Medical Insurance

[lee]

Any ideas how the application process for the 30 baht health care thing works?

The guy I know who has the card also has a work permit, I don't think he was really supposed to be allowed one but for some reason he was given it. Maybe it comes with a work permit but I very much doubt it!

Sorry I can't give you the name of the guy who has it because he may not want anyone to know.

Lee

[polehawk]

Banpaeng,

The information given by yourself and others is appreciated. As you have said, the health insurance is needed in case of a major surgery/hospitalization so I will call and check Thai Guard and a few others mentioned in this forum more closely when the time comes. The everyday meds and doctor visits are reasonably priced in Thailand and will not require a comprehensive medical plan, it doesn't seem. My "pre-existing conditions" include high BP, a coronary arterial stent emplacement 7 years ago (no problems since then), Type II diabetes and high cholesterol. All are being controlled with daily meds and regular office visits. I'm sure there are others there with far more serious health concerns than mine.

My wife and I have weighed the costs of living in the states and Thailand and we are sure we could live much more comfortably in Issan than trying to exist here on our retirement package. The wife has her US citizenship interview scheduled for Nov. 3rd (finally!) so we are now hoping we can be in Thailand on a permanent basis by next Songkran.

[banpaeng]

I wish your wife luck. I am sure she will have no problem. I am not sure of my departure date but I am hopeing it is soon.

[Mobaan]

How about a bit of an update on this subject. Several of you wanted to do more indepth research. What is the outcome of your legwork? Are you willing to share your knowlegde?

[Mr. Bean]

How about a bit of an update on this subject. Several of you wanted to do more indepth research. What is the outcome of your legwork? Are you willing to share your knowlegde?

Here's your update:

I have had BUPA for 4 years now and 8 operations under my belt with them. They have paid 100% of everything and I never had to lay out 1baht.

My coverage is 2mil baht Platinum
Coverage: IPD-As charged
OPD-As charged
OPD Annual Max - 25,000 baht
EM- 15,000 per vist

In the 8 operations that I have had here in Thailand, they have cost from 35,000 baht to 225,000 baht and I didn't have to open my wallet once.

When I first bought the policy the rate for a year was 35,000 baht and last year my rate was 63,000 baht. It will not only go up yearly but, also go up with how many claims you have made. All I can say is that I am still ahead of the game when it comes to the funds they have paid out and the funds that I have had to pay them.

So, to make a long story short, I am happy with Bupa.

[Mobaan]

Thanks for the reply.
How about you Polehawk, you wanted to do all the checking? Did you come up with a solution that fits your needs?

[polehawk]

Not yet, Mobaan. Thought I had it narrowed down to Travel Guard, AIA or Thai Health until I read Oldman's recent post about BUPA. Did BUPA give you a hassle over pre-existing conditions, Oldman? I will add BUPA to my list, anyway. I won't get serious about finding a health insurance provider until about a month before we make our move to Thailand. A big obstacle was removed when my wife passed her citizenship interview/testing on Nov. 3rd. She will become a US citizen (actually, dual-citizen of US and Thailand) within 90 days.

[Dakoda]

A big obstacle was removed when my wife passed her citizenship interview/testing on Nov. 3rd. She will become a US citizen (actually, dual-citizen of US and Thailand) within 90 days.

congrats!

any chance to get a brief description of the requirements, polehawk

[polehawk]

Thanks, Dakoda. Probably best if you go to USCIS website since requirements vary depending on personal circumstances.

http://uscis.gov/graphics/index.htm

Follow thread for naturalization and you can't go wrong. The 100 questions/answers on civics was instumental in studying for the test.

[BangkokButcher]

Pleased to hear the good news polehawk

[Mr. Bean]

Not yet, Mobaan. Thought I had it narrowed down to Travel Guard, AIA or Thai Health until I read Oldman's recent post about BUPA. Did BUPA give you a hassle over pre-existing conditions, Oldman? I will add BUPA to my list, anyway. I won't get serious about finding a health insurance provider until about a month before we make our move to Thailand. A big obstacle was removed when my wife passed her citizenship interview/testing on Nov. 3rd. She will become a US citizen (actually, dual-citizen of US and Thailand) within 90 days.

Polehawk,

I listed double hernia operation and Bupa list under pre-existing conditions that they would not cover back pain. But, if you read the policy it states the following:
21. Pre-existing Conditions
The company will not pay any benefits for pre-existing conditions during the first two years from the commencement date. A pre-existing condition means any disease, illness or injury or symptoms and complications thereof for which the covered person was treated or knew about (or a prudent person should have been aware existed), within 5 years before the commencement date of the first policy.
After 2 years from the first policy commencement date, the company cannot refuse to pay any claims fro pre-existing conditins unless such pre-existing conditions have been endorsed.
Exclusion for pre-existing conditions may be waived if the covered person has declared such conditions on the joining application form and the company has agreed to cover them.
Please note********
They never checked my medical back ground in the States even with me signing a medical release giving them the go ahead. One of the main reasons I know is that I listed the Veterans Hospital in the States and if they would have contacted them the Veterans Hospital would of send me a specail VA Form for medical release to sign before they would send them any medical records.
Please note******
They only check hospials in Thailand. They won't waste time looking for your records overseas. They just want bodies to sign up and get there money.
I know some guys that had 4-5 operations before moving here and bought Bupa and never listed anything on the appt and Bupa signed them up.
My 2 baht

[polehawk]

oldman,

Thanks for the very informative reply. I will keep it in mind when I start seriously looking for health insurance.

Pleased to hear the good news polehawk

Thanks, BangkokButcher. As I'm sure you're aware, it will be a relief for her to get the citizenship papers and be able to travel freely and without hassles.

[Garnet]

I add my congratulations, too, polehawk!

My wife's Permanent Resident Visa application package arrived at Canadian Immigration's so-called processing centre in Mississauga, Ontario, on September 24th. They got around to opening the package on October 25th--a day over a month later. Whomever got this assignment obviously went through the package...and put it into the return mail on the same day. I found it here on the doorstep (well, the mailbox) on October 31st--quite the Hallowe'en prank!

It seems that Jack's and her sons' photos did not meet size requirement specifications. We have 90 days from the date of their cover lettter (October 25) to re-submit, or the entire package will be declared invalid. Such a simple thing, of course! She works in Phuket. The boys are with her mother in the family village near Udon.

I took the photos to a photo shop before letting her know about all of this, and hoped that there was some way that they could re-size the darn things. There were no negatives--Jack never obtained them originally. After I explained the problem, the photographer agreed, yes, that he most likely could do it. However, he was not allowed to! Evidently there is some law prohibiting work of this nature being done on photographs of this type.

So Jack is having to get her mother to take the boys to a photographer in their village, and Jack will FAX the precise specifications--and we will all hope that the photographer can fathom the directions. This time, though, we'll also get the negatives. And meantime, Jack will get photographed in Phuket. If there is error again, I'm hoping that a photographer here can at least re-adjust tne end product on the negatives 'legally!'

She and her boys had their medicals last June in Bangkok. I believe that these exams have a nine-month lifetime, and then will be obsolete for Immigration purposes.

I honestly believe that Immigration does their best to aggravate the situation as far as they can to incure as much further income as possible; and to weed out the weak who are not prepared to pursue this endeavour to the fullest.

The coward who is managing our application only signed with his or her initials: LC. No phone number was given--only the national helpline number, from which no one would have a clue about the case. Obviously, this is to hide the agent's identity, for they need this sort of anonymity to prevent being stalked...or worse.

I understood all of that on Monday when I got our application package back!!!

[polehawk]

Thanks, Garnet. Good luck in your battle with the immigration bureaucracy in bringing your wife and stepsons to Canada to live with you. Here in the states the amount of red tape and obstacles sometimes seemed insurmountable when we first arrived but don't give in. Develop a bulldog attitude and good things will happen eventually.

[arjay]

There was a lot of dialogue on the subject a while back, but it's all gone quiet now. So can I ask those who were considering taking out Medical Insurance in Udon, did you come to any ultimate conclusions/decisions as to which company to use?

I am wanting to arrange the same and have been looking at BUPA and Muang Thai Life. The latter include life assurance as well, which puts their cost up, but they seem to use a medical examination and questions asked by the examining doctor, in preference to a protracted and detailed application form, which BUPA use and which puts me off.

Rj

[chasdv]

Hi Forum Members,I was looking thro the articles on health insurance here,and noted nothing added since last year.I dug out some info i picked up a while ago,which may be of interest.I think it important to have an ins where the hospital bill is settled by the insurer,some you have to pay and then get re imbused. To my mind insurance is a minefield,with all sorts of clauses,so it may be better to use a competant and reliable broker. MY INFO, Tony Dabbs started e-insurethailand.com some years ago,specialising in ex pat insurance.From what i have found out,he and his t/w are both from insurance backgrounds and have extensive knowledge of the thai insurance market,worth contacting for quotes i feel. Re earlier articles about THAI HEALTH.COM apparantly this was started 7+yrs ago by ex bupa/blue cross execs,and is now under the umbrella of the thai life group ins co,they also deal direct for bill payment with the hospitals,so no waiting to be re imbursed,i also am led to believe that this co is very popular with wealthy thais,but covers expats as well.Tony Dabbs deals with this co and many others.One way of lowering a premium is not to have outpatient care included and pay this yourself.Just have policy cover for accident and emergency. May i just state that i have no interest or involvement with e-insure,this is just info picked up over time surfing the net.I hope this info will be of help to those searching for health insurance.

[BangkokButcher]

Thanks for the info chasdv.

[banpaeng]

saw what you wrote and went to site. After reading site i called wanting more info.

Will not call again. My impression is not very favorable. Hope others have better luck.

[cookie]

According to this article I can cancel my insurance or not????

Tourist fund may be set up with contribution from airport taxes

The Tourism and Sports Ministry is negotiating with Airports of Thailand (AOT) to set up a "tourist fund'' to provide assistance to foreigners in emergency incidents while visiting Thailand.

Tourists will be automatically insured by the fund, which will cover a tourist's additional spending caused by incidents including accidents, crime and natural disasters, as well as compensation for death.

Minister Suvit Yodmani said the fund would run under his ministry, which also takes care of tourist police and tourist-guide divisions.

Suvit said the ministry would ask AOT to provide financial support to set up the fund. The ministry is asking for one per cent of revenue from AOT's airport tax.

The Nation

[arjay]

Tony Dabbs started e-insurethailand.com some years ago,specialising in ex pat insurance.From what i have found out,he and his t/w are both from insurance backgrounds and have extensive knowledge of the thai insurance market,worth contacting for quotes i feel. Re earlier articles about THAI HEALTH.COM apparantly this was started 7+yrs ago by ex bupa/blue cross execs,and is now under the umbrella of the thai life group ins co,they also deal direct for bill payment with the hospitals,so no waiting to be re imbursed,i also am led to believe that this co is very popular with wealthy thais, but covers expats as well.Tony Dabbs deals with this co and many others.One way of lowering a premium is not to have outpatient care included and pay this yourself.Just have policy cover for accident and emergency. May I just state that i have no interest or involvement with e-insure,this is just info picked up over time surfing the net.I hope this info will be of help to those searching for health insurance.

This is the company that I am insured through (E-InsureThailand). They have coverage similar to BUPA, but their premiums are a lot less. I did give contact details on another thread about a year ago.

The website gives basic info, but better to speak to Tony Dabbs, he can explain, send or fax info. Their quotes and details are in clear English. for anyone interested his tel no is: 081 927 0829

Email address: [email protected]