More than 1
million people will not be able to access Thai government's new healthcare
scheme that provides unlimited emergency medical treatment, health experts
said.
"They cannot avail of the emergency healthcare scheme with
unlimited access at any hospital as they are not members of the three national
healthcare schemes," health economist Dr Pongsathon Pokpermdee said.
The large number of people comprises 450,000 stateless people, 270,000
state-enterprise employees, 300,000 employees of local authority organisations,
and 100,000 private school teachers.
The government earlier claimed that its new emergency treatment plan
covered all Thais but in fact, there are millions of people who will not be
able to access this healthcare scheme, he added.
Thailand has three national healthcare schemes:
The National Health Security Office (NHSO) provides universal
healthcare to 48 million people;
Social Security Scheme (SSS) provides health benefits to 10 million
employees;
Comptroller-General's Department provides medical benefits to 5 million
civil servants.
These three national healthcare schemes yesterday signed a memorandum of
understanding to start the government's new healthcare plan and provide
emergency treatment to all patients regardless of which scheme they belong to
by April 1.The signing ceremony was chaired by Prime Minister Yingluck
Shinawatra. Pongsathorn also expressed his concern over the readiness of
medical infrastructure and human resources to provide unlimited emergency
treatment under the new scheme.
"Many hospitals still do not have enough medical workers and beds
to provide emergency medical treatment to patients," he said.
To date, about 150,000 patient beds are available at hospitals across
the country. Some hospitals could refuse or transfer patients to receive
emergency treatment at other hospitals as they do not have enough beds. Dr
Methee Wongsirisuwan, a neurosurgeon at Rajvithi Hospital, said many patients
were transferred from other hospitals to receive medical treatment at Rajvithi.
"We have to receive patients and provide emergency treatment to them even
though we do not have enough beds. We have no choice," he said.
Dr Chalerm Hanpanich, a president of the Private Hospitals Association,
said some private hospitals could transfer patients with emergency condition to
other hospitals as they do not have enough beds.
Moreover, instead of taking care of patients until they fully
recovered, some hospitals might provide basic treatment and transfer them to
the patients' original hospitals.
Chalerm also asked the Emergency Medical Institute to be a major agency
to send patients back to their original hospitals after they recover. "The
government must prepare its system with good management to receive patients for
emergency medical services," he said.
NHSO secretary-general Dr Winai Sawasdivorn said non-eligible members
of the three national healthcare schemes would also be able to receive
emergency medical treatment at any hospital. They do not have to worry about
the payment as NHSO, which is in charge as a clearing house, will foot their
bill.
We will negotiate with their healthcare insurers about reimbursement
for their bill," he said. So far, NHSO has only signed an agreement with
SSS and the Comptroller's Department for reimbursement with the same rate and
procedures.
Pongphon Sarnsamak
The Nation
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