Treatment for severe Covid still free after March 1: NHSO
Covid-19 patients will still be treated for free under Thailand’s public healthcare programmes after March 1, the National Health Security Office (NHSO) confirmed on Sunday.
The NHSO clarified that treatment of severe cases would still be free under the gold card, social security and civil service welfare schemes even after Covid-19 is removed from the Universal Coverage for Emergency Patients (UCEP) scheme on March 1.
News of the removal had sparked rumours that people would have to pay for treatment in government hospitals from March.
NHSO secretary-general Dr Jadet Thammathat-Aree confirmed that patients will still be able to receive free treatment in line with the Public Health Ministry announcement in 2020.
"The announcement said that Covid-19 infection would be considered an emergency issue so that patients could receive treatment as soon as possible [including] a respirator if the virus enters lungs," he said.
