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Is it essential for your health insurance to cover skin disorders?
As we continue down the summer of 2019, the heat in Thailand is showing no signs of slowing down. According to The Nation, the next few months could see temperatures rise by 1-2 degrees Celsius, allowing some areas to rise past the 42 degree mark. This is alarming for tourist that visit as the heat and humidity may cause certain skin disorders – prickly heat being one of them.
Apart from skin disorders caused by the weather in Thailand, another factor that plays a role is flood. Floods are the biggest natural threat to Thailand and bring forward a lot of disease additional to its damage, such as skin disorders like fungal infection and athlete’s foot. This Pacific Prime article focuses on skin disorders in Thailand and the importance of having it covered as a part of your health insurance.
Causes of skin disorders in Thailand
As mentioned in the paragraph above the soaring temperatures in Thailand are showing no signs of slowing down, with experts predicting a rise of 1-2 degrees in the following months.
Prickly heat is a common skin disorder in Thailand due to the tropical weather. The humidity in Thailand causes one to sweat excessively, thus leading to the sweat being trapped under one’s skin. As this happens the individual develops rashes around their body which is then aggravated through itching.
Apart from prickly heat, eczema is also common in Thailand and is closely related to Thailand’s biggest natural threat, flooding. Eczema comes in several different forms; however, the root issue is similar, the inflammation of skin that turns red and itches. Unlike prickly heat, which is directly caused by heat, eczema can also be inherited. However, the symptoms are similar in terms of the skin turning red and the urge to itch the affected area. According to a piece of research conducted by Dr. Vasanop Vachiramon, eczema is the most common skin disorder contracted during a flood.
Apart from the causes mentioned the above, the following factors can also cause skin disorders in Thailand:
- Low nutrition level
- Age
- Humidity
- Residence conditions
- Pet ownership
- Breast-feeding
- Excessive alcohol
- Passive smoking
With the above in mind, it can be seen that Thailand’s skin disorder issue is far beyond just the heat and humidity of the country.
The fight against skin disorders
A recent letter by the president of the Dermatological Society of Thailand lays out his intent of improving dermatological related issues. His letter states that the organization would promote research on dermatology, assist and distribute knowledge based on dermatology, among other things.
Thailand, being well known for medical tourism, has also allowed for the growth of dermatological centers. Apex, a well known dermatological centre, plans to add 10 new locations in the next three years. It is still uncertain, however, if the growth of dermatology will extensively cover skin disorders or perhaps cover beauty related issues. Hence, it is clear that Thailand has a long-term plan to battle skin disorders but it is to be seen if it will have any long term effect.
How do you get skin disorders insured as part of your healthcare plan?
The answer to this is dependent on your type of health plan. There are plans out there that do cover dermatological related issues, though many have it excluded as part of their pre-existing conditions exclusion. When covering dermatological issues many health insurance plans also take into account the necessity of the visit. By doing so it allows them to create a list of disorders that are covered and those that are not covered by the plan. A visit to the dermatologist for cosmetic purposes may fall short of the health plan, but a serious disorder could be part of the plan. Check the documents provided as part for your plan to be completely sure about your coverage.
A visit to Pacific Prime Thailand’s website will answer your health insurance questions, and additional to that you can also get a free quote. With our experienced advisors you will be able to find the best plan for yourself, so contact us today to get through your health needs with ease.
An enthusiastic writer and a core part of our team of health insurance experts, Karoon tackles every topic with the aim to make it as informative and simple as possible.
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