{"id":1001,"date":"2019-04-08T15:24:51","date_gmt":"2019-04-08T08:24:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pacificprime.co.th\/blog\/?p=1001"},"modified":"2019-05-30T09:37:07","modified_gmt":"2019-05-30T02:37:07","slug":"overdue-payment-from-foreigners-in-thailands-public-medical-sector","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pacificprime.co.th\/blog\/overdue-payment-from-foreigners-in-thailands-public-medical-sector\/","title":{"rendered":"Overdue payment from foreigners in Thailand’s public medical sector"},"content":{"rendered":"

As with many other countries, healthcare in Thailand is divided into two sectors, namely a government-subsidized track and a privately-funded track. Thai citizens holding a universal coverage health card can receive free treatment and medical services at government hospitals. However, this system is not without drawbacks. Since its implementation in 2002, the Universal Coverage Scheme (UCS) has achieved up to a 98% coverage rate of the local population, and the rising medical costs and increasingly exhausted hospital capacity have spurred concerns about whether the authorities are able to keep the system afloat, with the overdue payment from foreigners adding fuel to the problem. <\/span><\/p>\n

While it is relatively easy for the government to collect debts from locals, unpaid bills from tourists are often extremely difficult, if not impossible, to chase. Recently, the Medical Hub Division had reported that there were 40 million foreign visitors to Thailand annually, and many sought treatment for ailments or injuries at public hospitals but failed to fully pay the bills, resulting in multi-million baht of debt.<\/span><\/p>\n

In today\u2019s <\/span>Pacific Prime Thailand<\/span><\/a> article, we will divulge the current circumstance of overdue public hospital fees and the government\u2019s solutions, as well as the importance of private insurance.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\"Individual<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<\/span><\/p>\n

What is the public hospital training about and why?<\/span><\/h2>\n

The public health ministry has announced that it will provide training to public hospitals in touristy provinces including Chiang Mai, Phuket, Surat Thani, and Ubon Ratchathani to help them collect overdue fees from tourists. This latest measure has been introduced with the aim of reducing hospital debt. <\/span><\/p>\n

Apart from offering training to relevant medical establishments, the department has also established central claim centers in Nonthaburi and at Suvarnabhumi airport, as well as pilot regional centers to follow up with foreigners whose payments were overdue. <\/span><\/p>\n

Moreover, the department also discussed three health insurance claims systems. In the short run, the authorities are looking to lower the premium rate of health insurance for specific ailments and mandate all foreigners to have an insurance policy before entering Thailand. If this suggestion was to be implemented, Thailand may become the next country with <\/span>mandatory health insurance requirements for visitors<\/span><\/a>. The middle-term scheme is to boost the public hospitals\u2019 potential to support foreign tourists. The long-term solution is to require all tour companies to take out health insurance for their foreign customers.<\/span><\/p>\n

Why should you consider travel insurance as an expat?<\/span><\/h2>\n

While the Thai government has yet to implement the aforesaid measures, we still advise expats to, at the very least, secure a <\/span>travel insurance<\/span><\/a> policy before visiting the Land of Smiles, to safeguard themselves against a wide range of travel-related mishaps as well as major health conditions that require urgent hospitalization. The same goes for Thai citizens looking to travel to other countries.<\/span><\/p>\n

Travel insurance, in its nature, is designed to protect the policy owner from unforeseen and untoward incidents, including but not limited to:<\/span><\/p>\n