30 thb Health Scheme - What if you move to another area?

[Zeolite]

I know a Thai with Stage IV cancer who wishes to move to HH to be tended by a relative during his final months but does not know how this will affect his access to free medical care. How does the system operate?

[hhfarang]

The way I understand it is that you primarily have to use the government hospital located closest to where the Thai house paper says they reside, although my wife said she thinks there is a way to get around that by filling in some special form/request saying that you are living (temporarily) in a different region of Thailand than your house paper states. She wasn't sure of the details but has been intending to go to HHH to check it out as she is registered in a blue book (house paper) in a house she owns in Issan.

[Zeolite]

The way I understand it is that you primarily have to use the government hospital located closest to where the Thai house paper says they reside, although my wife said she thinks there is a way to get around that by filling in some special form/request saying that you are living (temporarily) in a different region of Thailand than your house paper states. She wasn't sure of the details but has been intending to go to HHH to check it out as she is registered in a blue book (house paper) in a house she owns in Issan.

A Thai lady told me she was challenged after going to hospital here and responded strongly to the administrator by saying something like 'I live in the same country, with the same government, why should I have to pay if I move somewhere else?' They treated her free. It sounds in this instance that hospitals may try to discourage you but will accept you, if you insist.

[Pleng]

A Thai lady told me she was challenged after going to hospital here and responded strongly to the administrator by saying something like 'I live in the same country, with the same government, why should I have to pay if I move somewhere else?' They treated her free. It sounds in this instance that hospitals may try to discourage you but will accept you, if you insist.

Considering the background to the reasons for your enquiry, basing your decision to move the person in question based on one person's experience doesn't sound terribly wise. Of course this is Thailand, and you'll likely get a different response for everybody, but you need to think very carefully about what people tell you they've managed to do compared to what the rules actually are. Especially as you're reaching out to other people to help fund this move - you won't be very popular with either the people themselves, or the people who've help paid for the move, if you move the person in question down here just to find out they can't get treatment here and need to move back again.

[Zeolite]

A Thai lady told me she was challenged after going to hospital here and responded strongly to the administrator by saying something like 'I live in the same country, with the same government, why should I have to pay if I move somewhere else?' They treated her free. It sounds in this instance that hospitals may try to discourage you but will accept you, if you insist.

Considering the background to the reasons for your enquiry, basing your decision to move the person in question based on one person's experience doesn't sound terribly wise. Of course this is Thailand, and you'll likely get a different response for everybody, but you need to think very carefully about what people tell you they've managed to do compared to what the rules actually are. Especially as you're reaching out to other people to help fund this move - you won't be very popular with either the people themselves, or the people who've help paid for the move, if you move the person in question down here just to find out they can't get treatment here and need to move back again.

Good points which I understand, hence asking the question. Ultimately the decision lies with the daughter and her mother who may be poor but aren't stupid and wouldn't risk upsetting their benefactors with such a basic and avoidable mistake. I believe that if the hospital has written a cancer patient off, then they would need hospice care or die at home, with just a Doctor in attendance, to administer painkillers, etc.. I suspect they have already confirmed this but their English is not strong enough to communicate the fact to me.

I will have someone talk to them before they leave tomorrow and will also obtain confirmation from official sources rather than via internet.

It does seem curious that when half the country is working outside their poor villages, in factories and Bangkok, they are forced to return home for treatment if they are sick.

Thanks for flagging this up.

[Big Boy]

I would suggest a trip down to Hua Hin Hospital to ask them face to face.

There seems to be an awful lot of hearsay about this scheme. When we moved here my wife was told by several people that she wouldn't be eligible for the scheme because she had a farang husband. She went to the hospital, asked, and now enjoys the benefits.

My daughter whose official home is in Issan won't go to the hospital here because her affiliation is in her home town (even though she's lived in Hua Hin for 12 years). She says there's no point asking while her official home isn't here.

The only way you will find out for sure is to ask at the hospital that you want to use.

[Zeolite]

I would suggest a trip down to Hua Hin Hospital to ask them face to face.

There seems to be an awful lot of hearsay about this scheme. When we moved here my wife was told by several people that she wouldn't be eligible for the scheme because she had a farang husband. She went to the hospital, asked, and now enjoys the benefits.

My daughter whose official home is in Issan won't go to the hospital here because her affiliation is in her home town (even though she's lived in Hua Hin for 12 years). She says there's no point asking while her official home isn't here.

The only way you will find out for sure is to ask at the hospital that you want to use.

Yes. I had the same mixed messages. Will try HH hospital tomorrow.

[Zeolite]

Just one more comment about this. Even if the mother has to stay in their village, which I think unlikely, the daughter will need financial support while she takes time off work. So donations on the other thread will not go to waste.