The government is looking for ways to lower life and health insurance premiums after the prices of medicines, medical supplies and medical services are brought under control.
According to Whichai Phochanakij, director-general of the Internal Trade Department, the department is scheduled to talk with the Office of the Insurance Commission (OIC) this week to discuss the possibility of improving the life and health insurance premium structure to reflect the new price structure for medicines, medical supplies and medical services.
"After the rule which requires private hospitals to display the price of drugs and the fees for medical supplies and services in order to allow consumers to make better-informed decisions prior to receiving treatment came into effect on May 30, private hospitals have to inform only of the actual costs of medicines, medical supplies and medical services, excluding unrelated expenses such as employees' wages or construction costs of the new buildings," Mr Whichai said.
The new rule requires private hospitals to inform the Internal Trade Department of the prices of 3,992 items of drugs under the Universal Coverage for Emergency Patients (Ucep) scheme by July 12 and the prices of 868 items of medical supplies and 5,286 items of medical services by July 22.
The Ucep programme requires hospitals to provide compulsory emergency healthcare for up to 72 hours at any hospital in Thailand.
The scheme enables those who require emergency medical care to have treatment at their nearest hospital for a period of 72 hours at zero cost, regardless of whether it is their registered hospital where they receive regular welfare coverage.
According to Mr Whichai, once the prices have been compiled and adjusted, the department will further publish the prices on its website and via QR codes for the public to refer to before they make a decision to receive treatment at a private hospital.
New price structures on the websites of each private hospital or QR codes are expected to become available from July 29 onwards.
Mr Whichai said all private hospitals also have to provide prescriptions that state clearly the patient's illness, details of the drugs and the prices of medicines the patients have to pay to give patients the option of buying such drugs from outside drugstores.
Private hospitals must also inform the Internal Trade Department of the prices of the medicines, medical supplies and medical services for 15 days in advance before raising their prices.
Failure to comply with the rule could result in a one-year prison term or a fine of up to 200,000 baht or both.
OIC secretary-general Suthiphon Thaveechaiyagarn said the government's move to put medical and healthcare expenses on the state price control list is a boon for the health insurance sector because it will provide clarity on service fees and actual medical costs.
Although it's still unclear whether health insurance premiums will be reduced as a result of the state price control list of medicine and healthcare expenses, premium prices could be lower once medical expenses and other corrupt practices are under control, he said.