Health scheme

[mortiboy]

Paolo hospital do a health scheme.Looks a good deal. Here are some details.......

[mortiboy]

More info

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[Khun Paul]

For somke reason could not open the piccys, will go to see the info at the hospital.
Questions:
Do they need a medical before acceptance of the patient into the scheme.
Cost ( do not forget many of us are older than the majority of Thais )
What age do they cover up to.


Just a few points to note, many of these schemes hae exceptions and let out clauses which although seem to be covered are in fact not.
Will reserve final judgement after studying the fine print.

[mortiboy]

As far as i know,no medical check reqired.No age limit.The Guy dealing with it name is John.If you face the reception,Look over your left shoulder,you will see his office.He talks good english.
I tried to download the membership form,but find it difficult to process with this new system.

[mortiboy]

Here is prices.But as it is unreadable,you will need to save to ACDsee to enlarge.This took 20 min to download!...Crazy!

[stoneman]

Can you give the URL for the Paolo Hospital website?...Would like to review the whole program..

Thanks

Stoneman

[mortiboy]

I will check let you know.A German man was the rep for this programme I will contact him and find out info.

[Khun Paul]

Ok chaps, went to paulo Hosp, now remaned to Panya Hospital ( shortened name).
They have a health scheme but it needs to be revamped looks good but too many ambiguities so I took the liberty to make a few suggestions as well as spelling mistakes being put right.
Such as Prosthetic cancer check to Prostrate cancer check..so important as prosthetics cannot by definition catch cancer.

Joking apart i have a meeting scheduled to iron out some of the ambiguities and to provide more comprehensive info for foreigners in order that when you look at the scheme you can understand the benifits including other hopsitals which recognise this scheme and will cover you.
This is one point I made, Ok, if you stay in Udon, but many of us travel around Thailand and may wish to avail ourselves due to illness of other hopsitals, therefore having a hospital plan may very well be affordable and welcome not having the flexibility to travel could mean that in our time of need we have no cover, that is what makes Bupa, AIA, AIG or other health providers better. They understood that point and did state that they do have agreements with other hopsitals but that, I said was not mentioned.
They did explain that in fact they do cover you until you die, but only coverage for accidental death until 75, that was another mute point and I am trying to get that raised to 80, but it is a fight, as I stated many Thais at 75 aren't alive but at least 50 % of farangs are. They have accidents too.Their loss to family is different, the major breadwinner dies, unlike Thais who are normally no longer the major provider at that age.
I also mentioned the lack of understanding at the front counter, it took me 10 mins to get the lady to understand that I did not in fact want a doctor nor a health package but wished to discuss the Hosptial health ins with someone, this was frustrating , but I am well, if was was unwell, it would definitely exacerbate the situation.

So we wait with bated breath, but unlike other schemes, I do feel the result will be quicker thanother things I am involved in.

[mortiboy]

THE MAN DEALING WITH IT IS NAME JOHN.If you check back it is there.Maybe he is nolonger dealing with it I almost sighned up last year. buthe was so pushy and wanted socialise with me and be my friend
so he scared me off.
If someone else is dealing with it I will definitly be interested.

[Khun Paul]

You are right, I do think John is still the man, but I have spoken to him and put my concerns quite forcibly to him, he states he spent 3 years in America, I did say to him that is not a license to push his product down our throats and farangs are in fact quite perceptive and as I am English it does not wash with me.
Also being a Rotarian also helps as his brother is one in Udon so I have an 'in' and a controlling factor.
I also intend to meet the owner Dr panya *****, as he wants to encourage more farangs, so we will start there, but rest assured no-one is going to push anyone into anything.
i will try and negoiate the best I can and then gentlemen it will up to you if you wish to avail yourselves of it.
I can assure you when it comes to health I am really concerned that we get the best.
We may be foreigners here but our health expectations are higher.
There is nothing worse than being ill, and getting shafted on healthcare as well, that is a big no no.

[Khun Paul]

Oh I forgot, the Dr who owns the hospital was a Minister in the health department, ( not elected but chosen to serve as I understand it) when that happened he asked the paulo group to take care of his hopsital, now her has served is term , if that is the correct expression and as retaken control of his hospital, so we do have someone who knows about health in charge not some faceless non entity who seeks only profit.

Thats for info

[Khun Paul]

Well I had the meeting and spoke with Khun John and the lady laiyan, now we discussed some flixibility, and discounts and the fact the health programmes are in fact duplicated in many of the proceedures.
I got the distinct feeling that they want farangs to join, but feel a trifle upset that the current scheme does not seem to be whta we wanted.
i was told that Thias like it, I did point out we are not Thais and we do like it on paper, so that we can evaluate the scheme in its entirety.
Not that anuyone is stopping anyone for using it, but it is not clear and their health programmes currently still have checks for prosthetic cancer.

I will call again in about 2-3 weeks just to see if they are intending to be a place that offers more than it currently is.
I will schedule a vist to see the owner if their international office staff prove awkward.
I did note that 'John ' wanted to be more than an aqauintance but when he asked me to move the time so he could be at owrk, I flatly refused and he was there, i expect he did not want to miss the meeting.

Oh well onwards and ever upwards in trying to improve conditions for us farangs.

hope this is ok with those who need the services, they do appear to be a trifle fawning, that worries me, but I was insisting on everything in black and white, words are not enough.

[Duncan]

How about Thai Health Insurance. Go via e-insurethailand.com, the guy is called Tony.

Good discounts if you form a Group as we did i.e. we pay on average 9,000 a year. This compares to around 24,000 for our eldest member who is 59.

Cover is worldwide, so you pay up wherever you are and then claim it back. We have used then for 4 years now, no problems at any of the 100+ hospitals they list in Thailand, claims from abroad in fact they have been excellent in all areas.

[Khun Paul]

Good discounts if you form a Group as we did

While it is a good idea, it is forming the group that could be a problem, unlike a group of friends here we tend to be individuals who come together for the occasional socail events, lifestyles are different and expectations different, it might work but I am not about to organise a group, as one then would have to ensure each one pays the dues in order to keep the group discount available.
As for cost, I pay less than that and I am a lot older in BUPA so Insure Thailand does not seem that cheap.

[polehawk]

Has anyone in this forum (over the age of 60, in particular) signed up for this health scheme? I'm wondering if it is a bonafide health insurance coverage or just a program that offers small discounts for the hospital's various services?

[lepidoptra]

I did find a Thai health insurance company for the over 60's. Not bad benefits but when I had to claim for hospital treatment they refused to reinsure me. Other attempts to find a good Thai insurance company have proved fruitless. I know that bupa are willing but I'd have to take out a mortgage to pay the premium.
I have however taken out accident insurance with the SCB at 2600 baht per year which seems pretty reasonable

[laphanphon]

ok, what's SCB ?

[lepidoptra]

Siam commercial Bank

[laphanphon]

thanks, didn't know they did insurance

[lepidoptra]

They do a 3 year or annual policy. If you do for yourself and wife thy give you discount
regards