[9Goarveboofe]

SOCIAL SECURITY

Health benefits cover now extended to informal sector

PENCHAN CHAROENSUTHIPAN


Taxi drivers, labourers and actors queue at the Social Security Office yesterday to register for benefits. For the first time, the office has extended coverage to workers in the informal sector.
Social security coverage is now available to the 23 million workers in the informal sector for the first time. In return for an annual payment of 3,360 baht, workers will be entitled to benefits covering child delivery, disability and death.

Labour Minister Uraiwan Thienthong yesterday unveiled a social security package for workers in the informal sector, which includes people working from home, contract farmers, street vendors, scavengers and labourers.

The Social Security Office (SSO) chose taxi drivers, whose number nearly 70,000, for its three-month pilot programme because a database of taxi drivers already exists. Drivers must be members of taxi driver associations or cooperatives.

Other informal workers yesterday went to the SSO to register. Their coverage will take effect in the next six months.

Mrs Uraiwan said insured workers who have been members for at least nine consecutive months can collect a child delivery benefit of 3,000 baht for up to two births.

In case of disability, insured workers are covered for medical treatment costs up to 1,000 baht a month and compensation of half their daily minimum wage if they have been members for 36 months.

A relative of an insured worker who dies can collect a maximum of 100 times the insured's daily minimum wage, on the condition the insured is between 15 and 60 years old and did not suffer from certain diseases.

Natputtipong Gitsali, a director of the Bangkok Taxi and Tricycle Association, said taxi drivers believed the benefits were too meagre.

They want free medical treatment.

Taxi drivers are already covered by the 30-baht universal health care scheme.

Mrs Uraiwan said social security conditions would be adjusted once the office has more information about its members in the informal sector.

SSO secretary-general Surin Jiravisit said the office would try to amend Article 40 of the Social Security Act this year to widen the benefits.

The Thai Labour Solidarity Committee (TLSC) led by vice-president Sawit Kaeowan yesterday petitioned the Asean Labour Ministers' meeting in Bangkok, demanding workplace safety, fair wages and protection for foreign and informal labourers.

''The agenda focuses on decent work which often focuses on trade and investment. We want to see more attention given to labour rights,'' he said

Bangkok Post

[KojlinMakolvin]

Well every one in Thailand should be covered by health insurance, no matter how poor they are. Now there must be groups that cannot afford to pay for even the minimum coverage of 3,360 baht. I think it should be compulsory for all workers & there families to have health insurance and for the very poor there cover should be paid for by the government.

[kaysions]

Good thing to read about that-the S.S. in reform in Thailand-because my mother in law does not receive any social security benefits, since only kind work she did in her life, was as self employed-cleaning houses for wealthy people, so she did not qualify for any s.s. benefits in her old age, and depends completely on my wife`s finnancial support...Hope now she can get some s.s. help as other Thai senior citizens, including health care coverage.

[Mjyzpzph]

Good thing to read about that-the S.S. in reform in Thailand-because my mother in law does not receive any social security benefits, since only kind work she did in her life, was as self employed-cleaning houses for wealthy people, so she did not qualify for any s.s. benefits in her old age, and depends completely on my wife`s finnancial support...Hope now she can get some s.s. help as other Thai senior citizens, including health care coverage.

I think it is only for working people not those whom are retired?

David

[ireleda]

Plus that, they can already go to the doctor or hospital for a fee of 30 baht, that has been in effect for the last few years and is the same doctors, hospitals and the same treatment whether you have ins. or not.

[timmybrown]

Plus that, they can already go to the doctor or hospital for a fee of 30 baht, that has been in effect for the last few years and is the same doctors, hospitals and the same treatment whether you have ins. or not.

I think the 30 baht sceheme is great for the poor or even middle income. At least no more "father/mother me cancer need 100,000 baht" sob stories. I have close friends whose mothers had to do operations (one to remove appentics and another had early stage of cervix cancer or something) and they only had to pay 30 baht for the whole thing!

Oh, but from my understanding, the scheme is only for government hospital and the hospital condition can be very bad with like 20 patients in a room. I went to the ward once to pay a visit to my friend's mother and it was kinda depressing seeing the dirty ward and many patients with all sorts of deseases.

I also heard the medicine they give is of inferior quality as compared to private hospitals where you pay alot more. Nurses are prettier and services are better over at private hospitals too.

[timmybrown]

The Social Security Health package is great too. If you're paying social security tax every month, you get to choose one hospital of your choice for free medical treatments. It can be private hospital or government hospital depending whether it is listed on their scheme. But even if its a private hospital and you choose to use your "prakan samkom" card, they'll refer you to another area where the Q line is long and reception area .... not as clean as the "you pay more" area.

The other day I went to a clinic nearby for common flu and was about to get the medicine and pay when I noticed they also accept "prakan samkom" of my hospital. I checked with them if I can use my "prakan samkom" card and they say they can. They then told me to wait for a while... I think I saw them changing to another type of medicine!

[ireleda]

I don't know about using any hospital with anything paid by govt, I have govt medical ins. and I have to use only govt hospital and doctors or I have to pay the total price myself.
If I want a private room instead of a ward, then I have to pay for the room and food, but is the same doctor that visited me in the ward.
And yes, it is not as comfortable on the ward as a private room, but you do get the same medical care and an operation and care for 30 baht is a damn fine deal, even if you do have to spend recoup time on a ward.

[Baromaro]

The different programs work pretty good when they work, it actually works too good.

Problem from the hospitals viewpoint is they are making far less cash on those patients then the ones paying (either by themselves or who are insured) so which patients do u think they want more of?

And which patients do you think get assigned most doctors?

The same doctor that gets 10 private guests maybe gets 30 program guests at the same amount of time meaning the last 5 have to come back the other day.

There is a reason why there is a huge market for health insurances in Thailand.

That said the programs work pretty good unless you have some kind of emergency and really really need to get treatment quick.

[ireleda]

Well Hell it is that way in every country with socialized medicine that I have visited, but if you are brought in to the ER here at the hospital it seems that they do what they can as soon as they can, I have seen it, but if you die then it is a given that you will be pissed about it.

[Baromaro]

They certainly do what they can, at the hospitals with the program.

Heaven forbid you show up at a non participating hospital with no insurance.