Health Insurance

[jackcorbett 2]

At the Saturday Expats meeting at the Grand Sole Hotel the guest speaker was the founder of the International Clinic, later to become the International Hospital. I asked the man a question about health insurance, specifically "Why International Hospital" does not accept the BUPA health insurance card the way most hospitals do, including Pattaya Bankok. BUPA had informed me that if I should ever be an inatient at one of the hospitals I should just present the card after which I would be treated and after that BUPA would settle up with the hospital on my behalf. The exception was International Hospital I was informed, and that if I chose this hospital I would have to bill BUPA for my expense. The speaker, who is a doctor along with being International Hospital's founder told us that International Hospital had problems with BUPA and that neither he nor the hospital felt that BUPA should meddle as much as it did in the kind of treatments patients should receive, procedures used, and costs. He then advised me to switch to another company.

 

However, back in the states I wish I had gone with Blue Cross Blue Shield and had stayed with this company. Twice, I've had my health insurance companies get out of the health insurance business after which I was shuntled off to other companies. One of the companies, Mutual of Omaha, is one of the largest insurance companies in the world yet even Mutual of Omaha discontinued its health insurance lines. When I moved to Pattaya I was paying substantially more for my health insurance than I would have had I gotten with Blue Cross in the first place and I feel the policy was not as good.

 

So what is everyone's thoughts on the very important subject of health insurance? And what are your experiences with BUPA and other health insurance carriers?

[Owen` 2]

One would think the key question is will Blue Cross/Blue Shield cover medical services performed in Thailand, and part of this question is . . . are the premiums adjusted downward to reflect the lower service costs in Thailand?

[jackcorbett 2]

Owen..........Once I moved to Pattaya and gotten insured with BUPA, my annual premium went to roughly one third ($1200) what I had been paying in the U.S. ($3600) to the John Alden Insurance Company which had assumed the coverage that I had been getting from Mutual of Omaha. Also...I had a $5000 deductible back in the U.S. which is no longer the case now that I'm residing in Thailand.

[York 0]

Pattaya International Hospital is not a quaility hospital. It was meant for TOURIST with high fees. Local Thais don't go there, only foolish foreign tourists does. That is the reason why BUPA will not accept them because they try to overcharge patients and insurance companies.

PIH is for profit and they always advertise on tourist magazines to attract the fools. Try Bangkok Pataya Hospital for quality care, however, their prices are expensive but not as bad as PIH.

[Eneukman 1]

Jack,

 

We were sitting next to each other at that meeting. One point I have just remembered is that BUPA will not cover all the costs incurred at the Bangkok Pattaya Hospital (because their fees are allegedly too high). From what was said, the percentage not covered is fairly small so unless your hospitalised for a long spell the damage to your wallet shouldn't be too bad.

 

I only covered myelf for in-patient treatment, deciding to take the risk on the need for out-patient treatment. Possibly a mistake as I've just incurred 5,000 baht for an eye infection. (I went to the Pattaya International Hospital initially for convenience but they only have an eye specialist on a Wednesday).

 

It may be worth checking out the cover the Ex-Pats Club have arranged for members when the renewal date approaches.

 

Alan

[SunnyValentine 173]

I have a BUPA In-Patient insurance here as well. Luckily It's use had as of yet not been tested.

About the Out-Patient insurance: I seem to recall that in my case the spread between the premium and the maximum yearly coverage was such ridiculous, that I decided I will live without it. It was somewhere around 10000 extra annual premium for a total outpatient coverage of maybe 50000 Bt.

I always like to have insurance to cover the unexpected and over-the-top expenses I would have a real problem covering it in any other way. 50000 for outpatient will hopefully never be beyond my financial possibilities, so I see no need for insurance coverage.

 

Sunny

[jackcorbett 2]

Sunny and Alan.....I'm with you on the Outpatient coverage---that is I decided not to pay the extra premium because the total annual benefit did not warrant the couple hundred extra dollars annual premium.

[Owen` 2]

FYI, for the US, ehealthinsurance.com is an interesting site at which you can get educated.

 

I'm surprised such limited coverege in Thailand is still over $1000/yr. I suppose the reason why is the low deductible. Is there any drug benefit in those BUPA plans?

 

Heads up, Brits. This stuff is not what you're accustomed to. You have to recalibrate your brains. You're used to a lifetime of paying no attention to it because the UK was doing it for you. Not in Thailand.

[nidnoyham 30]

Heads up, Brits. This stuff is not what you're accustomed to. You have to recalibrate your brains. You're used to a lifetime of paying no attention to it because the UK was doing it for you. Not in Thailand.

That was in the good old days. Try getting free dentistry in U.K. Many people are travelling to Poland and such places, for treatment and surgery.

 

What happened to my 40 years of Tax contributions ? At least when you go private, you are charged a fee for just you, I've been paying for others. If I could have opted out of N.Insurance payments and gone private for my family, I would have.

 

How do you blokes with previous heart problems get insured ? Saw a few people last year in the corinary unit, it looked expensive.

[Mont 0]

Ignore York's comments, so untrue.

[lostinspace 0]

Ignore York's comments, so untrue.

I agree with you mont ,my daughter has stayed there twice,and my mate was in IC there,,he was insured with bupa in ireland,and they ,after comunacation beakdowns[a couple of days] ,, paid the lot.

but they did say if he needed an opt on the heart he would have to go elsewhere.BPH,OR BKK,[he did'nt]

and both had stayed in BPH,and we both found INTER HOSP,, a lot cheaper,

both hospitals have their good and bad points.

i have not heard of a cheaper local insurance,anyone know of one?

that the hospitals accept. :

[York 0]

Ignore York's comments, so untrue.

Using ignorance isn't going to get you anywhere. For the rest of readers, try both places and make up your own mine.

 

Pattaya International Hospital (PIH) is for tourists. The reason why tourists and inexpereinced expats go there is because of the convenience of location (2nd road, Soi 4) and "it looks nice" as one member told me. The hospital looks nice and clean but PIH is not certified like Bangkok Pattaya Hospital. For the most part, PIH provide healthcare for "healthy sick patients" and if the patients becomes really sick, they just transfer them to real hositals like BPH. Have you ever wondered why PIH is located in tourist area and why Thais don't go there?

 

Bangkok Pattaya Hospital (BPH) is certified and is considered as one of the best in the region. Most experienced expats and Thais go there to get good quality healthcare. The only thing that I don't like it about is the costs are rising and tend to charge farangs higher than the Thais (of course).

 

Try web search for both hospitals and/or try both hospitals and find out for yourselves. I did and I standby what I said.

[CheshireTom 1,377]

Using ignorance isn't going to get you anywhere. For the rest of readers, try both places and make up your own mine.

 

Pattaya International Hospital (PIH) is for tourists. The reason why tourists and inexpereinced expats go there is because of the convenience of location (2nd road, Soi 4) and "it looks nice" as one member told me. The hospital looks nice and clean but PIH is not certified like Bangkok Pattaya Hospital. For the most part, PIH provide healthcare for "healthy sick  patients" and if the patients becomes really sick, they just transfer them to real hositals like BPH. Have you ever wondered why PIH is located in tourist area and why Thais don't go there?

 

Bangkok Pattaya Hospital (BPH) is certified and is considered as one of the best in the region. Most experienced expats and Thais go there to get good quality healthcare. The only thing that I don't like it about is the costs are rising and tend to charge farangs higher than the Thais (of course).

 

Try web search for both hospitals and/or try both hospitals and find out for yourselves. I did and I standby what I said.

What a complete load of bollocks. The only advantage BPH has over PIH is that it is accredited to settle direct with BUPA for those folk who are on BUPA insurance. There is no "certification", nor "non-certification" as regards the medical facilities on offer and PIH will deal direct with your insurers as required. Read the thread on Moulie's illness or orientaltaffy's(?) saga to get an insight into some of the practices on offer at BPH. Most Thais go to the Memorial Hospital just off Pattaya Klang, not BPH ........ they couldn't afford to do otherwise.

 

PIH, or PIC as it was, has existed in Soi 4 for years before Soi 2-6 became a touristy area ........ the tourist facilities sprung up around the hospital, not vice versa.

Edited April 7, 2006 by CheshireTom