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  1. #26
    Thailand Expat misskit's Avatar
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    Health insurance coverage adjusted to attract more long-stay, high-spending elderly expats


    This article contains an interesting paragraph. Wonder what this is about?

    The new rules also facilitate expats who cannot purchase insurance in Thailand and thus face having their applications for extension of stay rejected, as these applications can now use health insurance from abroad or government welfare from abroad. This however must be certified by a relevant government agency, such as a foreign embassy in Thailand or the country’s Foreign Ministry.

  2. #27
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    Quote Originally Posted by misskit View Post
    Health insurance coverage adjusted to attract more long-stay, high-spending elderly expats


    This article contains an interesting paragraph. Wonder what this is about?

    The new rules also facilitate expats who cannot purchase insurance in Thailand and thus face having their applications for extension of stay rejected, as these applications can now use health insurance from abroad or government welfare from abroad. This however must be certified by a relevant government agency, such as a foreign embassy in Thailand or the country’s Foreign Ministry.
    I don't understand why they would not allow long stay expats to buy into the goverment run plan. I would probably never Use it , because for anything major, I would go back to the states, and for routine I go to private doctors, they are cheap enough, but in about 8 months I will qualify for Medicare, and I will no longer be covered by my trade union insurance coverage. And while here I would like to have something for emergencies, The private insurance available here will not cover pre-existing conditions, and at my age pretty much everything can be classified as a pre-existing condition. For instance, because of my heart condition, I am not sure if any insurance would cover me if I had a heart attack. And obviously I would not be able to travel back to the US for it, so I would be screwed.
    The sooner you fall behind, the more time you have to catch up.

  3. #28
    Thailand Expat misskit's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Buckaroo Banzai View Post
    because for anything major, I would go back to the states
    Me, too. When I finally get to go back to Thailand, I will continue to pay for Medicare B premium just for that reason.


    Mudcat says at 71, his premium is 100,000 baht a year which seems fair to me. Fat chance you can get Medigap or anything else that would pick up what Medicare doesn’t cover for that amount in the US!

  4. #29
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    Buckaroo Banzai's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by misskit View Post
    Me, too. When I finally get to go back to Thailand, I will continue to pay for Medicare B premium just for that reason.


    Mudcat says at 71, his premium is 100,000 baht a year which seems fair to me. Fat chance you can get Medigap or anything else that would pick up what Medicare doesn’t cover for that amount in the US!
    Though you must remember that anything you get in the US would cover pre-existing conditions.
    The 100k bht insurance that you can get in Thailand, would have so many pre-existing condition exclusions that it would be practically useless for most things for me.

  5. #30
    Thailand Expat Fondles's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by misskit View Post
    Me, too. When I finally get to go back to Thailand, I will continue to pay for Medicare B premium just for that reason.
    Your assuming you have medical clearance to fly.

  6. #31
    Thailand Expat misskit's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Buckaroo Banzai View Post
    Though you must remember that anything you get in the US would cover pre-existing conditions.
    Yeah, but, Medicare doesn’t pay for assisted living or long term care. For sure cheaper in Thailand.



    Quote Originally Posted by Fondles View Post
    Your assuming you have medical clearance to fly.
    Medivac insurance? Still trying to figure this all out.

  7. #32
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    Buckaroo Banzai's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by misskit View Post
    Medivac insurance? Still trying to figure this all out.
    Yea me too.
    I will be going to Greece April, we were supposed to go last year but covid put an end to that, and then again last August but then Thailand was placed in the red list and we would have had to quarantine on our way there, and then quarantine on our way back, so that became a no go, Now it's winter there, so April it is.
    Anyway, I will be looking for my medical coverage options there (I qualify for a Greek/EU passport) so we will see.
    But anyway I look at it, it does not look to me that Thailand will be a long term solution. Too many problems,
    Just now, I walked outside and you could not see across the street from the smoke, all the neighbors were out wondering what was going on, It seems, some idiot decided to burn a bunch of wet stuff and smoked the whole neighborhood.
    Crazy shit.
    Political announcements every day, banks hacked, I have to hide in the car so we don't get charged farang prices,
    all small things but put them together and they become one big hustle.
    Do I need all that in my golden years? I don't know?
    Right now I am pissed off about the smoke, perhaps tomorrow I will feel better.

  8. #33
    Thailand Expat misskit's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by misskit View Post
    Medivac insurance? Still trying to figure this all out.
    Took a look at Medjet policies. Expat coverage (365 days) $675 a year. With AARP member discount $580 a year.
    Premier Air Medical Transport and Travel Protection | Medjet

  9. #34
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    3million bht.for cover in a private hospital,that will be for a broken finger and 2nights B.& B.

  10. #35
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    Quote Originally Posted by misskit View Post
    Took a look at Medjet policies. Expat coverage (365 days) $675 a year. With AARP member discount $580 a year.
    Premier Air Medical Transport and Travel Protection | Medjet
    You might take a look at the services available on EVA
    Flight Information- Special Assistance and Inquiry - EVA Air | North America (English)

  11. #36
    Thailand Expat harrybarracuda's Avatar
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    I love the way they describe this as a "perk"!

    Apparently this will 'bolster your confidence in the kingdom'.


  12. #37
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    Quote Originally Posted by Edmond View Post
    Retirement visas.



    Non-Immigrant visas for spouse, child, work, education etc. are not affected, only ones based on retirement.

    I didn't see it mentioned elsewhere on this thread: My understanding is that the insurance requirement will affect retirees on the Non-Imm (O-A) visa, the one applied for outside Thailand.

    For myself, I have a Non-Imm (O) retirement visa, the one applied for inside Thailand. I wasn't asked for insurance when I applied or when I renewed this year. My agent tells me she thinks this situation will continue.

    I don't know why there should be a difference. For some people it might make it more attractive to arrive in Thailand as a tourist then apply for a retirement visa locally. A loophole that will disappear eventually, I suppose.

    My passport doesn't plainly state Non-Imm (O-A) or Non-Imm (O) visa, they hand write a little code number under the visa stamp. (O-A) is 2.3 and (O) is 2.2.

  13. #38
    Thailand Expat Storekeeper's Avatar
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    ^ I don’t get why there are both a Non-Imm (O-A) and a Non-Imm ((O)? Why would anybody pick the (O-A)?

  14. #39
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    Quote Originally Posted by Storekeeper View Post
    Why would anybody pick the (O-A)?
    If you are overseas, that is the one you have to apply for, I think. I might be wrong, I haven't done it.

  15. #40
    Thailand Expat Storekeeper's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Shutree View Post
    If you are overseas, that is the one you have to apply for, I think. I might be wrong, I haven't done it.
    Things may have changed. I got the (O) in Japan when I moved to Thailand in 2007.

  16. #41
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    Quote Originally Posted by Storekeeper View Post
    Things may have changed. I got the (O) in Japan when I moved to Thailand in 2007.
    Was that based on retirement though? you don't come across as a *uses fingers and toes* 64 year old.

  17. #42
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    Quote Originally Posted by Storekeeper View Post
    Things may have changed. I got the (O) in Japan when I moved to Thailand in 2007.
    Pretty sure things have changed SK, someone here or elsewhere said I couldn't possibly have got a Non O visa in my home country that was converted to a Retirement visa in Thailand with no health insurance clauses or whatever else attached, and I proved them wrong. I don't think that's possible these days though.

  18. #43
    Thailand Expat Fondles's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Shutree View Post
    For myself, I have a Non-Imm (O) retirement visa, the one applied for inside Thailand. I wasn't asked for insurance when I applied or when I renewed this year. My agent tells me she thinks this situation will continue.
    You have a permission to stay extension, not a visa.

  19. #44
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    Quote Originally Posted by Fondles View Post
    You have a permission to stay extension, not a visa.
    You might well have the nomenclature more accurately than I do, the agent calls it a visa so I just follow her lead.

    On the topic of insurance, I plan to travel to visit a very sick friend in Penang sometime soon. I understand that this means I'll need to have the extra medical insurance when I return to Thailand.

    In which case, will that medical insurance need to cover the period up until my current extension/visa expires?

    If I buy a one-year policy, then I travel to UK for my son's wedding next summer, that one-year policy would still have six months to run, but it would not cover the full period until my next extension/visa expires in spring 2023. So would I need a new one-year policy overlapping by several months the one I have already paid for? Assuming the current insurance rules remain, which I think is likely because it is a nice little earner.

  20. #45
    Thailand Expat harrybarracuda's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Shutree View Post
    You might well have the nomenclature more accurately than I do, the agent calls it a visa so I just follow her lead.

    On the topic of insurance, I plan to travel to visit a very sick friend in Penang sometime soon. I understand that this means I'll need to have the extra medical insurance when I return to Thailand.

    In which case, will that medical insurance need to cover the period up until my current extension/visa expires?

    If I buy a one-year policy, then I travel to UK for my son's wedding next summer, that one-year policy would still have six months to run, but it would not cover the full period until my next extension/visa expires in spring 2023. So would I need a new one-year policy overlapping by several months the one I have already paid for? Assuming the current insurance rules remain, which I think is likely because it is a nice little earner.
    Whatever you think it is, it stops holidaymakers seeking free medical treatment in a foreign country.

    Would you expect to travel to the US and get free treatment if you fall sick? I'd expect to get bankrupted.

  21. #46
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    Quote Originally Posted by harrybarracuda View Post
    Whatever you think it is, it stops holidaymakers seeking free medical treatment in a foreign country.
    I already have medical insurance in Thailand, though it doesn't meet the requirements of Immigration. So I'll need a second policy on top.

    My question is about whether or not I'll end paying for a third policy overlapping the other two.

  22. #47
    Thailand Expat harrybarracuda's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Shutree View Post
    I already have medical insurance in Thailand, though it doesn't meet the requirements of Immigration. So I'll need a second policy on top.

    My question is about whether or not I'll end paying for a third policy overlapping the other two.
    AFAIK there are only two requirements for the current situation:

    1. It must cover Covid
    2. It must offer at least $50K of insurance

    Why don't you ask your insurer if they can give you a certificate that says "This covers Covid up to $???K"?

    A reminder that not all policies cover asymptomatic infection, which will still land you in a pricey quarantine.
    The next post may be brought to you by my little bitch Spamdreth

  23. #48
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    I am here based on marriage and do my extension as such so I am not affected thus far. Who knows what the future will bring.
    But from reading about the Non Im -O retirement visa, it gets very confusing.

    A retirement visa is supposed to be a long term solution to what you do after you stop working and retire, in another words what do you go with there rest of your non working life.
    How can someone base the rest of their lives on sort term one year solutions, that can change from year to year?
    Even their new proposal to attract wealthy retirees that was recently announced requiring a significant investment, concluded that after 5 years the proposal will be reviewed.
    Yea , I will liquate my assets back home, move to Thailand and make a significant investment, and in five years you will review our arrangement ,
    Not gone a happen.
    IMO only a fool would make long range plans on a short range arrangement. Or someone with enough money to be able to throw money at these problems or get up and leave if need be.

    The more I look at Thailand the less I think that it will work out for me in the long term, even with a much easier marriage visa. We will either sell the house, or keep it as a vacation home,

  24. #49
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    Quote Originally Posted by harrybarracuda View Post
    AFAIK there are only two requirements for the current situation:

    1. It must cover Covid
    2. It must offer at least $50K of insurance

    Why don't you ask your insurer if they can give you a certificate that says "This covers Covid up to $???K"?

    A reminder that not all policies cover asymptomatic infection, which will still land you in a pricey quarantine.

    It is a fair question. My medical policy is with AIA and I asked them about this before I renewed recently. They seemed confused by the question. Bottom line, I couldn't sort it out that way.

    I have separate travel insurance, with AIG. That is oubound only.

    I'll need to buy whatever is needed here in Thailand before I leave. That is okay up to a point. The thing is that this current arrangement is really designed for tourists who come and go. It doesn't fit easily with those of us who go and come.

    For BB, it hasn't affected you yet. I think if you were to do what I plan, that is pop out of Thailand for a short trip, then you'd need this cover to return.

    I'll buy more insurance before I travel and unless anyone knows better I'll make sure it lasts until after my next extension date in March.

    Then I'll look at it all again when I travel a second time.

  25. #50
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    according to one dumb arse I.O. it must be ins.with a THAI CO.

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