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[Pib]

nong38, on 2012-01-17 11:34:12, said:

Thanks for that but I notice 2 things whilst glancing through it, some of the site is still under construction and its dating from 2002 this is 10 years out of date. I will go with what my local authority have told me, if it changes when I go to get the card then I will have to think again and at my age it will probably be pay as you go, at a government hospital so started puting cash away last year as a precaution.

Don't know about the out of date thing...the web site has been redesigned over the last few months and parts are still under construction.  If you are referring to the 2002 Copy Right Protection notice on some pages, that don't mean information is that old....that just means that when the govt office obtained copy right protection for certain information/the site.  

Good luck in how it works out for you...even if you get a card issued, which will probably be issued by mistake, your surprise will probably come when trying to use the card unless you are a Thai citizen....but good luck.

[nong38]

Well I gues you are right, if I am unlucky enough to have to go the hospital, they either accept the card or they dont, I will just need fixing and if it free thats great, if I have to pay then I have to pay. We are talking about the future and what is right today may not be on another day, which is why I am banking a fall back fund to be on the safe side, still hoping I wont need it and I can leave it someone who does.

[Khonwan]

A 70 year old English friend of mine living in Nakhon Sawan got the Gold Card from the main provincial hospital here in Nakhon Sawan (where I also live) around 1 year ago. I know this for sure since I still have a photo of his card (which I obviously will not share here). This chap has now already received free consultations and x-rays and is awaiting a free operation.

Another mutual friend in the province states he also has received one via his community hospital at that same time.

I applied a month or two later at my local community hospital within the province – last time I enquired about the progress of my application, I was told they were still processing it but that I was now registered with my local hospital and my local health clinic as a non-paying member and need only produce my yellow house registration for ID. I have in fact used the health clinic twice since then at no cost to me.

I normally use private hospitals for minor things, to avoid the long waits at the government hospitals (my local health clinic is convenient for very minor things), but I’m very pleased to have free access to the government Gold Card scheme as a form of insurance...as an option.

Another friend in Khampaengphet  failed in his efforts to obtain membership so I agree that it does, in effect,  depend on your location.

I recall reading (somewhere – a lawyer’s website I think) over a year ago that the issuance of membership came about through a change in the law aimed at allowing legal immigrants from bordering countries to register their residence via the issue of the yellow house registration and subsequent membership of the universal health care but that the law was not crafted in a way to exclude others from non-neighbouring countries.

By the way, Citizen33 mentioned that we non-Thais can obtain free treatment via our spouse’s scheme should they be in the civil service scheme – this also applies if you have a child in the civil service, such as a government teacher. This does not currently apply to me though may in the future since my 15yo daughter wishes to be a government school teacher (for her reasons, not mine!).

My two friends and I all are legally married to Thais.

[citizen33]

It is interesting to hear reports of what is possible, though I think it is important to be absolutely sure of the position before posting.  At the moment the official position is that somebody seeking treatment under the UCS must produce either (a) the UCS gold card together with old-style citizen identity card, or ( b ) the new-style chipped citizen ID card alone, which will store information on health scheme entitlements.  The plan is to phase out the UCS gold card when everybody has the new-style citizen identity cards.  At face value that would seem to make it hard for Westerners who may have obtained gold cards to be sure of treatment.

http://www.nhso.go.t...04,%202009).pdf

Edited by citizen33, 2012-02-29 18:22:27.

[jayjay2001]

citizen33, on 2012-01-15 03:21:34, said:

obtain membership of the Social Security Scheme (SSS), and then continue to maintain entitlements by making the modest monthly payments.  

citizen33, thanks for this info.  It was timely for me... and a  lot of help.  I am leaving my current employment soon, and did not continuing the SSS was an option.  As far as I now understand, all I need to do is to go to the SSS office at city hall near where I work and fill out an application.

Thanks for the info.

[Jimmyd]

mausbiber, on 2012-01-15 17:03:11, said:

If you are interested to cover only the expenses in a hospital this plan may find your interest: http://healthcareint...edicalIndex.php

You have to select "Emercency+" and the appropriated age bracket.
Selecting different ages you can compare the premiums when you get older.
AFAIK there is no age limit once you have a contract.


But be warned: for each case you have to pay the first US$ 2000 by yourself. So it covers only the risk of serious treatment - for a lower premium.

I looked at the link, and everything looked great until I noticed their policy for Dread/Chronic diseases "including cancer, heart disease and HIV/Aids"--$20,000 max lifetime.

http://www.healthcar...-comparison.pdf

Seems like they say they'll cover you up to $500,000 and then they exclude all of the most likely things that will cost that much. Shame on them. To paraphrase them "We will cover you but not for anything 'dread.' In other words give us your money and if anything really bad happens, it was nice knowing you. "Sorry sir, but that's a chronic disease. Call us when you get a nice disease."

Edited by Jimmyd, 2012-04-15 09:45:52.

[nong38]

Dont forget that health insurance is a business, it plays on your fears. No one reads the small print ( if we can see it at our age) and you can bet that there are get outs and optional interpretations to be found that will enable there to be a no pay out. At the last resort there can aslo be a review where the goal posts suddenly change and you re cast adrift in the next few months............"nice doing business with you."
My impressions with insurance companies that I have dealt with are that they are almost to man a bunch of cheats and liars and they also lie to Ombudsmen to as I found out by accident.

[phutoie2]

ludditeman, on 2012-01-15 17:07:28, said:

My wife and children all use the free government hospital.
I do too, I have to pay but it's cheap as chips, no need for expensive insurance.

Is this a recent change of policy?, I thought the Thais paid too and only emergency cases were free.  A tragic case in our Moo last year concerned a middle aged women who died because her family could not raise 38K Baht for a certain operation that would have saved her life.
For the last 7 years I have my wife on a BUPA policy, its up for renewal, if she is entitled now to free treatment,maybe cancel it!.

[citizen33]

No. this is not new.  The Universal Coverage Scheme dates back to 2001 and the 10-Year Assessment has just been completed.

http://www.hisro.or....p?name=research


http://www.mediafire...34j4466jvsmxap7

There is a 1330 telephone hotline to report cases where patients are denied treatment. I imagine though that your wife may be reluctant to return to the queues of the public scheme after BUPA.

Edited by citizen33, 2012-05-10 13:15:05.