Does the OA visa in Thailand require Thai health insurance, and how can I obtain it while in the US?

@Floyd *****

In my opinion, the non-O is far superior to the non-OA, not just in terms of eligibility requirements, such as having to prove Thailand health insurance & obtaining a police report, but also because the former does not require you to leave Thailand at certain points like I believe the non-OA does (180 days?).

Regarding Tricare, if you’re retired military & under 65, Tricare for you is basically Champus: they’ll refund you up to 75% of your documented medical expenses. If you’re 65 or older, the same applies except they call it Tricare for Life (note, you have to have opted for Medicare Part B. In either case, you generally pay up front to avoid complications, regardless of whether a particular hospital, such as Bumrungrad, tries to work with you on this. In many cases, Tricare will need more information, such as a medication breakdown that includes dosage, dates, etc. The snail-mail back & forthness & repeated trips to the hospital can be burdensome, & often result in hospital admissions folks feeling a sense of urgency in trying to collect what’s owed them. In at least one case, Udon Thani’s Panyavejinter Hospital changed its policy & would no longer even make the effort.