Thailand Office of Insurance Commission works with the Department of Medical Services and insurers to develop health insurance cover for treatment in state hospitals

Thailand’s Office of Insurance Commission (OIC) has convened the Department of Medical Services, the Thai Life Assurance Association and the Thai General Insurance Association to develop health insurance policies that can support treatment in public hospitals under the Department of Medical Services, expanding care options for policyholders and the public. The discussion covered hospitals’ operational readiness to serve insured patients, including service-channel improvements to reduce waiting times and encourage greater use of state hospitals at reasonable fee levels. It also addressed linking patient referral systems between Ministry of Public Health hospitals and Department of Medical Services hospitals, and setting up direct billing between participating hospitals and insurers so policyholders would not need to pay upfront. A further workstream is to develop tailored health insurance products designed for inpatient care in state hospitals, reflecting their lower cost structures and adjusting coverage design to broaden access. The initiative is positioned as an extension of an existing pilot under which the Thai Life Assurance Association signed an MOU with the Ministry of Public Health to strengthen 28 public facilities’ capacity to accept voluntary health insurance patients. The OIC indicated it will hold ongoing follow-up meetings to drive detailed implementation.