NHSO to stop covering Covid lab tests at hospitals not under gold card scheme
The National Health Security Office (NHSO) will stop paying for Covid-19 laboratory tests at hospitals that are not under the National Health Security scheme for holders of gold cards from July 1 to prepare for the endemic stage of the disease under a Public Health Ministry plan.
“The situation in Thailand has been gradually improving, while antigen test kits [ATKs] are widely available at affordable prices, rendering active case findings and laboratory testing no longer necessary,” NHSO secretary-general Dr Jadet Thammathat-Aree said on Wednesday.
“Therefore, testing for Covid-19 via laboratories at hospitals that are not under the gold card scheme will not be covered from July 1.”
Hospitals under the National Health Security scheme will continue to provide free Covid-19 lab tests to holders of gold cards.
Jadet advised holders of this card to take a test using other methods at non-gold card hospitals instead, or simply use an ATK to test themselves at home if they suspect they have contracted Covid-19.
Gold card holders who test positive for Covid-19 can still contact NHSO’s 1330 hotline to go into home/community isolation or be transported to a hospital based on their symptoms free of charge.
On Thursday morning, Thailand recorded 3,185 Covid cases and 23 deaths in the past 24 hours, while 3,326 patients were cured and allowed to leave hospital. Cumulative cases in the country since January 1 are at 2,253,617.