Whether you can claim a nerve block, radiofrequency ablation, epidural injection, or embolization depends on your own policy wording, which usually differs by benefit type, exclusions, and approval rules. YOUNIFY Clinic, a Healthy Aging & Wellness Center based in Bangkok, Thailand, on Silom Road, prepares English documents so that you can submit your own claim.
Draft awaiting physician review and approval. Not yet published.
Contents
Key Takeaways
- Coverage is decided by your policy wording, not by the procedure name.
- Ask your insurer before booking about the benefit type, pre-existing conditions, waiting periods, and pre-authorization.
- We prepare an itemized receipt, a medical certificate, and diagnosis and procedure codes in English so that you can submit your claim.
- At YOUNIFY Clinic, claims work on a pay-then-claim basis: you pay the clinic, then submit your documents to your insurer. How your policy handles outpatient or day-case claims is set by its own terms.
Can you claim a nerve block or radiofrequency ablation on insurance in Thailand?
Sometimes. Coverage is decided by the wording of your own policy, not by the name of the procedure.
These image-guided treatments are usually day procedures, yet insurers place them under different benefits. Four parts of the wording usually decide the answer:
- Benefit type. Some policies pay under an outpatient benefit; others under a day-case or inpatient benefit, each defined in the policy's own way.
- Pre-existing conditions. Pain that began before the policy started may be excluded or limited, and some policies exclude named procedures.
- Waiting periods. A claim made during a waiting period may be declined, even for a covered condition.
- Pre-authorization. Some policies require approval before a planned procedure, and a claim without it may be reduced or declined.
Why should you contact your insurer before booking?
Because your insurer alone can confirm coverage, and one call before booking helps you avoid paying for care you expected to be reimbursed.
Pain treatment also tends to happen in stages. The NICE guideline on low back pain recommends radiofrequency denervation after a positive diagnostic medial branch block, so a plan may involve two procedures, and relief varies enough that some people need a repeat. Our team can help check what documents are needed before the appointment.
What documents does YOUNIFY Clinic prepare for your claim?
We prepare an itemized receipt, a medical certificate, and diagnosis and procedure codes in English so that you can submit your claim.
Diagnosis codes follow the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10), published by the World Health Organization, which gives insurers a standard way to identify a condition.
| Document | What it shows | Who issues it | When you receive it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Itemized receipt | Each charge listed separately, with the date and amount paid | YOUNIFY Clinic | On the day you pay |
| Medical certificate | Diagnosis, visit date, procedure performed, and any advice on rest | The treating physician | On the procedure day, when requested in advance |
| Diagnosis and procedure codes in English | The ICD-10 diagnosis code and a coded description of the procedure | The treating physician | With the medical certificate |
| Written plan and quotation | The recommended procedure, the reason for it, and the starting price | The treating physician and our team | After your physician assessment |
| Pre-authorization approval | Whether the insurer has agreed in advance | Your insurer | Before the procedure, if required |
Keep a copy of every document you submit, together with your X-ray or MRI report.
What should you ask your insurer before booking?
1. Is this procedure covered, and under which benefit: outpatient, day-case, or inpatient?
2. Is my condition treated as pre-existing or excluded?
3. Does a waiting period still apply?
4. Do I need pre-authorization, and what do you need from the clinic?
5. How much of my limit remains, and is there a deductible or co-payment?
6. Can I claim for treatment at a licensed outpatient clinic?
7. Is a diagnostic block assessed separately from later treatment?
8. Which documents do you need, in which language, and by what deadline?
How do claims work at YOUNIFY Clinic?
At YOUNIFY Clinic, claims work on a pay-then-claim basis: you pay the clinic, then submit your documents to your insurer. How your policy handles outpatient or day-case claims is set by its own terms.
In practice, you settle the bill on the day and receive your documents, and your insurer decides reimbursement under your policy terms.
Thai government health schemes
If you are covered by Thai social security or another government scheme, please check your eligibility with the scheme directly before booking, as we cannot confirm its rules on its behalf.
What does a pain procedure cost at YOUNIFY Clinic?
Your final price is confirmed in a written quotation after a physician assessment.
| Procedure | Starting price |
|---|---|
| Medial branch block (diagnostic nerve block) | starting from THB 22,000 |
| Epidural steroid injection | starting from THB 129,000 |
| Pulsed radiofrequency at the nerve root | starting from Confirmed in your written quotation after assessment. |
| Radiofrequency ablation for neck or back pain | starting from Confirmed in your written quotation after assessment. |
| Stellate ganglion block | starting from THB 37,500 |
| Epidural balloon neuroplasty | starting from THB 170,000 |
| Genicular Artery Embolization (GAE), performed by our interventional radiologist | starting from THB 129,000 |
| Selective nerve root block and other procedures | quoted after a physician assessment |
For more detail, see radiofrequency ablation and epidural injection costs.
When to see a doctor urgently
Go to an emergency department without waiting to check your insurance if you have:
- new weakness in an arm or a leg
- loss of bladder or bowel control
- numbness in the saddle area, between the legs or around the buttocks
- fever with back pain
- pain after a major fall or injury
- unexplained weight loss with pain
When we may advise against a procedure
Our pain medicine physician may recommend waiting, or a different approach, when:
- blood-thinning (anticoagulant) medicines cannot be safely managed around the procedure
- there is an active infection
- you are pregnant, for procedures that use X-ray guidance
- diabetes is not well controlled, for procedures that use a corticosteroid
- the source of the pain has not been confirmed
- the expectations are ones the procedure cannot meet
We do not schedule a procedure because a policy benefit is about to reset, and we do not alter a diagnosis, a date, or a description to match a policy.
Physician perspective
[รอ approve] At our clinic, we suggest asking your insurer two questions before booking: is this procedure covered, and does it need pre-authorization? In our view, claim problems more often come from these two points than from the procedure itself. We provide a treatment plan and quote that state the diagnosis, the planned procedure and the medical reason, and when a diagnostic nerve block comes first, we record your response, because it is the reason for the next step. We do not shape documents to fit a policy, and we cannot predict an insurer's decision. We record what we found and what we did.
An illustrative example
Illustrative example, not a real patient: a Bangkok resident with long-standing low back pain is advised to begin with a diagnostic medial branch block. Before booking, they call their insurer with the checklist above and learn that the policy requires pre-authorization and pays the procedure under an outpatient benefit with an annual limit. Our team provides the physician's assessment note in English for the request. After the procedure, they pay the clinic and submit their documents with the claim.
What happens next
1. Send your X-ray or MRI report and a short history.
2. Our pain medicine physician reviews them.
3. After the consultation, you receive a written plan and a written quotation to share with your insurer.
4. You confirm coverage and any pre-authorization; our team can help check what documents are needed before the appointment.
5. If suitable, the procedure takes place on the agreed day, and most patients go home the same day with their claim documents.
6. A follow-up review plans the next step.
We are at 2nd Floor, Room 214, United Center Building, 323 Silom Road, Silom, Bang Rak, Bangkok 10500, Thailand, a five-minute walk from BTS Sala Daeng, open every day 11:00–20:00 Bangkok time. See also what pain medicine is, how to choose a pain clinic, and our chronic pain service.
Send your imaging report and a short history by WhatsApp (+66 81 556 9696, https://wa.me/66815569696) or LINE (https://lin.ee/5MIGher) for a physician review.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does health insurance cover nerve blocks in Thailand?
It depends on your policy. Some policies cover nerve blocks under an outpatient benefit, some under a day-case or inpatient benefit, and some exclude them or the underlying condition. Pre-existing condition clauses, waiting periods, and pre-authorization rules can all change the answer, so ask your insurer before booking.
Can I claim radiofrequency ablation on my insurance?
You may, if your policy covers the procedure and the condition. Radiofrequency ablation for back pain usually follows a diagnostic medial branch block, so ask whether the two procedures are assessed separately and whether each needs approval. We provide the written plan and claim documents in English.
Do I pay first, and can the clinic send the claim to my insurer?
You pay first. At present, you settle the bill with the clinic and then submit the claim to your insurer yourself, and your insurer decides reimbursement under the policy terms. We prepare the claim documents in English, and our team can help check what documents are needed before the appointment, so that your claim file is complete.
Can I get a medical certificate for an insurance claim in Bangkok?
Yes. Our treating physician issues a medical certificate stating your diagnosis, the date, and the procedure performed, with diagnosis and procedure codes in English. Please tell our team in advance that you need it for a claim, and mention any form or wording your insurer has requested.
Do I need pre-authorization before a pain procedure?
Some policies require it and some do not, so ask your insurer before you book. If approval is needed, the insurer will usually want the diagnosis, the planned procedure, and the estimated cost. Our written plan and quotation, issued after your physician assessment, are designed to provide that information.
Can I get a written quotation for my insurer before I book?
Yes. After a physician assessment, you receive a written plan and an itemized quotation, based on starting prices such as a medial branch block starting from THB 22,000. You can share both with your insurer, and nothing is booked until you decide.
References
Medical Note
This article is for general information and does not replace medical examination, diagnosis, or treatment. If symptoms are severe, changing quickly, or urgent, seek medical care promptly.
Individual results may vary. Please consult a doctor before treatment.
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