Standardise health plans: kidney patients

“This plan would provide easy access to treatment for patients with chronic kidney disease,” A Friend of Kidney Patient Club’s chairperson Subin Noksakul said.

To date, three national health care schemes – the National Health Security Office (NHSO), Social Security Office (SSO) and Civil Servant Medical Benefit Scheme – provide different benefits to patients with chronic disease registered under each scheme.

The NHSO provides Bt1,000 in medical benefits to kidney patients, and has them pay the remaining Bt500.

The SSO pays Bt1,500, but patients have pay for additional services. Civil Servant Medical Benefit pays Bt2,000-Bt3,000 to health care units.

“The different reimbursement rates for medical services provided to patients with chronic kidney disease creates inequality in health care services,” Subin said.

“We will urge the government to press ahead with its plan to make these three health care schemes provide medical benefits of the same standard for all patients with chronic disease. This plan will end discrimination against patients with kidney disease,” he added. However, he said he did not believe the government would implement this plan as many health units, especially private hospitals, will strongly oppose it.

“[It would] limit the ceiling for payments to health care units,” he said.

“Many health care units would lose benefits from this plan as they would not be able to get additional payment for dialysis treatment from patients,” he added.

Previously, NHSO had presented to the government the plan to merge management of medical benefits for chronic disease patients under the three health care schemes.

About 34,189 patients with chronic disease would have benefited, especially patients registered with SSS, as they would no longer be required to pay money for additional services.

The medical benefits under the new plan would cover kidney transplants, hemodialysis, immuno-suppressants, peritoneal dialysis, and erythropoiesis-stimulating agent, which stimulates red blood cell production.

Meanwhile, the government started its plan on April 1 to provide unlimited emergency care to all patients, regardless of what scheme they belong to.

Patients just need to show their national identification card to receive emergency medical services at the nearest hospital. They will be treated until they recover. The NHSO will pay the hospital directly for their medical bills.