New Health Insurance Requirements Announced O-A

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2lz2p
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Re: New Health Insurance Requirements Announced O-A

Post by 2lz2p »

Several posts on Thaivisa.com today from folks entering or returning to Thailand based on a Non-OA Visa. There were several reports. For those that rec'd their OA Visa before October 31, but made their entry after that date. They were told they needed to show proof of health insurance from one of companies on the TGIA webpage. They were told they would not be allowed the one year permission to stay, but would get the 30 day Visa Exempt permission to stay - further, they should obtain the necessary health insurance and go to Immigration Office to have their permission to stay granted on the basis of the OA Visa (one year). Likewise for those that had previously entered using the O-A, which is multiple entry, having left Thailand and were returning with the expectation of getting another year - nope, same story, no insurance, cannot enter using the OA Visa. One person reported that they were able to obtain the insurance online while at Immigration entry point - seems the IO had a couple of links on their (the IO's) phone as to which ones they could do online.

Also, there were several comments regarding why many of the insurance policies on the TGIA webpage are outrageously high. The comments were that these policies are specifically for OA Visa holders, thus the age pool (retirees at least 50+ years of age) is expected to have a much higher incidence of claims vs their the pools for their regular policies which have a wide spread of all ages, thus decreasing the overall risk. I can't say that is accurate, but it sounds like a plausible explanation for the very high premiums, especially compared to other policies offered by the same companies.
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Re: New Health Insurance Requirements Announced O-A

Post by Gaybutton »

2lz2p wrote: Thu Nov 07, 2019 9:48 am it sounds like a plausible explanation for the very high premiums, especially compared to other policies offered by the same companies.
Along with those companies taking advantage of the situation. I'm waiting to see what happens when somebody has to actually use that insurance. Why do I think people will have to go through hell trying to get those companies to pay?

Why do I also think there will be many O-A visa holders, even those who have established a life in Thailand, making arrangements to find a place to live elsewhere?
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Re: New Health Insurance Requirements Announced O-A

Post by Dodger »

A word of caution for anyone considering using one of the approved Thai insurance company's, is to make sure that the policy includes "Free Choice of Hospital" You will find that the majority of these so-called "Approved Company's" do not provide free choice of hospitals presenting the risk of being forced to receive medical treatment in a State hospital versus private hospital.

I was only able to find one Company on the list of approved company's that does provide free choice of hospitals. I went ahead and secured a policy with this Company which exceeds the minimum IP/OP coverage mandated by Immigration for a reasonable cost. If I hadn't been able to find an "approved company" which provided free choice of hospital, I would not have secured a policy with any of the Company's on their list. If using an alternative company, which did not appear of their list, would not be approved by immigration, I would have started making plans to depart Thailand, as Undaunted alluded to earlier in this thread.

If they're going to get away with this mandate to use only one of THEIR approved Thai insurance company's (and I'm not convinced they can) , then what are people expected to do who are already retired here and have health insurance coverage which covers them in Thailand with a company they have not approved?
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Re: New Health Insurance Requirements Announced O-A

Post by Gaybutton »

Dodger wrote: Fri Nov 08, 2019 10:53 am I was only able to find one Company on the list of approved company's that does provide free choice of hospitals.
Aren't you going to tell us which company it is?
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Re: New Health Insurance Requirements Announced O-A

Post by Dodger »

Gaybutton wrote: Fri Nov 08, 2019 11:14 am Aren't you going to tell us which company it is?
Pacific Cross.

They offer a policy called "Standard Extra Plus" which not only provides more in-patient and out-patient coverage then the minimum coverage being offered by those other so-called "approved" companies, but they were also the only company offering a policy which clearly states "Free Choice of Hospitals". A physical exam is required for those over age 65 and preexisting conditions, or certain portions of preexisting conditions, may be excluded.
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Re: New Health Insurance Requirements Announced O-A

Post by Up2u »

This was just posted on a moderated FB forum (1 hour ago) by a person with a real name (unlike TV) :

Entered Thailand at Suvarnabhumi yesterday afternoon with OA visa expiring on 19 Feb 2020. Stamped in until 09/11/2020 (i.e. 365 days from yesterday's date). No questions, no queries, no strange looks, no request for proof of insurance. Once stamped I stuck my neck out and asked the IO what the latest was on the insurance angle. He said it's a Visa application requirement, the same as police report and disease report, not an immigration issue. This is first hand, it's me (not hearsay), it was yesterday.
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Re: New Health Insurance Requirements Announced O-A

Post by Bob »

Up2u wrote: Tue Nov 12, 2019 7:33 am This was just posted on a moderated FB forum (1 hour ago) by a person with a real name (unlike TV)
Am curious why you think that's relevant. Did you notice that the poster by his own words entered Thailand on September 12, 2019 (well before the new rules took effect)?
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Re: New Health Insurance Requirements Announced O-A

Post by Up2u »

Bob wrote: Tue Nov 12, 2019 7:59 am
Up2u wrote: Tue Nov 12, 2019 7:33 am This was just posted on a moderated FB forum (1 hour ago) by a person with a real name (unlike TV)
Am curious why you think that's relevant. Did you notice that the poster by his own words entered Thailand on September 12, 2019 (well before the new rules took effect)?
Because it contradicts a post above "Several posts on www.Thaivisa.com today from folks entering or returning to Thailand based on a Non-OA Visa. There were several reports. For those that rec'd their OA Visa before October 31, but made their entry after that date. They were told they needed to show proof of health insurance from one of companies on the TGIA webpage. They were told they would not be allowed the one year permission to stay, but would get the 30 day Visa Exempt permission to stay - further, they should obtain the necessary health insurance and go to Immigration Office to have their permission to stay granted on the basis of the OA Visa (one year). Likewise for those that had previously entered using the O-A, which is multiple entry, having left Thailand and were returning with the expectation of getting another year - nope, same story, no insurance, cannot enter using the OA Visa. One person reported that they were able to obtain the insurance online while at Immigration entry point - seems the IO had a couple of links on their (the IO's) phone as to which ones they could do online.". TV posters often can't support their posts with pics.
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Re: New Health Insurance Requirements Announced O-A

Post by Gaybutton »

Up2u wrote: Tue Nov 12, 2019 9:11 am They were told they would not be allowed the one year permission to stay, but would get the 30 day Visa Exempt permission to stay
Am I understanding this correctly? Are you saying people who already have the O-A visa and it has not yet expired are now being denied entry or reentry on the basis of that visa unless they have the required insurance?

With this nonsense in place, any new retirees to Thailand would be foolish to get the initial retirement visa via O-A. Obviously instead they would be much better off going to Thailand and getting the O visa within Thailand.
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Re: New Health Insurance Requirements Announced O-A

Post by 2lz2p »

Gaybutton wrote: Tue Nov 12, 2019 9:47 am Am I understanding this correctly?
What Up2u is saying is correct - there have been several first hand reports on Thaivisa that this has happened to them. Even though their OA Visa was issued prior to October 31, 2019 (effective date for imposing the health insurance requirement) when it wasn't required to obtain the Visa. Also, applies to those that had previously entered using their OA Visa, left Thailand before October 31 and are returning during their multiple entry OA Visa validity period expecting to get another one year stay.

They are being allowed entry, but based on Visa Exempt (30 day permitted stay) rather than their OA Visa (usually one year permitted stay). They are then told to get health insurance from one of the companies on the TGIA webpage (http://longstay.tgia.org/)and then go to their local Immigration Office to obtain the one year stay authorized by the OA Visa.

The Pattaya City Expats Club has this and other information, known to date as of November 7, linked from their latest Club Newsletter - http://www.pcecnews.com/permNL/Visa-Imm ... rement.pdf
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