How much does private health insurance cost a former UK athlete?

Our friends met up with Brian Jacks, remember him? he was an athlete in the late 70’s and 80’s and won medals for  Britain with his  first medal at a World Championships taking a bronze in Salt Lake City 1967, and gained a second bronze at the 1972 Munich Olympics. He now lives the dream in Pattaya Thailand

How much does it cost us non-athletes ?

Costs can vary dramatically depending on many factors, such as your age, health history and pre-existing conditions, desired benefits, coverage area, annual limit, deductibles and copays, your chosen health insurance provider, and more.

To provide some examples, a 33-year-old in good health could pay as little as 24,000 THB annually for coverage, while someone in their late sixties could pay multiple times that amount.

Is medical treatment free in Thailand?

For expats, it’s only free if you are employed by a company in Thailand and wish to use the public system. As mentioned, we highly recommend a private policy due to the significantly shorter wait times, overall quality of care, and complete control you have over your coverage. All Thai citizens get free access to the public system.

How can I lower my premium costs?

Strategies to lower your premium costs include adding or paying a higher deductible or copay, excluding out-patient coverage, and limiting your area of coverage.

If you want to lower your healthcare costs in general, always check your hospital bill before paying. There could be mistakes, and it’s not uncommon for private hospitals to apply a significant upcharge on medications and medical devices. For example, the cost of an ankle brace for a foot injury could be three times higher at a private hospital than if you purchased one at a local pharmacy.

What are common procedures in Thailand? How much do they cost?

Below are some of the common procedures and treatments that expats receive in Thailand, along with their estimated cost in USD:

Heart bypass surgery: $13,000
Hip replacement: $10,600
Motorcycle accident: $6,000 to $60,000 (depending on severity)
Colonoscopy: $830

Prices can vary greatly from hospital to hospital. Treatment or surgery at Bumrungrad for example could cost three times that of a less well-known private hospital. Be aware that quality of care can vary among private hospitals (albeit not to the level of the public system). So if you’re facing a serious treatment, it’s wise to do some research before choosing a doctor and facility.

Meet with us over a coffee and we can take down all your details and find the best plan at the best price, for example if you are a reasonable fit 60 year old expat living in Thailand with few complications to worry about, you can get fully comp for as low as 1,500 GBP a year and you can pay monthly Again it all depends on your health so let’s meet up and see what we can get for you.