NHSO Denies Payment Delay, Transfers 217M+ to 2 Hospitals.

Prachachat•General•18d ago

Reader Briefing

The National Health Security Office (NHSO) has addressed public criticism, stating its payment system for healthcare services is not delayed and has transferred over 217 million THB to two hospitals.

•The NHSO has clarified its payment system for the universal healthcare scheme, denying allegations of delays.
•Over 217 million THB has been transferred to two specific hospitals, Bangna 1 and Mitr Pracharak.
•The NHSO explained that their payment system includes both capitation and fee-for-service models, not solely a reimbursement system.

Overview

•Thatchai Ruangrot, Deputy Secretary-General of the NHSO, clarified that the universal healthcare payment system is not delayed.
•Public criticism on social media suggested hospitals had to pay for patients upfront due to slow and incomplete NHSO reimbursements.
•Thatchai Ruangrot stated the NHSO payment system is designed for various service types, including lump-sum and fee-for-service payments.
•The NHSO emphasized that it is not a system solely requiring hospitals to pay upfront and await later reimbursement.
•By May 6, 2026, Bangna 1 Hospital had received a total of 52.85 million THB for the fiscal years 2025 and 2026.
•By May 6, 2026, Mitr Pracharak Hospital had received a total of 164.15 million THB for the fiscal years 2025 and 2026.
•Combined, the two hospitals have received over 217 million THB from the NHSO.
•Payments to both hospitals are observed to be continuous across multiple rounds each month, following service types, data submission, processing, and payment criteria.

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Key Quotes

Thatchai Ruangrot

"Therefore, it is not a system that requires hospitals to front all the money, and then the NHSO pays it back. It is a payment system designed according to service characteristics, with both lump-sum payments and payments based on actual service data."

จึงไม่ใช่ระบบที่ให้โรงพยาบาลต้องออกเงินไปก่อนทั้งหมด แล้ว สปสช.จึงค่อยไปจ่ายย้อนหลังเพียงรูปแบบเดียว แต่เป็นระบบการจ่ายเงินที่ออกแบบตามลักษณะบริการ มีทั้งการจ่ายแบบเหมาจ่ายและการจ่ายตามข้อมูลบริการจริง

Key Entities

Organization

National Health Security Office (NHSO)(สปสช.)ℹ️

The organization responsible for the universal healthcare scheme in Thailand, which manages payment systems to hospitals.

Bangna 1 Hospital(รพ.บางนา 1)

A hospital that has received significant payments from the NHSO for healthcare services.

Mitr Pracharak Hospital(รพ.มิตรประชา)

A hospital that has received significant payments from the NHSO for healthcare services.

Person

Thatchai Ruangrot(นายธวัชชัย เรืองโรจน์)

Deputy Secretary-General of the National Health Security Office (NHSO) who provided clarification on the payment system.

Law

Smart Money Transfer (SMT) system(ระบบ Smart Money Transfer หรือ SMT)

A system used by the NHSO for financial transactions, allowing service providers to check payment details.