The National Health Security Office (NHSO) will not cover the public costs of coronavirus tests performed by medical service centres uninsured by universal health coverage (UHC), starting July 1 when Covid-19 is declared endemic.
This was agreed upon during a meeting of the NHSO board of directors on Monday, said Dr Jadet Thammathat-aree, secretary-general of the NHSO.
From July 1, people who take Covid tests at such medical centres will need to pay for it themselves.
Dr Jadet said during the pandemic, medical centres under the UHC had been overworked and there was a great need for other medical service centres not under the UHC to provide assistance.
Medical staff had been working tirelessly with Covid-19 screening and campaigning for health protection to avoid the coronavirus, he said. Therefore, the NHSO had drawn medical centres that are not under the UHC for active case finding in order to ease the workload.
Dr Jadet added that Covid health services provided by medical centres under the UHC will continue.
The resolution from the NHSO board of directors' meeting will be proposed to the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) for further action.
