Job Discussion Forums

BlueStater · Joined: 24 Oct 2012 Posts: 20 Location: Bangkok

My wife (who is pregnant fyi) and I are moving to Bkk next month. I will be covered by my school's medical insurance, but more importantly is finding some good ins for her.

Please let me know any good and/or bad ins programs, companies, plans, etc for expats.

Thanks a ton in advance

plumpy nut · Joined: 12 Mar 2011 Posts: 1652

I have no idea. The Lonely Planet recommends that people go overseas with insurance and if I remember correctly they recommend some companies in their travel books.

tttompatz

MaiPenRai · Joined: 17 Jan 2006 Posts: 390 Location: BKK

As already stated, I dont think any insurance company would cover your wife's pregnancy costs.

BUPA is one of the better affordable options. I think about 16,000 baht/year when I checked 3-4 years ago for the basic coverage. There are much cheaper options though like AIA, which can be as low as 3-5000 baht/year, but you would have a lower coverage. I've used both. BUPA has been great. AIA was OK.

As already stated, pregnancy and birth shouldn't be that expensive here. No need to go to the 5 star resort hospitals. Plenty of decent affordable hospitals in Bangkok.

May want to get travellers insurance for your wife before coming as it may take some time to decide on a company and for the process to go through. Some places take weeks to OK you.

Good Luck!

7969 · Joined: 26 Mar 2003 Posts: 5782 Location: Coastal Guangdong

Which hospitals in BKK are considered affordable by those who live there? I've used Samitivej on Sukhumvit soi 49 and found it to be very professional and reasonably priced (and conveniently located).

MaiPenRai · Joined: 17 Jan 2006 Posts: 390 Location: BKK

What is considered affordable to one person may not be to another. Coming from a country with universal health care, I find paying for most medical services expensive. I'm sure those coming from places like the US, find most of Bangkok's hospitals to be quite affordable.

Prices for services vary greatly between hospitals and based on circumstances of the individual need. When I did a little scouting, I found the same service/procedure/meds varied up to 1000% depending on the hospital I contacted. Example: Rabies shots at local Thai community hospital were 70-100 baht/shot. At one of the bigger private hospitals, the same shot cost me 700 baht for the exact same meds (name brand and all). However the process at the community hospital was pretty ridiculous, twice the wait time and much more difficult communication process. At the private hospital, everything was quick, easy, comfortable and in near fluent English. All depends on what you want or need.

Here is a list of Thai hospitals from Wiki. Best to do your own research depending on you own needs:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_hospitals_in_Thailand

Personally I prefer to see a doctor who has studied somewhere in a more developed country for anything moderately serious. Once you have seen the education system at work here in Thailand, you will understand why.