teddog

28 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

 

Exactly. And this is not a far-fetched, unlikely possibility.

 

It is an extremely common scenario and a "plan" for financing emergency health care which is dependent on being able to fly to India  is not a "plan" at all. It is wishful thinking.

 

It is 'wishful thinking' that any or all of these gormless sods lying in a hospital bed there in Chiang Mai could ever afford health insurance, or be offered it.....best way charter a 'plane, dump them all on it and off they go

Just now, NancyL said:

 

I've seen all this and more several times a year just in little ole Chiang Mai. 

 

I've got to say, the clients who are some of the worst, are some of the ones who thing they've "got it all figured out".  That somehow they're going to beat the system, perhaps by going to India or back to OZ if they get sick, or maybe stringing together back-to-back travel insurance policies, or thinking they're covered under the Thai gov't 30 baht health insurance simply because they're married to a Thai lady.  

 

 

 

Me? I'm not bothered not of an age to bother, unconscious they want to keep me in a hospital until bill paid,  they will get sick of me before I get sick of them unconscious ?you (or me) knows nothing about anything..on ventilator/traction..so what  times nearly up, bloody insurance, it's just a racket anyway, can pull the rug up at any time  and they do

 The 'plane might blow up, the earth might fall in,all the 'mights,it will never happen, and if it does   I am not taking out health insurance at the rate it will cost,  the option to get kidnapped from hospital if it gets traumatic sounds ok at the end of the day I have backup,medivac         Regular testing (in India) heart, lungs, cancer scans, up the ass etc. if anything amiss is spotted  then options are available

Ahoy there Sailor,

    Hope you feel better now..yes we have some things in common  sailing and our waste management systems...you having a dump, me? having a piss...but the doc raked me out recently and now can piss for the planet,I miss the bowl constantly, have the bleach on standby, comes out of now like a fire hose, piss on the dog sometimes when caught short too, god it's one powerful jet, after years of a dribble.  

                 sorry, you are having probs tho, I'll send you the device I have got, you never know..sat there having a dump and next minute up to your armpits in shit...but heaven sent in essence.

   Have a good one sailerjon         just found out the device with the 4 inch tit on it is about 38 baht

2 hours ago, impulse said:

 

As Sheryl indicated, I have nothing against getting treated in India.  In fact, I'm pleased to know it's an option if I retire and no longer have employer insurance at 100%.

 

But I keep reading story after story of people getting into an accident or having a stroke or a heart attack or other situations in Thailand that require very expensive treatment, and preclude the possibility of getting over the India.  There are multiple horror stories of foreigners who are brought to the hospital unconscious and wake up to find themselves already millions of baht in debt before they even have a choice to get transferred to a cheaper hospital in Thailand.  And it may be weeks or months before they're well enough to travel without a very expensive repatriation package.  So India's not an option for them.  Insurance is.  (Edit:  The caveat being that you have to sign up for insurance before you find yourself in the hospital and in desperate financial straits)

 

Unfortunately, a lot of newcomers read the advice here and accept it because it's coming from long time residents.  Everybody loves advice when it looks like it's going to save them a good bit of money.  My goal is to present a counter point to advice from the people who haven't hit the live round yet in their game of Russian Roulette.  In general, I try to do it tactfully, but I have no qualms about getting brutally to the point if that's how the other guy responds.  

 

Your good point about various options goes both ways, and if you read our entire discussion, Teddog doesn't seem to see any way but his own as the only viable option.  I disagreed and the disagreement has escalated.

 

 

 

Not really, I know what I'm doing, you do not.   Unconsiousness?   stability obtained govt. hospital, if private they do not get paid,   nurse from my fav hospital India arrives with whatever is needed drugs etc and accompanies me (Indigo)  3 seats booked back to India,  all done and dusted in 2 hours  easy and cheaper than cheap

   that $150 heath insurance plan you have,  does it involve medivac?     Obv I do not have one but personally , would be medivacced back to UK for free (if wanted)

Just now, sailorjon said:

 

My BM's are usually watery diarrhea to semi watery.

 

I'll have to check my timeline and when I started Forlax exactly but, I've had SOME shortness of breath since the start of this.. but..  not very strong in effect and not very often... it changed dramatically in character when, ?  about a month ago now i think, time is squirrely, i have to take better notes with dates I guess, but..  this is ridiculously overwhelming.  

 

Oh, here's a positive change I can report!  The pitted edema has lessened dramatically.  Feet are no longer ballooning everyday and night.  Using the usual modern scientific method we patients have... [ I will take a guess] perhaps it's because of the new medication I have been taking from the heart doctor in Malaysia.

 

If that's not it?  I'll win the lottery and then hire a doctor to tell me.  In the meantime, perhaps massive doses of gin will help the pain.  I think experimentation is in order.

7

Hello again Sailor,  

       AS the title you originally put up 'fear of life' it should read 'fear of a good crap '    Just that sailor   completely forgot I had prostate op a few months ago,(smooth as silk) but doc said I would rip all his good work out if I was constipated, r so I bought from fascino a bulb shaped plastic holder with whatever liquid was in it and a 4 inch tapered plastic tit is attached, if not ambidextrous, then you sit on it and body weight takes into your anus and squirts the substance up the pipe, works wonders Sailorjon, anyway long story short I only used it once and still plenty left, if you PM me I'll send it to you   , no money wanted...

     I figure my problems were connected with diet...years ago lived in Parker AZ , middle of the desert stuff, steak and eggs every morning, then a sail down the Colorado sat on the butt compounding it all...moved to Flagstaff and stopped the steak and eggs (and diet) now can shit through the eye of a needle

16 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

The vast majority of any retirement community is going to come across health issues -often expensive ones- whether they retire to Thailand or not.  And it rarely looks like you expect it to look- as if you can predict the day you'll keel over of a stroke or heart attack and hop a flight to India a couple days in advance.

 

Bottom line, you're spouting irresponsible advice that has killed some people, bankrupted a lot more, and ends the Thai retirement dreams of hundreds every year when they have to leave the country after spending their funds on hospitals.

 

 

 

 

 

Must be one hell of an expensive medical insurance plan you have,especially with your health,bankrupted'  'killed a lot more'  you mean by not having the funds for one or either?     India  the way to go

Just now, rog2015 said:

It seems that having a card to confirm you have Private Insurance would insure you were treated at a Private Hospital but if you don't would having a couple of Credit Cards in your wallet be almost as good to get treatment at a Private Hospital?

 

Sure would, but both would be emptied at a rate of knots that would make you blink, keep well away from private hospitals, and the likes of BUPA ...the govt. ones are OK

3 hours ago, impulse said:

 

So, you're going to be one of these guys...

 

How do you figure your plan would have worked for this guy (who thought he had employer provided insurance, but didn't)?

 

(Notice in the photo that he's on a jet.  With support staff.  That's a $50,000+ invoice).

 

Or look for the current saga of the 68 year old British woman who just lost her son and husband and can't pay.  Or the Canadian woman.  Or The Aussie woman.  Or the guy whose life was recently saved, but they left him hanging on fixing his crippling injuries until he scraped up the dosh.  Or the other scads of people who had to beg funds from their friends and family because they had to be treated before they could travel.

 

My own experience with heart surgery showed me how tricky the logistics are of getting treated as I waited for 2 days in hospital for my insurance company to come back to work on Monday before they'd wheel me in.  Covered 100%, BTW, and not a dime out of my pocket for the insurance, either- since it's employer provided.  (Also, sitting for the 2 days was at my insistence because I wouldn't come out of pocket for the surgery until I was pre-approved by the insurance company.  I've had too many bad experiences when they didn't pre-approve treatment that they could then claim was non-emergency and pay out at a much lower percentage because it's right there in the fine print on page 109.)

 

 

 

 

4

.Here's a guy quoting specifics that 99+% of farang population will never come across  ..and if they did   INDIA  the saviour   , I'm not going into the ins and outs of your own personal problems, sat there pondering on your health insurance details for two days, awaiting whatever your insurer will /will not let you do.You should be as far away from Thailand as you can with your condition (s)

  Me?  no not a dime out of pocket, including (none) health insurance collectables, so a shedful of money saving there, of which I am sure you will join me on a self-congratulatory note

  Yes, I am sure when undergoing that heart by-pass, you presented yourself as a non- stretcher case (ie walked in)now at 2 million a throw, compare that with under 70,000 baht a throw (India) in deluxe surroundings, which one to have? LOL   hopefully stretchered in to save me walking. 

  anyway I hope I did not keep you awake all last night searching for your figures,but thank anyway  (they are binned)...and if I may say that $150-$180 monthly  insurance premium seems an awful lot of money ,when in good health

17 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

I'd suggest learning to use GoFundMe if that's your plan.

 

Last time I checked Thai ambulances can't drop you at one of those great Indian hospitals.  So you'll be 2 hours away from that great cheap care, and one hour away from bleeding out, and in no condition to hop on an airplane.  And be honest, even a 2 hour flight requires a few days of lining up a seat, getting to the airport, and getting settled in to your posh new hospital room.  By that time, even a simple fracture could go gangrenous on ya.

 

Will you change your UserID to "Stumpy"?

 

 

Rubbish,no clue,  but keep up the payments (it makes you happy)  LOL

7 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

I'd suggest learning to use GoFundMe if that's your plan.

 

Last time I checked Thai ambulances can't drop you at one of those great Indian hospitals.  So you'll be 2 hours away from that great cheap care, and one hour away from bleeding out, and in no condition to hop on an airplane.

 

 

 

 

 

Just a thought! what gave you the idea of Thai ambulance delivering me to India  Duh.  '2 hours away from bleeding away'  so here I am not bleeding unlike yourself bled dry by health insurance  (and it shows)  LOL.  got the ackers all sorted  and it ain't being spent here

  Nothing like a bit of sarcasm, cheers , keep up the payments

  oh!  you're the one had the 2 million baht heart op,  what you think of the Indian figures, look quite good, don't they  !!!

Expats in Thailand should be extremely happy, here we are 2 hours away from the finest and cheapest health care in the world ..bar none.No need for the blood sucking locusts at private hospitals,  overrated and damned liars.   Yes, stories to frighten abound, broken arm? broken leg? other injuries, just hop on that 'plane to India, finest care in the world inc the UK, stretchers onto 'planes handled supremely well.

  All these years without health insurance sure give me a shot of confidence, God I would feel a total dumbo all that money wasted, tons of it, in ever increasing amounts too ,..no way BUPA  sod you Thailand private hospitals must be the last bastion of thieving in all of SEA

16 minutes ago, KarenBravo said:

Indian prices.

Better hope that you are well enough to get on a plane, or, that the airline allows you on.

 

 

 

I'm damned sure they will    a body bag with a straw sticking out of it will guarantee that

...and if I may add  you may well have that'peace of mind' feeling, you know the one, paying a fortune in health insurance premiums hoping it's enough to keep the robbing private Thai doctors at bay........anyway 3 million ,10 million,they ain't getting it,they can keep me in bed for years feeding me,that's OK

4 minutes ago, music065 said:

There are many definitions of insure. Here's one of many I found:

 

Insure (verb): secure or protect someone against a possible contingency. 

 

Fits. 

 

 

Hello Sailor,  

       Not heard from you for a bit,.   hope your boat has not sunk!  Sailorjon i did look around other cities Bangalore is a cheap place for hospitals too,   supposedly 20 world class heart hospitals  (Chennai has 25)as well as cheaper airfares, nothing there actually except endless hospitals, I'll put up an option if you do not mind...

Angioplasty in Bangalore - Google Searchaaaaa.htm

Angioplasty & Stents - Cost, best Hospitals and more.htm

If you tell them there is a hole in your boat and flat broke, compromise  I got 50% off an op there in India a couple of months ago , world class too, but I'm sure they loaded price to get knocked down (and no boat)

Yes are rupees, halve them for baht

48 minutes ago, brewsterbudgen said:

Despite the scare stories, I doubt treatment would be witheld to a pensioner holding a UK passport who says he has returned to the UK for good. There could be issues with charges being made or threatened, but he wouldn't be turned away.

 

1

Tell them you have no passport, its all a load of rubbish anyway,over65 free health care in UK wherever you came from

 But like Topsy here in Thailand 'it grow'd and grow'd 'the inflated figures of health insurance and private hospitals require, modern day banditry, one puts more on the bill through sheer trickery, the other one catches up, again getting shut at a moment's notice when  profitability looks none too good , farang not lining the pockets , the markups are breathtaking, full of billing fakeries and all because of a captive market   Need to free up the thinking behind these Dick Turpins of the modern era,the scare stories that abound, yes dumped unconscious at private hospital at 500 baht a time stories ,they just do not get paid if outrageous billing,and it will be

  What was a good markup a while ago £2000 for minor op, £10 a short journey away,  the list is endless, all because of captive conditions, not enough hospitals or quality doctors for competition

These figures are in Rupees,just halve them for baht.    stents not inc. but i know they were mass producing them there for general public and better ones are available.

  Do not know where to start with your ailments, but perhaps general hospital (something like Christian hospital Calcutta) and start from there

Angioplasty in Kolkata (with Cost).htm

20 minutes ago, THAIPHUKET said:

TEDDOG ; I´m joining  Music065, this is indeed substantive info! Calcutta in my limited mind traveling around, e.g. airport hotel is a hassle. Compared to Chennai ???

 

I had to do a quick search = Chennai best international hospitals. The list is long, one example

 

http://www.miotinternational.com/

 

 

 

 

All over,   this one probably expensive tho  keep  looking get  prices   surgeons have rating too  as well as hospitals     use facebook    etc.    

    Appolo will be expensive too   as well as Fortis,  but smaller ones are excellent  

     Just Google  'cancer hospitals Calcutta'  spend the next 10 years sorting them out

Just now, THAIPHUKET said:

TEDDOG ; I´m joining  Music065, this is indeed substantive info! Calcutta in my limited mind traveling around, e.g. airport hotel is a hassle. Compared to Chennai ???

 

 

 

Calcutta OK  taxis about 4 baht a kilometre, .hotels cheap,  nice big modern airport.    just TripAdvisor...hospitals all over

9 minutes ago, sailorjon said:

Really!  Do you have that info?  Sounds good.  I keep getting prices doubled and tripled here in BKK.

 

Been looking at your thread a while now, yes could have saved you a bundle, did not want to upset Sheryl .  India was the place you should have sailed to...again whatever you think or thought or wanted   just google it  but put India into quote    That procedure you want  angiewhatever google it with India in quote   starts 3200 ...average price  7000 baht   keep to Calcutta  nearest to BKK       get short visa  the doc will give you covering letter for overstay

Hello Music,

   just stumbled on your thread, bit of hesitation regarding India,its only 2 hours away at its nearest point (Calcutta)and Id stick to there, Chennai good destination too 3 hours away.   whatever you want investigating Google...'prostate Calcutta' for instance, observe the never ending list that appears,then home in on what suits you, email/skype them,...hotels taxis etc  are dirt cheap, look under TripAdvisor  for places to visit/stay, was under British Raj  everyone speaks English, go over speak to whoever   Once you are plugged into their system it takes complete control, not asked anything just constant flow of people at bedside

  PS  Im ex-military too and can get free medivac through an organisation I'm in...but for me as long as sums are not gigantic Id stick to India

41 minutes ago, sailorjon said:

UPDATE:  

I will add to this little by little, I'm exhausted.  I went to Penang, Malaysia hoping to get SOMETHING done that would improve my situation as almost six months later and lots of my little money spent on tests, doctors, hospitals and medication and no treatment!  No improvement.  Still day and night pain and discomfort.   Now, however, in addition to 3 fractured vertebrae and a hiatal hernia I can add Heart disease.  Let me explain.

 

The gastro doctor in Penang said it was a bad idea to operate on hernia now because a: i am so weak with breathing problems that it would be dangerous to go under anesthetic.   b:  he didn't think the hernia had anything to do with the breathing problem, but thinks its the heart.

 

I explained that two weeks ago, I had gone to thai hospital and done a complete heart check and they said heart is ok.  He said still, get another opinion.

I saw cardiologist there.  He said did the thai hosp do the most important test?  blood flow to test for blockage, ie angiogram.    no, they didn't.  he said I should.  ok.  but at that hospital it is $1300 u.s.

 

I find another hosp with a machine like a ctscanner just for angiogram and go there.  It is also about $400.  They do a pre-test which is a calcium in the blood check with the machine and it reveals i have a lot of C.  so the machine cannot be used because it wouldn't show the images correctly.  I would need a normal angiogram.  However, the doctor, who was the best doctor I've seen yet, suggested that the calcium pretty much indicated a heart blood vessel blockage which was probably the reason for the shortness of breath.  He said I should get the angiogram later to confirm.

 

However, he could begin prescribing medications that he would prescribe if it is true.  So, while this is not a happy result, I now am aware that I PROBABLY have heart disease problems, there does seem to be progress in getting an actual fing diagnosis from the med community.  And some medication that represents a possible treatment that might have a positive impact.

 

 

 

Shoot,   $1300,just seen a quote for 3200 baht for angiogram   8 hour stay  india

Right on post 58.

    you just have no knowledge how many coffins these hospitals shove out of the side door here after midnight, no knowledge about anything,goodOK, but not bad, the reviews are worthless. seen plenty of bad results from top hospital here, lied to etc shysters in white coats, sickening when a hapless soul wonders into one and the steel trap springs.

  E visa (emergency too)  $60 for 30 days India

India has vastly more experience than most other countries treating cancer. Smoking beedies got the medical mind into gear far ahead of its time,  country overrun with cancer, their equipment dealing with it was and is state of the art, ...another diabetes was rampant, thoughts turned to the cause, came  to a conclusion coconuts were a prime cause,(I hate the bloody things)

   Yes recommendations galore from Thailand, but you will never see scores on the door sorta speak, successful but unsuccesful an individual/ hospital /worth has it been, bad review  locked up and sued,180-degree diff with India, can follow facebook, google whatever to see how competent a situation is

   Fill an inquiry form in by all means but research yourself for the multitude of options and prices available, even take out Indian health insurance plan too

11 hours ago, teddog said:

Dick Turpin has nothing on these guys  150,000 baht  ,250,000 baht   try 19 million,'   '2 nights in hospital'   gawd               again put into google 'Dupuytren's contracture India".    I was quoted £500 there, but went back to Uk and operated on within 2 weeks for free,  in and out within 6 hours after surgery

 

$387 to around $ 680  after quick search, each hand....but up to you.  Yes takes a couple of weeks to heal, hand wrapped in tight ball after the op, stops the cords re-attaching.  all I have to show now is fine scar upper palm...all gone, nothing came back