News Forum - Minister says holders of universal healthcare cards can be treated anywhere in the country

[Thaiger]

Thailand’s Public Health Minister says holders of the universal healthcare card can seek treatment at primary care units anywhere in the country. According to a Bangkok Post report, Anutin Charnvirakul says cardholders will no longer have to request a referral from the unit they’re registered at. He says the change is part of reforms to the universal health care service and the 30 baht card. Anutin says he has instructed his ministry and the National Health Security Office to work on upgrading the healthcare system, with the work having already started in some provinces last year. He says the changes […]

The story Minister says holders of universal healthcare cards can be treated anywhere in the country as seen on Thaiger News.

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[Stonker]

Good move all round - bound to be well received, and elections are coming !

[TSS]

oh, thank you mr. next p.m. you are so thoughtful and generous with this gift

[riclag]

How does that help the average falang ?,Especially the ones who don’t have Thai wives

[Jason]

Doctor referrals are the greatest "gravy train" on earth....for doctors. Good to see another useless bit of admin taken out of the process.

[Stonker]

11 minutes ago, riclag said:

How does that help the average falang ?,Especially the ones who don’t have Thai wives

Jeez Louise .....

You may not have noticed, but there are some Thais living here too .

[Stonker]

7 minutes ago, Jason said:

Doctor referrals are the greatest "gravy train" on earth....for doctors. Good to see another useless bit of admin taken out of the process.

Not just that, but it means that if you (sorry, 'Thais') have a problem away from your home area you can get treated anywhere in Thailand.  It really is a major step forward for health care for a lot of Thais.

[Guest1]

7 hours ago, riclag said:

How does that help the average falang ?,Especially the ones who don’t have Thai wives

I think, they can go to any hospital in Thailand, as it suits them. Most of them have to.pay it anyway (first), or not?

[Guest1]

7 hours ago, Stonker said:

Not just that, but it means that if you (sorry, 'Thais') have a problem away from your home area you can get treated anywhere in Thailand.  It really is a major step forward for health care for a lot of Thais.

My guess, that also is happening, b/c of Thais travelling sick through the country, in public transportation mostly, b/c they cant afford even  gouvernment hospitals. And COVID, perhaps?

Edited January 3, 2022 by Guest1

[Changnam43]

A couple of months back the Bangkok Post ran a story on some poor sod who had covid and got pushed from one place to another until he died while doubtless infecting numerous other people in the process.

"No.  You must go back to Issan if you want Universal Healthcare because your House Registration is there."

"No.  You must go back to Bangkok because you live and work there."

It was a very sad story.  He died from systemic government failures rather than covid.

[LoongFred]

8 hours ago, riclag said:

How does that help the average falang ?,Especially the ones who don’t have Thai wives

Not suppose to help of hurt you. You are a paying customer. If you have a Thai wife she’s covered.

[LoongFred]

8 hours ago, Jason said:

Doctor referrals are the greatest "gravy train" on earth....for doctors. Good to see another useless bit of admin taken out of the process.

I don’t think doctors at government hospitals get anything from referrals. Actually doctors fees at most hospitals are very low.

Regarding gravy trains you must be referring to your home country, not Thailand.

[Poolie]

56 minutes ago, Changnam43 said:

 He died from systemic government failures rather than covid.

I had that.

I got better though.

[Stonker]

12 hours ago, LoongFred said:

I don’t think doctors at government hospitals get anything from referrals. Actually doctors fees at most hospitals are very low.

Regarding gravy trains you must be referring to your home country, not Thailand.

Agreed and correct in my experience - doctors in Thai state hospitals aren't paid on a 'patients seen' basis, but a flat rate.

... and as a farang I'm charged 50 baht as a "doctors fee", per visit (regardless of how many times I see a doctor) which I agree is "very low" by any measure !

[LoongFred]

29 minutes ago, Stonker said:

Agreed and correct in my experience - doctors in Thai state hospitals aren't paid on a 'patients seen' basis, but a flat rate.

... and as a farang I'm charged 50 baht as a "doctors fee", per visit (regardless of how many times I see a doctor) which I agree is "very low" by any measure !

I usually go a Ram hospital because service is faster. My doctor also works at the government hospital but I see him in the afternoons. They charge 600 baht but he is usually unhurried and explains in detail what he's doing. As a retired medical professional his explanations are great. I suffer from asthma and he's always on top of it. He told me he usually teaches at the government hospital.  Although I speak Thai his English is very good.

I'm a happy camper. 

[oldschooler]

13 hours ago, LoongFred said:

Not suppose to help of hurt you. You are a paying customer. If you have a Thai wife she’s covered.

Don’t farang with Work Permit paying UHC get partial cover though ? 

[Farang123]

Thank you so much Khun Anutin...we bow down to your largesse as we are not worthy.

[Stonker]

3 hours ago, oldschooler said:

Don’t farang with Work Permit paying UHC get partial cover though ? 

There's no such thing as a "farang with Work permit paying UHC".

Farangs working legally here and paying tax, like anyone else, Thai or foreign, are covered by the Social Security system or, additionally, by Civil Service, Police or Military systems.

The Thai UHC system (known as the 'yellow card') is only for Thai nationals, and covers the half of Thais who aren't covered by other systems.

[Guest1]

3 hours ago, oldschooler said:

Don’t farang with Work Permit paying UHC get partial cover though ? 

But that is paid social insurance, not the 30 baht scheme for locals 

Different story, methinks 

Aside, who is working with wp and not upgrading his social insurance to a private hospital, better care (in case)

That would be plain ignorant, methinks

Even locals understand that and try to catch (real) jobs with the benefit of an healt insurance upgrade, paid by the company.

 

 

 

[Stonker]

17 hours ago, Changnam43 said:

A couple of months back the Bangkok Post ran a story on some poor sod who had covid and got pushed from one place to another until he died while doubtless infecting numerous other people in the process.

"No.  You must go back to Issan if you want Universal Healthcare because your House Registration is there."

"No.  You must go back to Bangkok because you live and work there."

It was a very sad story.  He died from systemic government failures rather than covid.

I recall that, but as far as I recall it was based on an anonymous facebook post rather than anything specific. 

It doesn't seem very credible, particularly as at the time people had the clear choice between being treated in Bangkok if that was where they were at the time or being taken to Issan either on trains just being used to transport Covid cases from Bangkok to around Issan ( widely reported, but very few actual trains or takers) or by quarantined minibus or ambulance (quite a few, including some I know).

[D-Boy]

I was told a Thai only needs to show their ID.  The Gold Card is not a requirement.  Comments?

[Muttley]

11 minutes ago, Stonker said:

There's no such thing as a "farang with Work permit paying UHC".

Farangs working legally here and paying tax, like anyone else, Thai or foreign, are covered by the Social Security system or, additionally, by Civil Service, Police or Military systems.

The Thai UHC system (known as the 'yellow card') is only for Thai nationals, and covers the half of Thais who aren't covered by other systems.

Not necessarily, a lot of "farang" with work permits and paying tax, opt out of the Thai Social Security Fund as, in addition to the higher rates of tax paid by these individuals, it is too expensive for what is offered!

[Stonker]

5 minutes ago, Guest1 said:

Even locals understand that and try to catch (real) jobs with the benefit of an healt insurance upgrade, paid by the company.

My neighbour's adult daughter and son-in-law work in a factory in the eastern Seaboard, leaving their young son and baby daughter with the grandparents as many do, and they were up here for New Year a month after spending a fortnight in quarantine as they'd both caught Covid, with only very mild symptoms.

The Best New Year present they'd ever had, as they got 100,000 baht each from the company's health insurance and they gave the neighbours / their parents half of it. They got the payout within a few days, just before they came up.  I've never seen the neighbours so happy, as the grandmother was crying and laughing into the beers we took round at the same time (she'd also just won 30,000 on the lottery)!

[Stonker]

21 minutes ago, D-Boy said:

I was told a Thai only needs to show their ID.  The Gold Card is not a requirement.  Comments?

Correct - the system's now been updated so that it automatically shows whether they're covered by UHC, SS or another system (Police, military, civil service, etc) just by the ID card details.

[Stonker]

8 minutes ago, Muttley said:

Not necessarily, a lot of "farang" with work permits and paying tax, opt out of the Thai Social Security Fund as, in addition to the higher rates of tax paid by these individuals, it is too expensive for what is offered!

Sorry, but it's very much 'yes "necesarily" as opting out of the SSF doesn't entitle " "farang" with work permits" or anyone other than Thais to coverage under the UHC system.

If they want to opt out of the SSF because they're covered by other systems or by spearate health insurance that's up to them (and their employer if paying for the additional coverage / insurance) but they absolutely CANNOT be covered by the UHC system. It was available briefly some years ago to anyone paying a surcharge, including some farangs, but that was by an oversight and ended after one year (possibly two).

The only exception to the above are some registered foreign workers from certain ASEAN countries (China, Vietnam, Myanmar and Cambodia IIRC) who have a Reciprocal Health Agreement with Thailand, which is a bit of a mid-way UHC / SSF system.