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Thailand to demand proof of health insurance for 'risky' long-term visitors


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Thailand to demand proof of health insurance for 'risky' long-term visitors

 

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BANGKOK (Reuters) - Foreigners in the “risky” over-50 age group will have to present proof of health insurance when applying for Thai long-term non-immigrant visas, a minister said on Wednesday, so the government doesn’t have to pick up their medical bills.

 

The rule takes effect at the end of the month to ensure the visitors can afford treatment during a maximum one-year stay and the government does not have to foot the bill, Sathit Pitutecha, deputy minister of public health, told Reuters.

 

Thailand, a Southeast Asian tourist destination popular with ageing Westerners, currently has to pay around 500 million baht ($16.49 million) a year in medical bills for foreigners over 50, he said, an age group the government describes as “risky”.

 

“Hospitals have to treat them because of human rights reasons, but when we ask them to pay us back, they can’t,” Sathit said.

“These costs become burdensome for the public health ministry, so we pushed for the insurance policy.”

 

Immigration police data shows Thailand has received more than 80,000 applications for non-immigrant visas so far this year.

 

(Reporting by Panarat Thepgumpanat; Writing by Patpicha Tanakasempipat; Editing by Nick Macfie

Our Standards:The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.)

 

 

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-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-10-10
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8 minutes ago, webfact said:

“Hospitals have to treat them because of human rights reasons, but when we ask them to pay us back, they can’t,” Sathit said.

“These costs become burdensome for the public health ministry, so we pushed for the insurance policy.”

I do not have a problem requiring visitors to have health insurance; it is simply a good idea.

 

However, the quote above leaves me speechless. Are there any valid figures to show a lack of repayment? Especially by long-stayers? Generally all I hear about are tourists, not long-term stayers, who don't have insurance and end up with a 'Go fund me' page.

 

Add a few Baht tax to all plane tickets/landings, use the money to aid foreigners hurt in the Kingdom, and problem solved.

 

It doesn't need to occur like this, and thus makes me wonder what else is at play...

 

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500,000,000/80,000=6,250. By the figures in the article, on average, every single expat in Thailand stiffs a hospital for over 6,000 baht every single year. Every single expat, not one of whom they can collect from, despite TM28, TM30, TM6, multiple TM47 reports, ad nauseum. And no reporter at this press shindig waved their hand and said, "Yoooo-ooo, Minister Pitutecha, isn't this absolute proof that all the mindless immigration paperwork is useless and should be abolished?"

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So when this stupidity and paranoia ends? this government is going from the silly to the ridiculous, let the government tell us how many non-o visa holders have treated in Thai hospitals and didn't had the money to pay, numbers and figures please real figures, not made up ones, i have been here for 35 years and i don't know any long term staying foreigners  that has been treated in a hospital and got away without paying...

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I would be quite happy to see changes in the rules to ensure that Thais pay for any treatment they receive in the UK and don't get free treatment like pretty much everyone else in the world.

 

I know they pay nothing right now.

 

I wonder how much free treatment Thais get over in Europe per year and how that figure compares to this paltry sum?

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7 minutes ago, ukrules said:

I would be quite happy to see changes in the rules to ensure that Thais pay for any treatment they receive in the UK and don't get free treatment like pretty much everyone else in the world.

 

I know they pay nothing right now.

 

I wonder how much free treatment Thais get over in Europe per year and how that figure compares to this paltry sum?

I agree, and hope Britain (and other countries) will start charging Thai citizens visiting for their hospital visits.

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3 hours ago, Samui Bodoh said:

I do not have a problem requiring visitors to have health insurance; it is simply a good idea.

 

However, the quote above leaves me speechless. Are there any valid figures to show a lack of repayment? Especially by long-stayers? Generally all I hear about are tourists, not long-term stayers, who don't have insurance and end up with a 'Go fund me' page.

 

Add a few Baht tax to all plane tickets/landings, use the money to aid foreigners hurt in the Kingdom, and problem solved.

 

It doesn't need to occur like this, and thus makes me wonder what else is at play...

 

No, there are no numbers that back up the Thai's stated reasons.  yes there are some deadbeat bills out there, but not an enormous amount

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3 hours ago, Samui Bodoh said:

I do not have a problem requiring visitors to have health insurance; it is simply a good idea.

 

However, the quote above leaves me speechless. Are there any valid figures to show a lack of repayment? Especially by long-stayers? Generally all I hear about are tourists, not long-term stayers, who don't have insurance and end up with a 'Go fund me' page.

 

Add a few Baht tax to all plane tickets/landings, use the money to aid foreigners hurt in the Kingdom, and problem solved.

 

It doesn't need to occur like this, and thus makes me wonder what else is at play...

 

I'd say what else is in play is someone/s very high up have decided that they dont want a retired ex-pat population here anymore and are looking at any way to make this happen without coming right out and saying it. 

  That's why theres the ridiculous 40,000 Bhts outpatiants clause in it, to push up the premiums to hights which most people will refuse to pay. Also the TM30 nonsense, all part of the plan... ???? 

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1 minute ago, gk10002000 said:

The Thais themselves have posted the numbers in articles on other posts.  It was not that much

I have not seen the numbers.. BUT if they are low, why would the Gov. get so involved and mandate med ins. Doesn't make sense to me...

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And then there's pre-existing conditions which will never be covered. Personally the chances of me needing a long term hospital stay would pretty much be related to pre-existing. 50kbht + pa wasted on a health policy that I couldn't use. If 'risky' persons, of which I'm one, are to foot these so called unpaid bills how about letting me legally pay into the Thai health system as a requirement for my long stay and of course have the use of the service as a Thai.

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Although I am a US citizen I agree with the poster who said make the Thais pay in the UK & EU instead of being freeloaders.

Anytime I've ever had a visit to Bumrungrad for any reason I've always had to pay up front. I have no experience with other hospitals so can't comment on their methods of being compensated.

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7 minutes ago, ChrissUdon said:

And then there's pre-existing conditions which will never be covered. Personally the chances of me needing a long term hospital stay would pretty much be related to pre-existing. 50kbht + pa wasted on a health policy that I couldn't use. If 'risky' persons, of which I'm one, are to foot these so called unpaid bills how about letting me legally pay into the Thai health system as a requirement for my long stay and of course have the use of the service as a Thai.

Why would the Gov cover high risk foreigners?  That would cost them more than thos that are skipping out on the Med Bills...

 

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Just now, tjinks said:

Although I am a US citizen I agree with the poster who said make the Thais pay in the UK & EU instead of being freeloaders.

thais have to show proof of medical insurance to get a schengen visa (for EU), and UK will only cover emergency visits and have the option to charge you, and i think have started in some cases

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4 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

80,000 applicants for the Visas.

Gosh, sure kills it for those who claim no one wants to come and many are moving away to Vietnam and Cambodia...

I'm relatively certain that 80,000 number includes extensions of stay for retirement applied for within Thailand, not 80,00 new applicants for O-A visas.  Unless you think the number of retirees in Thailand doubles every year.

 

This report (https://news.thaivisa.com/article/38177/the-mystery-of-exactly-how-many-expats-live-in-thailand) says:

 

"According to figures in the 2019 Thailand Migration Report, there are just 150,707 expats residing in Thailand, of those 72,969 are retirees."

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