Perception of benefits from health insurance card and social security card among migrant workers and hospital personnel at Samut Sakhon Province

Abstract

This study aimed to study the perception of health insurance benefits among migrant workers and hospital personnel by comparing the differences in terms of benefits from the rights among health insurance cardholders and social security cardholders. The study collected data through in-depth interviews. Informants were 11 Myanmar migrant workers and hospital personnel who serve the service to the migrant workers.  The sample has been selected by the specific sampling method. Data analysis has been conducted with the Thematic analysis and verifies the information by the Triangulation method.

The study result showed that the perception of health insurance benefits among migrant workers was at a low level. This can be seen from the fact that migrant workers did not know all the health benefits that they should receive. But they recognized the benefits in other areas of health insurance rights such as the right to receive compensation from social security, the right for shall not pay the treatment services or shall pay only 30 baht when entering the hospital or knew that for having any kinds of health insurance, they can work and stay legally in Thailand. About the perception of hospital personnel, It was found that the personnel understood the differences of their rights from health insurance card and social security card in common areas of service, such as the right to get medicine that not in the insurance program, right to receive medical treatment in case of occupational injury. In the comparison of the two health insurance rights, it was found that migrant workers who hold the health insurance card will receive basic benefits similar to those who hold the Thai universal health insurance cards. For migrant workers, social security rights are entitled to medical treatment which is the same right as the social security for Thai people except the right to promote health and prevent disease that migrant workers who have social security rights will not obtain these benefits.

            This study provides recommendations for improvement, such as whether health insurance rights should be designed or should be prescribed for only one health insurance right that is suitable for migrant workers in Thailand both in the hospital, service provider, and the employer. Therefore, the migrant workers shall have  a better understanding of their health benefits.