Mandatory health insurance

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Gaybutton
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Re: Mandatory health insurance

Post by Gaybutton »

Dodger wrote: Wed May 22, 2019 3:29 pm I know you use Cigna. Do you know if they could just add 40,000 THB outpatient coverage to your existing policy?
Since you asked it, I did check with Cigna. Outpatient coverage can be added to my current policy. The lowest coverage they give is US $10,000 and the highest deductible is a little less than US $2000. That would be an expensive add-on, so I'm not going to do it unless there is no other choice.

What I intend to do is open a new Thai bank account, put 40,000 baht into it, and just let it sit there so it becomes obvious to immigration that I can self-insure outpatient coverage. Of course, there is no way to know now if that would be acceptable to immigration if outpatient coverage does eventually become a requirement for the O visa extension.

gera wrote: Wed May 22, 2019 7:41 pm I am wondering whether elite card will now include health insurance requirement?
I don't know, but I doubt it. If type O visa holders are not required to carry health insurance, then Elite Card holders would likely be exempt too - for the time being. The least expensive Elite Card is 500,000 baht, and there are much more expensive options available. If you want to spend 1-million baht for an elite card, you get a 20 year visa, renewable every 5 years. Of course, at retirement age you may not even still be alive 20 years after getting that card. Then again, it might actually be worth it considering many of us now have to keep 800,000 baht just sitting there in a Thai bank account anyway.

See: https://www.thailandelite-direct.com/program-overview

People who have the money to pay for the Elite Card would be highly unlikely to be the type that skip out on medical bills.
Up2u

Re: Mandatory health insurance

Post by Up2u »

Dodger wrote: Wed May 22, 2019 7:45 pm
Up2u wrote: Wed May 22, 2019 6:02 pmAll the reports and government websites refer the longstay applicants here:
All said, we don't have any choice but to sit back and see what develops.
Note that, AXA and Pacific Cross are "foreign" companies. Per my insurance agent who spoke last Sunday at the expats club, other companies are reviewing their policies and join the fray as the OX visa has been available for a while. Not sure about the "visa renewal fiasco" as any foreigner who lives here or visits regularly or has a significant other here should understand the benefits of having a Thai bank account (I have three). If push comes to shove, I would get the Pacific Cross plan with all the exclusions for my pre-existing conditions and apply the deductibles just to make the government happy. The plan would have little benefit for me personally but relatively inexpensive.
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Re: Mandatory health insurance

Post by 2lz2p »

Dodger wrote: Wed May 22, 2019 7:45 pm
Up2u wrote: Wed May 22, 2019 6:02 pmAll the reports and government websites refer the longstay applicants here:
Interesting how these government websites start referring people to these long term stay healthcare providers, when in fact, a final decision about the healthcare mandate hasn't even been made yet. Also interesting, is that these websites link people to a site which only promotes Thai insurance companies when in fact there are also foreign owned companies like LMG and Aetna who also have tailored long stay health insurance policies. I guess they just forgot to mention them.
Actually the site linked by Thai Embassies/Consulates has been there since the Non-Immigrant O-X Visa was introduced. One of the requirements for that Visa is the Applicant must have a Thai health insurance policy for the duration of stay, with coverage for outpatient treatment of no less than 40,000 bahts and inpatient treatment of no less than 400,000 bahts. It does not permit a health insurance policy from your own (or other) country that will cover you in Thailand as the proposed new rule for O-A Visas will do per news articles from the Ministry of Health, which indicate they will go into effect in July (pending working out the details between the various Ministries involved - Heath, Foreign Affairs, & Interior (Immigration)).

This so called 10 year Visa is actually for 5 years renewable for another 5 years. See Thai Embassy Washington DC requirements: https://thaiembdc.org/non-immigrant-vis ... long-stay/ - or visit Pattaya City Expats Club Website page - click on Non-Immigrant "O-X" Visa for details: http://www.pattayacityexpatsclub.com/ex ... ailand.pdf.
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Re: Mandatory health insurance

Post by fountainhall »

Up2u wrote: Thu May 23, 2019 9:06 amNote that, AXA and Pacific Cross are "foreign" companies.
Are you certain re Pacific Cross? Originally it was set up by the American company Liberty Mutual. I am pretty certain that it was then hived off and is now a separate Thai entity no longer associated with Liberty Mutual. The reason I believe this is because when I checked about 3 years ago, Liberty Mutual policy holders were given the option of continuing with Liberty Mutual or moving to Pacific Cross. I even called Pacific Cross to find out if this was true. I was told it was. I also wanted to check the reinsurers working with Pacific Cross who were a major international company.
Up2u

Re: Mandatory health insurance

Post by Up2u »

fountainhall wrote: Thu May 23, 2019 9:35 am
Up2u wrote: Thu May 23, 2019 9:06 amNote that, AXA and Pacific Cross are "foreign" companies.
Are you certain re Pacific Cross?
Looks like they are Thai but provide insurance throughout Asia and have "worldwide" policies and coverage.

https://www.pacificcrosshealth.com/comp ... /about-us/
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Re: Mandatory health insurance

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Up2u wrote: Thu May 23, 2019 9:06 amNot sure about the "visa renewal fiasco" as any foreigner who lives here or visits regularly or has a significant other here should understand the benefits of having a Thai bank account (I have three).

If push comes to shove, I would get the Pacific Cross plan with all the exclusions for my pre-existing conditions and apply the deductibles just to make the government happy. The plan would have little benefit for me personally but relatively inexpensive.
The visa renewal fiasco I was referring to forced me to open a direct deposit account at Bangkok Bank, as they are currently the only bank in Thailand where my U.S. social security payments can be processed through. They just gained one more customer. I have another account at Kasikorn Bank which I've had for the past 17 years.

Regarding Pacific Cross: Be careful with the new Long Term Visa Policy referred to as their Standard Plus Policy because you would end having to receive care at a State Hospital. I conformed this with my agent this morning. I'm interested in the Pacific Cross Standard Extra Plus Plan which has free choice of hospitals. With a 40,000 baht deductible the premium costs is lowered to about the same price as the Standard Plus Policy you are looking at and it provides 780,000 THB per disability. You may want to look into this.
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Re: Mandatory health insurance

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Dodger wrote: Thu May 23, 2019 1:12 pm Regarding Pacific Cross: Be careful with the new Long Term Visa Policy referred to as their Standard Plus Policy because you would end having to receive care at a State Hospital. I conformed with with my agent this morning.
I never thought of that. I would have thought they would cover people at any hospital of their own choosing until the limits of the policy run out. That is definitely something to check before committing to any policy.

The last place on earth I would want to have to go would be to one of the government hospitals. If you've ever been inside one, you would know what I mean.


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Re: Mandatory health insurance

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Gaybutton wrote: Thu May 23, 2019 2:20 pmI would have thought they would cover people at any hospital of their own choosing until the limits of the policy run out.
That's exactly what I thought.

The only reason I questioned this with my agent is because the policy I actually like lists "free choice of hospitals' in the details of the policy, and the newly released policy which aligns with the new visa requirements did not mention this at all in the outline of the policy. I shot an e:mail to AA and they responded saying the new visa healthcare policy does not allow free choice of hospitals . He went on to say that you are guaranteed that they will select a state hospital due to the low cost of the policy.

After hearing this I tossed that brochure in file #13.

The AA Manager has been encouraging me from the beginning to consider the Pacific Cross "Standard Extra Plus policy". This policy costs 39.000 THB/year with a 40,000 THB deductible (52,000 THB/year with no deductible). The coverage is 780,000 THB per disability with over the minimum outpatient to satisfy immigration. It allows free choice of hospitals and will direct bill the hospital if pre-approved. This policy can only be paid on an annual basis and a physical exam is required. I'm heading to Queen Sirkit to get my physical tomorrow morning. So much fun!
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Re: Mandatory health insurance

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I checked with Pacific Cross to see if they have outpatient-only insurance policies. They don't. Like most insurance companies, you have to have inpatient coverage to also get outpatient coverage.

Under no circumstances would I ever want insurance that puts people in government hospitals. If I am ever forced to buy such a policy in order to remain in Thailand, I might buy it, but would never use it.

If anyone manages to find a company that will sell outpatient-only coverage, please post.
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Re: Mandatory health insurance

Post by Undaunted »

Dodger wrote: I'm heading to Queen Sirkit to get my physical tomorrow morning. So much fun!
My friend months back also went to Queen Sirkit for a physical and was told his blood sugar was “off the charters”...The doctor told his girlfriend in Thai that he was lucky to be alive hence he went to BPH to be retested and was normal. Some years ago a very good friend had symptoms of the flu that did not go away he finally went to Pattaya City hospital and was told he had a bad case of bronchitis and was give some meds, 6 months later he died being an avid smoker of lung cancer!
"In the land of the blind the one eyed man is king"
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