friend stuck in hospital with huge bill he can't pay,what now?

[jenny2017]

5 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

They will not let him out until he reaches some sort of payment agreement with them.

 

If he has no money and no job, he will just have to get one...and sell off whatever assets he can (car, motorcycle, etc).  But how on earth would he have been  living in Thailand all this while with absolutely no money and no income?

You'd be surprised. ( or maybe not.) A few years ago, I've met a guy from xxxxx country, who'd been on a long overstay who's proud to make the statement that he could live cheaper than any Thais.

 

   

[HampiK]

1 hour ago, jenny2017 said:

You'd be surprised. ( or maybe not.) A few years ago, I've met a guy from xxxxx country, who'd been on a long overstay who's proud to make the statement that he could live cheaper than any Thais.

I think we also have some of them in here as forum members, which claims they do self insurance till the point when they have to accept that their self insurance not work, because they not have the money. This not count for all people who do self insurance but I would guess the major of this people not have the money to do real selfinsurance.

Edited March 29, 2018 by HampiK

[LolaS]

4 hours ago, Sheryl said:

They will not let him out until he reaches some sort of payment agreement with them.

 

If he has no money and no job, he will just have to get one...and sell off whatever assets he can (cat, motorcycle, etc).  But how on earth would he have been  living in Thailand all this while with absolutely no money and no income?

I dont understand I thought the OP describe visitor.

[scubascuba3]

I think we also have some of them in here as forum members, which claims they do self insurance till the point when they have to accept that their self insurance not work, because they not have the money. This not count for all people who do self insurance but I would guess the major of this people not have the money to do real selfinsurance.

I've had private medical insurance in the UK for a long time, hospitals/consultants always bumping up the bill, offering ops when really they aren't required. Someone has to pay for this waste of money, plus I'm relatively healthy so far, so I'm not going to get private medical insurance in Thailand and help subsidise all the fatties with diabetes and other conditions

[meechai]

11 hours ago, HampiK said:

I think we also have some of them in here as forum members, which claims they do self insurance till the point when they have to accept that their self insurance not work, because they not have the money. This not count for all people who do self insurance but I would guess the major of this people not have the money to do real self insurance.

 

True...These are the guys claiming no problem I have a bank card or credit card...Or better still...I'm healthy 555

Dumb & Dumber

 

Like a person dumb enough to have a home made of wood but never buy fire insurance because you know he doesn't have any open flames or light anything

[thaibeachlovers]

On ‎3‎/‎23‎/‎2018 at 9:15 PM, samsensam said:

guess he'll have to borrow from family and friends. or get family/friends to take out a loan for him - there will be someone prepared to loan the money though the conditions of the loan may not be all that attractive, but...

 

as an adult you make a choice; risk taker or risk avoider, if you choose to take the risk you have to be prepared for the possible consequences.

and what happens if he doesn't have family or friends that will pay out? Isn't that what this OP is asking.

[HampiK]

1 hour ago, scubascuba3 said:

I've had private medical insurance in the UK for a long time, hospitals/consultants always bumping up the bill, offering ops when really they aren't required. Someone has to pay for this waste of money, plus I'm relatively healthy so far, so I'm not going to get private medical insurance in Thailand and help subsidise all the fatties with diabetes and other conditions

If you have the funds to pay for a bigger medical bill in an emergency then this is fine. But if you don't have the money then this is only wrong.

Almost every person who have to pay for big hospital bills were healthy persons before. I actually only know 1 person who was born with a disease which he never could go for a health insurance like that, because every would reject him or take out this sickness.

[thaibeachlovers]

13 hours ago, Sheryl said:

They will not let him out until he reaches some sort of payment agreement with them.

 

If he has no money and no job, he will just have to get one...and sell off whatever assets he can (cat, motorcycle, etc).  But how on earth would he have been  living in Thailand all this while with absolutely no money and no income?

What happens if he can't work in LOS, and has no assets worth anything? I have insurance, but can't work and have no assets worth anything, so what would happen to me if the insurance company wouldn't pay?

 

He may have enough to get a visa extension, and survive, but if he pays the hospital, he has no money to eat, let alone live here.

[LolaS]

5 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

What happens if he can't work in LOS, and has no assets worth anything? I have insurance, but can't work and have no assets worth anything, so what would happen to me if the insurance company wouldn't pay?

 

He may have enough to get a visa extension, and survive, but if he pays the hospital, he has no money to eat, let alone live here.

I suggest just going out of thailand. 

[mommysboy]

20 hours ago, Sheryl said:

They will not let him out until he reaches some sort of payment agreement with them.

 

If he has no money and no job, he will just have to get one...and sell off whatever assets he can (cat, motorcycle, etc).  But how on earth would he have been  living in Thailand all this while with absolutely no money and no income?

I suppose it's one of those circular arguments, but we do hear stories of people with very little money and no obvious occupation.  It's also not that easy for a farang to work without the required gumph- take teaching as an example.

 

So what happens if he really can't pay and there is no real chance he will be able to meet the bill?  perhaps it is one of those questions that simply can't be answered.

[The manic]

On 3/23/2018 at 9:09 PM, scubascuba3 said:

I wonder if they just make the bill up and add loads of padding. Ask for a full breakdown. Licence to print money these hospitals, the billing dept must have a good laugh. I'm sure they are taking advantage of sick people

 

 

No. Great service here in my experience compared to UK. One reason I live here. 

[Media1]

5 hours ago, The manic said:

No. Great service here in my experience compared to UK. One reason I live here. 

LOL extortion 

[luk AJ]

I suppose it's one of those circular arguments, but we do hear stories of people with very little money and no obvious occupation.  It's also not that easy for a farang to work without the required gumph- take teaching as an example.
 
So what happens if he really can't pay and there is no real chance he will be able to meet the bill?  perhaps it is one of those questions that simply can't be answered.

This sort of question can’t be answered because this kind of situation doesn’t exist. No hospital will let a bill go up to 500k without guarantee of some kind of payment.


Sent from my iPhone using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[Siam Bruce]

My Take on this - A non-government hospital in Thailand is a private company, the guys bill just becomes another “BAD Debt” which they either “Write Off” or pursue the claim in the courts.

I don’t think the Hospitals have any special claim on you over and above a normal company trying to recover a bad debt.

Over to the Lawyers in the Forum on this.

[samsensam]

On 30/03/2018 at 10:20 PM, The manic said:

No. Great service here in my experience compared to UK. One reason I live here. 

 

if i was seriously ill here or involved in an accident i'd choose the highly professional uk ambulance and air ambulance service over the well meaning, but in all honesty how well trained, volunteers in converted pick ups they use as ambulances here, and an NHS hospital over what is available here every time

[LolaS]

5 hours ago, Siam Bruce said:

My Take on this - A non-government hospital in Thailand is a private company, the guys bill just becomes another “BAD Debt” which they either “Write Off” or pursue the claim in the courts.

I don’t think the Hospitals have any special claim on you over and above a normal company trying to recover a bad debt.

Over to the Lawyers in the Forum on this.

Yes exactly, they dont have access to your bank account and properties in Europe or whenever you are... I dont understand what private hospital can do? not allow you to go??? 

[Sheryl]

1 hour ago, LolaS said:

Yes exactly, they dont have access to your bank account and properties in Europe or whenever you are... I dont understand what private hospital can do? not allow you to go??? 

They can indeed file a case against you and get you on a list of people who will be flagged in the immigration computer if/when they attempt to leave the country.

 

Now if he signs a payment agreement with them for gradual repay, they will not do that, so nothing to physically stop him from subsequently leaving the country wand defaulting on the payments. But he will then be blacklisted from returning to Thailand. i know someone in that exact circumstance.

[LolaS]

5 hours ago, Sheryl said:

They can indeed file a case against you and get you on a list of people who will be flagged in the immigration computer if/when they attempt to leave the country.

 

Now if he signs a payment agreement with them for gradual repay, they will not do that, so nothing to physically stop him from subsequently leaving the country wand defaulting on the payments. But he will then be blacklisted from returning to Thailand. i know someone in that exact circumstance.

but again, how that can stop them from leaving Thailand? Is it Thailand only country in the world where people can go?  Filing the case and then what will happen in court when you dont have any means to pay? plu case can be long for years.. what you will do by then? sit quitely? I dont understand this scaremongering.

 

[Letseng]

5 minutes ago, LolaS said:

but again, how that can stop them from leaving Thailand? Is it Thailand only country in the world where people can go?  Filing the case and then what will happen in court when you dont have any means to pay? plu case can be long for years.. what you will do by then? sit quitely? I dont understand this scaremongering.

 

What do they do in your country if you don't pay your bills ? 

[jackdd]

1 minute ago, LolaS said:

but again, how that can stop them from leaving Thailand? Is it Thailand only country in the world where people can go?  Filing the case and then what will happen in court when you dont have any means to pay? plu case can be long for years.. what you will do by then? sit quitely? I dont understand this scaremongering.

They file for a court order which prevents you from leaving Thailand. If this goes through while you are still in Thailand: They arrest you when you try to leave the country at a border and confiscate your passport. So it might happen that you have to stay in Thailand for the next few years because you can't leave.

[LolaS]

On 4/1/2018 at 8:21 PM, Letseng said:

What do they do in your country if you don't pay your bills ? 

hospital bills? never an issue

[LolaS]

On 4/1/2018 at 8:23 PM, jackdd said:

They file for a court order which prevents you from leaving Thailand. If this goes through while you are still in Thailand: They arrest you when you try to leave the country at a border and confiscate your passport. So it might happen that you have to stay in Thailand for the next few years because you can't leave.

do you have any evidence of that* how long court order take to take a place?

only thing is permanent ban, but I really doutb that will take it seriously for person who is injured or severly ill

[KrishnaCameb4Buddha]

Some policies don't bother stating alcohol blood levels.  They say under Exclusions 'if you have consumed alcohol prior to (the accident) this policy will not cover you'.  So you don't even have to be 'intoxicated' to not receive coverage.  If someone can prove you had had 'a drink' with dinner 'before' the accident, then you ain't covered.

And some accident policies, like the Bangkok Insurance Public Company Limited (aka Bangkok Insurance PCL) policy called Happy 45+ Personal Accident Policy says under Exclusions: “This insurance does not cover loss or injury while the insured is riding or traveling on a motorcycle."

 It's a decent 'accident only' policy costing about 6500 baht for 200,000 baht Medical/Hospital but it flat-out won't pay for a motorcycle accident if you are riding or traveling on one. 

Brokers selling these policies will try and convince you it will indeed cover your Medical/Hospital bills if riding/traveling on a motorcycle.  But read the policy carefully and read the Exclusions especially. 

Caveat Emptor.