care such as emergency room visits and procedures and surgeries, I’ve never actually used my oconus TRICARE for inpatient care only outpatient care. So I don’t know about the inpatient care sorry about that. When ever I do my little inpatient care things I just go to my local doctors clinic down the street from my house and I just pay for little things like that out of pocket because the clinics are decent and they are cheap anyway. Oh and take what JUSMAG says with skepticism because they don’t seem like they know what’s going on anymore. I don’t think that JUSMAG office has very good leadership. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cucuy Posted August 23, 2019 Share Posted August 23, 2019 My local Bangkok hospital is very well familiar with TRICARE as well because they have a lot of veterans living around here. Whenever I go to the hospital they know and my case worker actually asks me in English for my oconus TRICARE card and TRICARE covers a lot especially if it’s one of my rated disabilities. We’re covered pretty well by TRICARE for living abroad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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