Move to make Health Insurance Mandatory - Retirement Visas

[frequent]

No idea about the UK, but I know that's the law of the land in Canada. You need to be a resident for 6 months before universal healthcare is available to you.

Would that still be true in your ideal world Matt - the one where anyone can live anywhere and there are no immigration restrictions? You know, when your barber from the back streets of Khon Kaen can travel half-way across the world to Vancouver, live and work there for as long as he likes?

[Daveuk]

When the ill Brit expat gets to the UK and perhaps takes up residence with a family member and then reports to the GP doctor with whom he never cancelled his registration he would get treatment in the NHS system, perhaps saying “I’ve been on holiday I Thailand for a month and became ill whilst there “. Health tourism is a problem for the NHS. Examples are Jamaican pregnant ladies flying in to have their babies free of charge and Asian heritage Brits bringing over their relatives from Pakistan for treatment.

[2lz2p]

Interesting. I hardly ever get my passbook updated - certainly not in 2018 - but in 2017 my bank's passbook shows Transferwise payments with a code of "TN" which I suspect just means "Transaction". I went online just now to see what the Transaction History shows and the same code is used - TN - for deposits made this week. The same teller code is used for all Transferwise deposits which may mean something to the bank but it's not as transparent as your FTT transaction code. I have read on the Whiners & Whingers Forum (Thaivisa) that other Transferwise users report that it shows up in their bank as a domestic rather than a foreign transaction

I have started using Transferwise and have now had several transfers into my account using their service. I use Bangkok Bank, when funds are deposited, I receive a text message notifying me of a deposit from abroad - it is coded in my account as a foreign transaction. Thus, if using transferwise and Bangkok Bank, there should be no problem getting a bank letter showing the amounts received are from a foreign source. I also transfer more than the 65k on a monthly basis, so if the final "rule" is it must be from abroad on a monthly basis, then it should cause me no problem.

But, I was communicating with a British chap recently who also uses trasferwise to send money from his UK bank to his Kasikorn Bank account. He had just discovered that his deposits were being recorded as domestic transfers by Kasikorn Bank. Based on further inquiries, he said that apparently Transferwise sends funds to a particular Thai bank (he didn't find out which one), which then transfers the funds on to his bank account as a domestic transfer. Although no firm rules have yet been provided by Thai Immigration, he hopes they will accept his copy of Transferwise notice showing amount in pounds, fees, and baht transferred is in agreement with the amount recorded as received by Kasikorn Bank.

[Brad the Impala]

Health tourism is a problem for the NHS. Examples are Jamaican pregnant ladies flying in to have their babies free of charge and Asian heritage Brits bringing over their relatives from Pakistan for treatment.

"Sadly, our national conversation is often led by emotive and distorted reporting". See attached BMJ report on health tourism.

http://https://www.bmj.com/content/361/bmj.k2536

[Jacky]

OMG...why you old people live in Thailand when you can not afford to pay the local health insurance, or even pay out of pocket? You do know healthcare is very cheap in Thailand, don't you? People travel to Thailand for heart surgeries, spine surgeries or plastic surgeries...AND pay cash!!

[bkkguy]

But, I was communicating with a British chap recently who also uses trasferwise to send money from his UK bank to his Kasikorn Bank account. He had just discovered that his deposits were being recorded as domestic transfers by Kasikorn Bank. Based on further inquiries, he said that apparently Transferwise sends funds to a particular Thai bank (he didn't find out which one), which then transfers the funds on to his bank account as a domestic transfer. Although no firm rules have yet been provided by Thai Immigration, he hopes they will accept his copy of Transferwise notice showing amount in pounds, fees, and baht transferred is in agreement with the amount recorded as received by Kasikorn Bank.

my bank in Australia transfers to Kasikorn Bank via Thai Military Bank thus is a local transaction in my Kasikorn passbook, but directly to Bangkok Bank thus is a foreign transaction, with lower fees and usually arrives a day faster

I have previously asked Kasikorn for the full paperwork on one transfer and for a fee they provided the details of the foreign funds arriving at TMB and the fees and transfer to Kasikorn which immigration accepted - but I wouldn't like to be doing that every month

[francois]

OMG...why you old people live in Thailand when you can not afford to pay the local health insurance, or even pay out of pocket? You do know healthcare is very cheap in Thailand, don't you? People travel to Thailand for heart surgeries, spine surgeries or plastic surgeries...AND pay cash!!

Wrong! Is 600,000 Baht cheap to you? Can get a similar procedure at home for the same or less. You are correct that plastic surgeries are cheaper in Thailand and they are not covered by insurance either in Thailand or home countries (exceptions for accidents).

[Manforallseasons]

Wrong! Is 600,000 Baht cheap to you? Can get a similar procedure at home for the same or less. You are correct that plastic surgeries are cheaper in Thailand and they are not covered by insurance either in Thailand or home countries (exceptions for accidents).

If you are an expat you should have a health policy for Thailand, if you have something serious happen such as a stroke or heart attack are you going to wait to go to your home country?

[travelerjim]

This posted today on Facebook in Thai Visa Advice forum...from its Admin Tod Daniels. Truly an expert on Thai Visa issues IMHO. In reply to another poster question about health insurance required for expats:

"John West what you "just noticed" was the fact that the Thai cabinet approved mandatory health insurance for people who BUY a year-long, multi-entry Non-Immigrant Type O-A visa from a Thai consulate in their home country BEFORE they wing their way here.

You did not read anything about this insurance being mandatory OR even proposed for people on ANY other type of visa or extension of stay <- you didn't read that because it's NOT been proposed.

There is already mandatory health insurance clause on the 10 year, multi-entry Non-Immigrant Type O-X visa which was rolled out in 2017. I think they are just making both long-stay visas have the health insurance requirement.

We will have to wait and see if/when this comes into effect, BUT as of now when getting a Non-O-A visa (which is ONLY available from a Thai Consulate in your country) it is NOT mandatory.

I say that will 100% certainty, because just before Christmas a friend got his year-long, multi-entry Non-O-A from the Thai Consulate in Los Angeles and health insurance was NOT required.
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Tj

[frequent]

This posted today on Facebook in Thai Visa Advice forum...from its Admin Tod Daniels. Truly an expert on Thai Visa issues IMHO. In reply to another poster question about health insurance required for expats:

"John West what you "just noticed" was the fact that the Thai cabinet approved mandatory health insurance for people who BUY a year-long, multi-entry Non-Immigrant Type O-A visa from a Thai consulate in their home country BEFORE they wing their way here".

Clearly Tod Daniels is an expert par excellence - people can BUY visas from Thai consulates now, can they? I must tell my friends, maybe they can get some bargains in the New Year sales