Private hospitals looking to leave the Universal Healthcare Coverage (UC) scheme should give the National Health Security Office (NHSO) at least one year's notice to prevent any negative impact on patients, said Public Health Minister Piyasakol Sakolsatayadorn.
The minister said private hospitals are legally required to give the NHSO a minimum of three months' notice before they leave the UC scheme -- more commonly known as the 30-baht, or gold card scheme -- but that this will be extended next year.
The gold card scheme, a state healthcare benefit aimed at assisting middle- to lower -class Thais with their medical expenses, was implemented 15 years ago.
The scheme was part of the National Health Security Act, 2002.
Mahaesak hospital in the capital's Bang Rak district recently notified the NHSO of its plans to leave the scheme, citing "internal issues", Mr Piyasakol said.
NHSO spokesman Atthaporn Limpanyalert said Mahaesak hospital had decided to leave the gold card scheme because it is undergoing renovations to its facilities, which would make it inconvenient to serve some patients.
He said patients will be able to use their gold cards at Mahaesak hospital until Sept 30.
After that date, he said the NHSO will service the hospital's gold card patients in nearby hospitals and clinics instead.
Mahaesak hospital offers primary care, servicing 72,000 registered patients.
It also receives an estimated 14,000 transferred patients from Bangkok Metropolitan Administration public healthcare centres.
In a separate development, 320,000 members of the Social Security Fund have been told to select a new hospital to receive medical services from by Oct 31.
This is because three private hospitals which cover their healthcare needs will leave the country's social security scheme next year, said Suradej Waleeittikul, secretary-general of the Social Security Office (SSO).
The three facilities are Yanhee hospital in Bangkok, Kasemrad hospital in Nonthaburi and Sri Rayong hospital in Rayong.
Mr Suradej said Yanhee hospital aims to focus on cosmetic surgery in the future, while social security requires hospitals to be able to provide general care to members who need it.
He added that Kasemrad hospital left the scheme because it already has a hospital within its network registered under the social security scheme and it is in a nearby area.
Sri Rayong hospital, which houses 19,000 individuals registered via the social security scheme, has expressed a need to leave the scheme due to a lack of profitability, said Mr Suradej.
Hospitals receive 1,500 baht from the SSO annually for each registered member.
Unless members registered at the three hospitals choose a new facility by the end of October, the SSO will automatically assign a hospital for them.
This will be announced on Dec 17 on the body's official website www.sso.go.th and via SMS.
Two new hospitals, Mission hospital and Paolo Kaset hospital (formerly Mayo hospital), are due to join the social security scheme next year, said Mr Suradej.
