Large insurance companies have expressed interest in taking over the government's role in providing health insurance coverage for almost 5 million state officials and their families. The insurers have accepted the three conditions demanded by the government, said Anon Vangvasu, president of Thai General Insurance Association, without revealing names of the interested insurance firms. At present, the government pays 68 billion baht a year from 20 million healthcare claims from state officials and their families. Higher healthcare benefits and the rising number of ageing state officials are blamed for increasing costs. He said insurance companies expect to start providing healthcare coverage to state officials and their families in October 2017 if the Finance Ministry passes the job to them.

Source: Bangkok Post November 18, 2016 00:53 UTC