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  1. #1
    R.I.P.
    Wally Dorian Raffles's Avatar
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    Health Insurance - what are the options?

    Hi everyone.

    I am thinking of relocating to Thailand, and as I am in my 40's - being able to visit the docs without forking out too much is appealing.

    Any advice on health insurance would be appreciated.

    Can I go to the best hospitals without it costing me a bundle? Do I get discount medication?

    Thanks in advance for any replies.

    Wally.

  2. #2
    Excitable Boy
    FailSafe's Avatar
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    I've got health insurance through SCB- I don't have all the numbers on hand at the moment, but their top-level plan runs about 35K (it varies acording to age) and all private hospitals accept it.

    One reason I really like it is that it covers motorcycle accidents at 100%, where many other plans cut the benefits considerably if you crash your bike.
    There he goes. One of God's own prototypes. A high-powered mutant of some kind never even considered for mass production. Too weird to live, and too rare to die.
    HST

  3. #3
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    Wally Dorian Raffles's Avatar
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    ^ Thanks FS.

    So 35k covers all of your medical costs? Dental? Medication?

  4. #4
    Excitable Boy
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    Medical only- I don't know of a plan in LOS that covers dental. It's covered all my costs so far, though I haven't had anything major happen in the last few years (just small stuff like injuries from the gym, one minor illness, and an ear infection from dirty water at Songkran).

  5. #5
    Thailand Expat
    Marmite the Dog's Avatar
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    Do you want a pension plan which will pay you peanuts when you retire or just health insurance?

    I have a pension plan which includes health insurance, but your cover will have more bang for the baht if you just have healthcare.

    I think the best thing to do is go to a local independent broker and talk to them once you're here as you should get looked after better should you need to claim and they will know which plans are best for local hospitals.

  6. #6
    Thailand Expat Pragmatic's Avatar
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    Use the government hospitals. They have fixed government prices irrespective of whether you're a local Thai rice farmer or a rich farang boat owner in Phuket. The prices are the same. Dirt cheap and not worth getting insurance in my book.

  7. #7
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    Marmite the Dog's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Pragmatic
    Use the government hospitals. They have fixed government prices irrespective of whether you're a local Thai rice farmer or a rich farang boat owner in Phuket. The prices are the same. Dirt cheap and not worth getting insurance in my book.
    Udon General does a nice line in secondary bacterial infections - bargain!

  8. #8
    Thailand Expat Pragmatic's Avatar
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    Doom forecaster.

  9. #9
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    Had BUPA untill this year, wife and kids still on it, but for me, a drinker, smoker and 56 it rally didn't cover much.

    Don't worry about dental. it's cheap here and they do a good job. Keep away from the farang places.

    Local hospitals will do for most things, if you are talking big illness, you can probably catch a plane home.

    Accidents, drive a car with number one insurance, keep off motorbikes as much as possible.

    If you stay away from high risk things and you are not pre disposed to health risks, the Thai health system is OK.

    Let's be honest, we all die, but been here awhile, come off my motorbike a couple of times, been stung, snake bit and sown up a few times. Thai hospitals were free or very cheap.

    If it's a terminal decease, you can go home, as I would, just not OZ, but my village. Jim

  10. #10
    Thailand Expat
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    Quote Originally Posted by jamescollister
    If it's a terminal decease, you can go home, as I would, just not OZ, but my village.
    Have I read this properly, please ? Is home your village in Thailand ?

  11. #11
    Thailand Expat
    Marmite the Dog's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by jamescollister
    Don't worry about dental. it's cheap here and they do a good job. Keep away from the farang places.
    I don't know of any 'farang' dentists in Thailand. Thong Lor where Wally lived before has one of the best dentists in Bangkok and it's still a bargain.

  12. #12
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    jamescollister's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by can123 View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by jamescollister
    If it's a terminal decease, you can go home, as I would, just not OZ, but my village.
    Have I read this properly, please ? Is home your village in Thailand ?
    Yes, home is where I live, my wife and kids live. It''s my home, will live and die here, kids born in Australia, can have UK passports,
    For me this is the best place I have ever lived, my Shanghai.

    We all live different lives and want different outcomes, for me the kids play on the street, we don't have locks on the doors and I don't have nightmares. Jim

  13. #13
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    Marmite the Dog's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by jamescollister
    my Shanghai
    Is that anywhere near Shangri La?

  14. #14
    Thailand Expat
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    Quote Originally Posted by jamescollister View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by can123 View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by jamescollister
    If it's a terminal decease, you can go home, as I would, just not OZ, but my village.
    Have I read this properly, please ? Is home your village in Thailand ?
    Yes, home is where I live, my wife and kids live. It''s my home, will live and die here, kids born in Australia, can have UK passports,
    For me this is the best place I have ever lived, my Shanghai.

    We all live different lives and want different outcomes, for me the kids play on the street, we don't have locks on the doors and I don't have nightmares. Jim
    Your Shangri-La, I think. My mate told me that no bugger in his right mind would live in Shanghai.

    Anyway, your post is reassuring and heart warming. It can't be easy working as you do but you are not grizzling like many do around here. I'd give you six greens if I could.

  15. #15
    ding ding ding
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    Get cover that keeps you out of government hospitals. Was visiting the FIL yesterday, 5 hours out of ICU he was thrown on a porters trolley in an open-air corridor outside a packed ward, numerous relatives camping on the floor with tents and all kind of shit around them.
    It was an absolutely heartbreaking scene, like stepping into some kind of war-zone from 50 years ago.

    This was Khon Kaen hospital on Sri-Chan road, I pleaded with the wife to get him transferred to somewhere fit for humans.
    Originally Posted by Smeg
    ... I like to fantasise sometimes, and I lie very occasionally... my superior home, job, wealth, freedom, car, girl, retirement age, appearance, satisfaction with birth country etc etc... Over the past few years I have put together over 100 pages on notes on thaiophilia...

  16. #16
    Thailand Expat Boon Mee's Avatar
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    Depends on the location of the Government Hospital.

    K. Theytim who lives in Phrae reported some time ago on here that his is just fine and the one near me is clean and relatively uncrowded the times I've been there.

  17. #17
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    Marmite the Dog's Avatar
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    Udon seems to be similar to Khon Kaen. None of my family will be treated there.

  18. #18
    ding ding ding
    Spin's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Boon Mee
    Depends on the location of the Government Hospital.
    So you're saying it's "pot-luck" whether you live or die based on geography?

    I guess what I'm trying to say is avoid gov hospitals for major problems unless you are skint, they're probably ok for minor stuff but for the serious problems you must either have adequate insurance or if you're a cynical fucker like me who refuses to give insurances companies the opportunity not to pay out, I keep a chunk of coin in one account, set aside, for emergency medical needs. In nine years of saving into that account I've never needed to dip into it so in comparison to actually paying out yearly premiums, I'm way ahead.

  19. #19
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    Quote Originally Posted by Marmite the Dog View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by jamescollister
    my Shanghai
    Is that anywhere near Shangri La?
    Bad eyes, bad spell check and way to much beer, should have said, my lost horizon. Jim

  20. #20
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    I'm 72. Impossible to get health insurance, only chance (if I can) is to crawl on plane back to OZ. I pay for dental, very good and prices excellent. Warik

  21. #21
    Thailand Expat Pragmatic's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Spin
    I guess what I'm trying to say is avoid gov hospitals for major problems unless you are skint, they're probably ok for minor stuff but for the serious problems you must either have adequate insurance or if you're a cynical fucker like me who refuses to give insurances companies the opportunity not to pay out, I keep a chunk of coin in one account, set aside, for emergency medical needs. In nine years of saving into that account I've never needed to dip into it so in comparison to actually paying out yearly premiums, I'm way ahead.
    I agree.

  22. #22
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    BUPA seems the most famous but some said to apply abroad but not in Thailand as the coverage is better ?

  23. #23
    Fuck it
    Satonic's Avatar
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    I use Thai health. About 18k a year and so far I have never had to pay a baht when I visit the hospital - sickness or accidents. Probably the only company in Thailand that always replies to my emails too!

    I just turn up to the hospital with the health insurance card and passport and that's it, I just sign when I leave. I can use any hospital too.

    Thai Health Insurance Public Company Limited

  24. #24
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    Anybody know this mob "Pacific Prime‏ - Insurance agency."?

    They're offering me AXA Health Insurance for US$230 per month. The scheme is called the "International Exclusive Plan C".

  25. #25
    RIP pseudolus's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by luckyjim View Post
    Anybody know this mob "Pacific Prime‏ - Insurance agency."?

    They're offering me AXA Health Insurance for US$230 per month. The scheme is called the "International Exclusive Plan C".
    That is very expensive. About 10 times what you should be paying. Bupa or scb the way to go, and go direct.

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