Medical Insurance dilemma

[Mork]

I have spoken with quite a number of ex-pats who live in LOS without medical insurance. Reasons: Too expensive or too restricted for people over 60 years of age (esp over 65)
Hospital care and doctors fees are relatively cheap when compared to western countries but they can still be pretty ruinous if you are unlucky to develop something serious and prolonged. One guy had a friend die in Pattaya hospital after a lengthy battle with Leukemia....no insurance...wiped out his savings/retirement fund and left his wife penniless.
I have been trying to find medical coverage (age 64) and so far everything I have examined (16 quotes!) has been either outrageously expensive...or had a very high deductible....or had so many restrictions and exclusions that it was virtually useless.
If we stay here indefinitely we will definitely get older (falang logic)....sooner or later will will likely get sick.....sooner of later we will die of something..(more falang logic). If we die quickly by falling of a high building or sudden cardiac failure....not expensive....but if we die after 6 months or a year..or more of illness...surgery...medications...specialist fees etc....with no insurance...who pays...how? What happens to you in LOS is you have no insurance and not enough money to pay for the treatments??
Sobering thoughts......but reality.....
Be interesting to hear how others view this particular dilemma......
Those engaged in arms dealing, drug smuggling, money laundering etc need not explain...

[pitsch]

Most ex-pats have medical insurance from their home country. Thai insurances have always some limit on coverage and/or age.

I have a German insurance with unlimited coverage in private hospitals, but I pay 180 Euro/month, because I am over 65. Below 65 it is 120 Euro/month. 250 Euro/year deductible.

[Mork]

I have similar insurance from Canada....the problem is that it will only extend for a period of six months if I live out of the country permanently.
I can get around this by returning twice a year and maintaining a residence there....but all that costs much more than the insurance! I believe many of these plans have cut-off points when the insured lives abroad. Maybe some EU countries have more generous conditions......must be that "socialism" that Fox News keeps talking about

I have also discovered that some people don't even know about these restrictions which is dangerous.....not a good time to find out after you end up in the emergency department of the hospital!!

[Winkie]

I have a very comprehensive policy with Blue Cross, out of Hong Kong, the cover is excellent, but I must pay and then reclaim from them.

They have been extremely good to me when I';ve needed (not very often)

It covers me and my family for everywhere, including USA, for both IPD and OPD, but it does cost a lot.

[Mork]

I'm currently investigating Blue Cross because they usually do provide pretty good coverage. If your plan covers the US...it would be relatively expensive....No matter what company issued it. I don't need US coverage...and I'm quite prepared to retain a fairly high deductible.. Many of the plans I've examined look quite good at first but when I read the policy wordings...there are always a few "bombs" in there......as they say, the devil is always in the details.
(I was an Insurance Broker for over 30 years---(Commercial/Industrial) so I'm very used to picking contracts apart.. )
One very good one (which I can not name) specifically excludes cover for injury caused by riding motor-bikes unless it for the purposes of "daily transportation" and only on "paved roads".
(a) I can not get a definitive answer as to what the hell "daily
transportation" means...........and
(b) I have to travel on a great many roads around Huahin....which to me
don't meet the defination of "paved"
It's a relatively minor point.....but typical of the stuff hidden in the fine print!!
Other contracts are renewable "for life"..and the agents will assure you of this....but when you read carefully they say something like" Where the insured has entered into the contract before age 56 and remains continuously insured, renewals are guaranteed for life" That is a pretty important qualifer! If you enter at age 57 or more...it is not guaranteed after age 65....or in some cases 70. Falls a long why short of what you are led to believe in the advertising and sales pitch.
Anyhow the search goes on......

[stgrhe]

I have free medical care and medicine at the public hospitals through my wife, who is a civil servant in the public health care. At some locations I can also get free Thai massage.

G.

[hhfarang]

Move to the United States, Obama will insure you soon...

[icebear]

hi Mork, as you are an insurance broker we should ask you what would be the best coverage for us humble being here.

By the way I am with Bupa for 8 years now. After three major operations still happy with them, but not my wallet.....

[mat]

Finding a good health insurance in Thailand may look difficult but it isn't if you're in a reasonable good health, also not when over 60 years old. Just keep in mind that no health insurance here is perfect. A perfect health insurance covers everything without limits and without exclusions. Here the companies look at your medical history before they accept you and they will exclude pre-excisting conditions or ask for co-payment in case you claim something in the future that is related to this pre-excisting condition. Sounds unfair for most Europeans, but that is the way it is.
I know a few good companies with very good coverage (5,000,000 per disability) and acceptable premiums (example: 65 years, 36,508 baht a year) and guaranteed lifetime renewability, no matter what age you join. When in good health no problem to get in. If you do get an exclusion, then in my opinion it's still better to insure 90 % of your body then 0 %. Staying insured in your home country when you are a resident here?
If you informed them about your situation (living in Thailand actually) and they agreed, then it's no problem. If you did not inform them or gave false information: Read the fine prints and in many cases you will see that you are not really insured anymore, even if you pay them every month. Dangerous way of gambling.

[Mork]

hi Mork, as you are an insurance broker we should ask you what would be the best coverage for us humble being here.

By the way I am with Bupa for 8 years now. After three major operations still happy with them, but not my wallet.....

I'm working on it Icebear!! It's not really possible to give an intelligent answer to "what would be the best coverage" because there are just so many variables and besides "the best" is probably not available to so many people anyway. You can take some comfort if you have been with BUPA and all has gone well. They are one of the better carriers for sure...but you do pay. I have 3 quotes from them for what looks like exactly the same coverage but with different levels of self insured retention (deductibles)
The premiums range from $1,866 to $6,665 US. The $1,866 premium version has a 300,000Thb deductible per year, so you can see the kind of variables I'm talking about. Personally I'm only interested in insuring for the major stuff so I will likely choose a high retained limit and just set up a contingency fund to cover the self insured portion. There are those who keep posting that pre-existing conditions are not insurable....NOT TRUE.
Pre-existing and chronic conditions can be covered with some of the better plans. ...subject to waiting (or elimination) periods.
I have 16 quotes to pick over so I am going to be busy for a bit...

The trouble with insurance is that when you write one line of text.....it takes 10 pages to qualify what you have said......it's way worse than politics or religion... Medical insurance cover and premium is so much dependent on the individuals age, medical condition and a host of other variables....it is foolish and usually quite pointless to generalize.
I will post my final results once I have figured it all out.
Happy trails.

[Takiap]

Finding a good health insurance in Thailand may look difficult but it isn't if you're in a reasonable good health, also not when over 60 years old. Just keep in mind that no health insurance here is perfect. A perfect health insurance covers everything without limits and without exclusions. Here the companies look at your medical history before they accept you and they will exclude pre-excisting conditions or ask for co-payment in case you claim something in the future that is related to this pre-excisting condition. Sounds unfair for most Europeans, but that is the way it is.
I know a few good companies with very good coverage (5,000,000 per disability) and acceptable premiums (example: 65 years, 36,508 baht a year) and guaranteed lifetime renewability, no matter what age you join. When in good health no problem to get in. If you do get an exclusion, then in my opinion it's still better to insure 90 % of your body then 0 %. Staying insured in your home country when you are a resident here?
If you informed them about your situation (living in Thailand actually) and they agreed, then it's no problem. If you did not inform them or gave false information: Read the fine prints and in many cases you will see that you are not really insured anymore, even if you pay them every month. Dangerous way of gambling.

Hey Mat, perhaps you can PM me with details? I'm 44 and in good health apart from a smoker's cough. When I asked around I was told to expect about 6000 baht per month which seems a bit silly to be honest. I only want to be covered for major problems (illness) which could crop up in the future. Any advice welcome....

[robby hh]

Ask Khun Nong at BUPA tkt@BUPA.CO.TH she is great

[Nereus]

You could do a lot worse than check this site, if you have not already done so.

http://www.e-insurethailand.com/

He will send you free of charge and obligation spread sheets covering a lot, or most of the available options.
For those of you that still have cover in your own country of origin, there is an evacuation service available for around 15k Baht a year. It may be a good option to cover you for such things as car accidents, major medical problems.

[mat]

AA Insurance Brokers, 83/14 Pethkasem Road (081-0067008) in Hua Hin can offer health insurance from all major insurance companies like LMG, Bupa, AXA, Thai Health etc. A broker assists you in comparing the different packages, helps you too choose an insurance that suits you (also financial)and acts on your behalf.

[mat]

As an Insurance Broker we are always checking the market to see if there are good or better products for our clients. We were already able to provide healthcare insurance from a broad range of insurance companies active on the Thai market, but still looking for better options.
Now we are happy to anounce that we can offer some very good alternatives.

This is especially good news for people over 60 years old, for whom it could be difficult to find a good healthcare insurance with guaranteed lifetime renewability. For those people we can offer not only more, but also better options now.
It’s also good news for younger people since we can offer a really first class healthcare insurance for very attractive premiums.

So if you've ever had the idea that you could not get a healthcare insurance because of the high costs, your age or because of pre-existing conditions, contact our office (AA Insurance is sponsor of HHAD, more info at the link of the sponsor section) and find out what we can offer you.