The “30-baht Plus” health care scheme, under which only an ID card is needed to get access to medical care at state hospitals, private hospitals, clinics and pharmacies which join the program, will be launched in eight more provinces in March, Public Health Minister Cholnan Srikaew said today in Roi-et province.
The minister, along with other key members of the Pheu Thai party, among them Paetongtarn Shinawatra, chair of the National Health System Development Committee and the Prime Minister’s Secretary-General Prommin Lertsuridej, are in Roi-et this morning to check the readiness of medical facilities joining the program, before its official launch this evening, to be presided over by Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin.
A similar program is to be launched simultaneously in Phrae, Phetchaburi and Narathiwat provinces.
Dr. Cholnan said that, in the second phase, the program will be launched in Phetchabun, Nakhon Sawan, Sing Buri, Sa Kaeo, Nong Bua Lamphu, Nakhon Ratchasima, Amnat Charoen and Phang-nga and in the rest of the country at the end of the year.
The public health minister and the other Pheu Thai party members first visited Chaturaphak Phiman private hospital, which joined the “30-baht Plus” program, to check its readiness.
Dr. Charnchai Chanworachai, director of the Roi-et provincial hospital, said today that all the systems are ready for the launch this evening, adding that the hospital normally treats an average of 3,500 patients a day, suffering both general ailments and chronic diseases.
He said that the hospital has hired additional personnel to supervise the back-office computer system, to ensure that every patient who has received medical services, whether with medication or not, inserts their ID card into the computer system, so the hospital will know exactly how many people have received services each day, so it can claim compensation from the government.
In Phrae province, Dr. Suwan Phetrung, the provincial health chief, said that one private hospital, 22 pharmacies and private laboratories and seven clinics have already joined the program.
Assessment of the four pilot projects will start today and will be carried out every month to detect problems early, so they can be fixed expeditiously.
