What’s the difference between inpatient and outpatient cover?

I'll check current Thai insurance guidance and credible sources.
{"answer":"OPD (outpatient) and IPD (inpatient) cover different expenses: OPD pays for clinic visits, GP/specialist consults, tests and prescriptions; IPD covers hospital admissions, surgery, intensive care and room/board. For anyone living in Thailand (expat or local) you normally want both, because IPD alone won’t cover routine clinic costs and OPD alone won’t protect you from large hospital bills. If you must choose one: IPD is higher priority for financial protection against catastrophic costs; OPD is valuable for ongoing chronic care, diagnostics and lower-dollar items. Many people buy a base IPD plan plus a modest OPD add-on or use IPD plus Thailand’s public healthcare (e.g., social security or voluntary schemes) for outpatient needs. Consider your health profile, budget, employer benefits and whether you can access Thailand’s public schemes—then pick: one strong IPD policy + targeted OPD cover, or a combined plan. For details and plan wording, compare insurer product documents and consult the Office of Insurance Commission or major Thai insurers’ policy summaries.","tldr":"OPD and IPD cover different needs; for full protection you normally want both—if you must choose, prioritize IPD for catastrophic risk and add OPD for routine care or chronic conditions.","question_refined":"Do I need both outpatient (OPD) and inpatient (IPD) health insurance coverage in Thailand?"}