NHSO to expand medical coverage on universal healthcare scheme
From October, benefits provided under the universal healthcare scheme will be expanded further, Public Health Minister Dr Piyasakol Sakolsatayadorn said on Monday in his capacity as board chairman for the National Health Security Office (NHSO).
For instance, patients suffering from Alzeheimer’s will be able to get free Donepezil, those needing colon cancer screening will be able to get a free a fecal immunochemical test (FIT), and free Rotavirus vaccines will be provided under the scheme.
NHSO manages the universal healthcare scheme, providing free medical coverage to about 48 million people in Thailand.
The Cabinet had earmarked Bt190 billion for the scheme in the 2020 fiscal year, which starts from October 1, and the NHSO allocated funds accordingly in its meeting on Monday.
A bulk of the budget will be allocated to hospitals – mostly state-owned – that provide services on a flat per-head subsidy of Bt3,426. NHSO has earmarked Bt180 billion of the budget to increase this per-head subsidy to Bt3,600.