New Health Insurance Requirements Announced O-A

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Gaybutton
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Re: New Health Insurance Requirements Announced O-A

Post by Gaybutton »

Dodger wrote: Tue Oct 22, 2019 9:50 am The entire Thai Visa System obviously needs to be totally restructured and simplified.
Yes, however you quoted my post, but didn't answer my question.
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Re: New Health Insurance Requirements Announced O-A

Post by Dodger »

Gaybutton wrote: Tue Oct 22, 2019 10:07 am
Dodger wrote: Tue Oct 22, 2019 9:50 am The entire Thai Visa System obviously needs to be totally restructured and simplified.
Yes, however you quoted my post, but didn't answer my question.
GB wrote:
If the farang does not want the health insurance from a Thai insurance company, does he have to return to his home country to apply for another O-A or, since he is already living in Thailand, can he then get the O visa?
Right now the mandate only includes those with O-A Visa's, so a farang returning home to get another O-A visa would make no sense.

If a farang holding an O-A Visa does not want to get health insurance I guess he would have the option of either applying for an Extension of Stay this week before the October 31st deadline, or return to Thailand on a Tourist Visa.

As I mentioned before, I really don't think that trying to dodge this mandate makes sense. Once they expand this mandate it will probably include tourists as well at some point.

Personally, I would just wait it out to see what the final picture looks like, which I'm sure you would agree with.
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Re: New Health Insurance Requirements Announced O-A

Post by Gaybutton »

Dodger wrote: Tue Oct 22, 2019 11:22 am Personally, I would just wait it out to see what the final picture looks like, which I'm sure you would agree with.
Never make the mistake of being sure what I would agree with - but I agree.
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Re: New Health Insurance Requirements Announced O-A

Post by 2lz2p »

Here is an article from the Phuket News re a "loophole" for those with O-A Visas -- apply for a Non-Immigrant O instead of extending or renewing the permission to stay if the base Visa was an O-A: https://www.thephuketnews.com/mandatory ... Oy3IIhQ5.9

Hopefully, this doesn't raise a "red flag" for the powers that be in the Ministry of Public Health, i.e., cause them to push for a similar health insurance requirement for those of us staying as retirees with a base Non-Immigrant visa other than the O-A. Especially if Immigration doesn't change their rules to allow foreign health insurance or self insurance to qualify in lieu of those Thai company policies on the Thailand General Insurance Association website referenced in the Immigration Police Order.
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Re: New Health Insurance Requirements Announced O-A

Post by 2lz2p »

I just had two folks send me this photo today of a new sign at Jomtien Immigration. Although it says "Retirement Visa" which is not technically correct, but commonly used by Expats and Immigration Officials, it confirms that those going for extensions who have as their "base" Visa is a Non-Immigrant O-A Visa will be required to have health insurance obtained from the TGIA (Thailand General Insurance Association) website in order to renew their extension for another year.

One of the folks that sent me the photo was at Immigration today to do the 90 day address report. They said the Immigration Officer told them today that it will apply to them when they come in to do their extension as their base visa is a Non-O-A. He said the IO he talked to at the retirement desk suggested he leave Thailand and get a Non-Immigrant O Visa and then when he returns, he could extend his stay without having to have health insurance. He mentioned that he is a US Federal Retiree with health insurance that covers him here, but the IO said it was no good - it has to be a certificate from one of the companies listed on the TGIA website.


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Re: New Health Insurance Requirements Announced O-A

Post by Gaybutton »

2lz2p wrote: Tue Nov 05, 2019 5:20 pm He mentioned that he is a US Federal Retiree with health insurance that covers him here, but the IO said it was no good - it has to be a certificate from one of the companies listed on the TGIA website.
I think that is just about what we expected. I hope someone will try to find out what happens if, for whatever reason, someone is ineligible for the Thai insurance, but has money enough to self-insure.
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Re: New Health Insurance Requirements Announced O-A

Post by Undaunted »

All this just one more reason for expats to consider other places beyond Thailand.
"In the land of the blind the one eyed man is king"
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Re: New Health Insurance Requirements Announced O-A

Post by Dodger »

2lz2p post_id=97646 time=1572949257 user_id=122]

it confirms that those going for extensions who have as their "base" Visa is a Non-Immigrant O-A Visa will be required to have health insurance obtained from the TGIA (Thailand General Insurance Association) website in order to renew their extension for another year.
Unless there's been unannounced change in policy in the last few months, which of course is possible, you may be interpreting the posting your friends saw in Immigration incorrectly.

According to the Superintendent of Chonburi Immigration, those with an O-A Visa as their base Visa who have not received at least one Extension of Stay for retirement purposes, will be required to have health insurance. Those who have an O-A Visa as their base Visa who have been granted at least one Extension of Stay (Retirement Stamp) for retirement purposes, are not required to have health insurance at this time.

The way Immigration interprets this, is that once you receive an Extension of Stay (Retirement) stamp, that then becomes your visa status, regardless of the type of base visa you had. If they see "Extension of Stay" stamp" in your passport you're good to go. If all you have is an O-A Visa with no extensions, you have to have health insurance.

Having said this, all indications are that they are going to be requiring health insurance from everybody at some juncture, regardless of what type of visa you hold. I personally don't think they can follow through with the mandate to use only Thai insurance company's, but that's just my personal opinion and not fact.
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Re: New Health Insurance Requirements Announced O-A

Post by Dodger »

Undaunted wrote: Tue Nov 05, 2019 7:56 pm All this just one more reason for expats to consider other places beyond Thailand.
Would it make more sense for expats to consider places beyond Thailand, or to just get health insurance?
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Re: New Health Insurance Requirements Announced O-A

Post by Gaybutton »

I haven't re-read the requirements, but I would swear I saw something that said people do not have to buy from a Thai insurance company if they can prove they have their own insurance and that insurance covers hospitalization in Thailand.
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