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

[Stonker]

18 hours ago, Guest1 said:

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?

I think it's almost certainly a vote-earner.

It was going to be introduced by the last government (2014) before the coup as it really made no sense that you had to go home to where you'd registered to get treatment, and Covid treatment / quarantine is available anywhere for Thais.

About half the Thais rely on UHC for health care, particularly up in Issan, and that's where the present government have least support (apart from Anutin in BuriRam), so with elections coming up ...

[Stonker]

4 hours ago, LoongFred said:

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. 

The only 'international' / private hospital in my province (Loei) is 'Ram' and I'm distinctly unimpressed, to put it mildly.

The best doctor I've seen here (as in 'seen' medically ) was in a local clinic whom I'd gone to see for a prostate related problem; she turned out to be one of Thailand's foremost prostate specialists who just ran a clinic with her husband in the evenings, trained in Aus and the US, who spent about ten minutes explaining the problem in a lot of detail with diagrams and pictures.

"Best" as in she was clearly an expert, and exactly what she said would probably happen did (do nothing and it would probably not re-occur and it hasn't), and "best" as in cheapest as when I went to the cashier to pay she told me that the doctor only charged for medicines dispensed not for any fee, so the consultation was free!

[oldschooler]

8 hours ago, Guest1 said:

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.

Why ? Case : Open heart surgery costed at 750, 000 baht . Actual Thai Patient Cost : 30 baht ( might have been Emergency though …) .

sure certain procedures excluded( govt tariff) like Colonoscopy.

[Guest1]

12 hours ago, Stonker said:

I think it's almost certainly a vote-earner.

It was going to be introduced by the last government (2014) before the coup as it really made no sense that you had to go home to where you'd registered to get treatment, and Covid treatment / quarantine is available anywhere for Thais.

About half the Thais rely on UHC for health care, particularly up in Issan, and that's where the present government have least support (apart from Anutin in BuriRam), so with elections coming up ...

Maybe you are right, the Issan people I met are usually not registering elsewhere, b/c that would cut the gov. money support for the home village down. But still, you have to go to vote on election day  or need really good reasons not to, but can only do that in your registered province, municipality?

Ah, ok, being in a others province hospital would be a valid excuse, wouldn't it?

Perhaps sometimes someone is upgrading something just because it is long overdue? Following reality?

And even if it is happening for the wrong reasons, it is the right thing to do. So I pin it, on top of possible election thoughts, also on the current situation : sick people should not have a medical need, to travel hours/days in public transportation back to their communities.

Here in Phuket, they are bringing covid infected home for over a year. I assume, other provinces are doing the same. That would not be necessary, if they could ....!

Edited January 4, 2022 by Guest1

[Stonker]

7 hours ago, Guest1 said:

Maybe you are right, the Issan people I met are usually not registering elsewhere, b/c that would cut the gov. money support for the home village down. But still, you have to go to vote on election day  or need really good reasons not to, but can only do that in your registered province, municipality?

Ah, ok, being in a others province hospital would be a valid excuse, wouldn't it?

Perhaps sometimes someone is upgrading something just because it is long overdue? Following reality?

And even if it is happening for the wrong reasons, it is the right thing to do. So I pin it, on top of possible election thoughts, also on the current situation : sick people should not have a medical need, to travel hours/days in public transportation back to their communities.

Here in Phuket, they are bringing covid infected home for over a year. I assume, other provinces are doing the same. That would not be necessary, if they could ....!

Agreed, but I tend to be a bit cynical if these things happen in an election year when they could and should have happened long before.