Medical Insurance [health/accident]

[Serendipity2]

Many farangs have some sort of health insurance but certainly not all. Many either can't or don't want to afford it. The reality is - sooner or later you will need it. When you do there is a whopping difference if you're insured with some program or on your own. If the latter you can end up paying 10x as much for the same procedure/service. When you need it you're not in the best of positions to shop around either - you might have had an accident or a stoke or some other emergency that precludes a lot of time shopping.

I was wondering about the feasability of us collectively banding together to negotiate a rate with various hospitals and clinics. What we all have in common is that we're foreigners and, by being farangs, are going to get the shaft when it comes to medical care. I'm no insurance expert but it seems like with the thousands of expats from all over the world we should be able to negotiate a rate that is dramatically lower than what we will receive without some sort of insurance coverage.

Any insurance experts out there? Probably the best approach would be to a major insurer and see if they would offer rates to farangs. Call them "Git" rates! Does anyone think this has merit? I know many younger farangs may have some sort of coverage but my the time you hit 60 it becomes very hard to find ANY coverage - even for Thais. If we could pull this off we should be able to get everyone that wants to be insured, covered. All ideas are welcome

Serendipity2

[KhwaamLap]

It might be worth talking to an Insurance company asking them to set up an over 55 farang medical insurance plan, the volume (if you could get it) could lift their costs and make it look viable to them. One issue would be the number of older Frangs that come here WITH medical issues because care is cheaper - this would keep them out of the insurance desired catchment group, this would lower the volume and perhaps frighten off the insurance company.

My wife is in the UK at the moment working (and doing exams), she has been offered a job as an insurance broker which she may (or may not) accept. This is because she is fluent in English (and obviously Thai too) and this could open up a new market for them with regard to Farangs. So, insurance companies are also looking, but its hard to find Thais good enough with English (and cheap enough to hire) that can translate such comples things. Granted that this may not include 55+, but its a start and she would be someone then able to investigate or suggest to her boss. This is all assuming she takes the job of course - and it would be post Christmas probably.

[Serendipity2]

Originally Posted by KhwaamLap

It might be worth talking to an Insurance company asking them to set up an over 55 farang medical insurance plan, the volume (if you could get it) could lift their costs and make it look viable to them. One issue would be the number of older Frangs that come here WITH medical issues because care is cheaper - this would keep them out of the insurance desired catchment group, this would lower the volume and perhaps frighten off the insurance company.

My wife is in the UK at the moment working (and doing exams), she has been offered a job as an insurance broker which she may (or may not) accept. This is because she is fluent in English (and obviously Thai too) and this could open up a new market for them with regard to Farangs. So, insurance companies are also looking, but its hard to find Thais good enough with English (and cheap enough to hire) that can translate such comples things. Granted that this may not include 55+, but its a start and she would be someone then able to investigate or suggest to her boss. This is all assuming she takes the job of course - and it would be post Christmas probably.

Hi KhwaamLap,

It sounds like your wife would be the perfect person to help create a system for farangs to be insured in Thailand. I don't know about other nationalities but in the US when you leave the country often you're not covered. For example I'm a vet and get fairly decent services while in the country with a modest co-pay but once I leave these teaming shores I'm on my own. No health care coverage whatsoever! I've got to believe there are thousands like me [not all vets either] who literally have no coverage. And if the cost was reasonable for health care coverage in Thailand I think many would be interested. Perhaps even a 'club' that was formed to negotiate reduced hospitalization rates would be another idea rather than the health care insurance itself? That would be even less expensive and more likely to be attractive to pensioners - who are otherwise largely on their own and without health insurance coverage! My $0.02 for the day - and worth every penny I might add.

Serendipity2

[frogblogger]

S2, is that a 'vet' (proper speak) ie the ideal person to administer to King Silk's companions, or a 'vet' in the American sense, ie ex-armed forces...

[Serendipity2]

Originally Posted by frogblogger

S2, is that a 'vet' (proper speak) ie the ideal person to administer to King Silk's companions, or a 'vet' in the American sense, ie ex-armed forces...

Hi frogblogger,

I never thought that vet could be both but of course you're correct! If I were a 'vet' that takes care of animals I could treat myself. I, and I'm guessing a significant number of expats in Thailand, am former military which entitles me to a certain level of medical care - so long as I'm here in the US. Once I leave our teaming shores and head to exotic destinations then I'm on my own. I would guess that most US expats who are also seniors are former military. And most of those probably have no medical coverage or belong to a "group" such as Blue Cross, Blue Shield or Kaiser which gives them either medical care at reduced rates or free [perhaps a small co-pay] service. As a group in just Thailand that's probably a LOT of people that are potential customers for some sort of product/service. I would think the right 'product' should include ALL non-Thais living in Thailand not country by country which would probably exceed a million of us in need of some coverage and give us a fair bit of clout to negotiate lower rates for hospital stays and all of the other procedures - rather than each of us paying full bore retail when we are most in need and least able to negotiate.

Serendipity2