What was your biggest medical bill and why?

[scubascuba3]

I'm interested in what kind of bills people are paying from relatively minor things to serious ops.

 

I currently have travel insurance but can self insure as back up. I'm toying with what to do in the future

[dabhand]

Some five years back I had a bout of dengue fever (hemorrhagic) which meant I was laid up in Bangkok Pattaya hospital for 4 nights. Total cost was about Bt70k but I was covered, at that time, by a company paid Bupa policy. 

 

I have been covered by company paid insurance ever since I started working overseas - nearly 40 years in total. That was the most expensive treatment that I needed to be settled, so the various insurance providers have made a small fortune out of me (the yearly charge in the final years was approx. Stg2,300). The company coverage stopped in 2015 as I went part time and now stump up for Aetna coverage.

I did think about self insuring but, sods law, after a working life of minimal medical issues, my luck would eventually give out!!

[lovelomsak]

I went to Bumrangrad for years and they took good care of me. But the urologist told me to get a urologist nearer my home. 

  So I went to a private hospital in muang Petchebun.  I believe it is called Petchbuum or some thing similar not really sure of name but biggest private in the city.I just wanted to register give all my info from Bumrangard to the urologist and tell him I would be his new patient.

   Theyput the needle thing in my hand so if they had to give me meds just put in it at a cost of course there was no need to do that just a money grab.The doctor then said oh I need an tests done. When all was done 2 hours later I was charged 18,000 baht no written description or analyse of what they found just 18,000 for the pleasure of coming to meet the doctor. They also wanted to sell me 1,800 baht of meds. why I do not know. The top urologist at Bumrangrad never did that. Bumrangrad gave meds only when I had infections.and they were cheap.

  The 18,000 at the Petchebun private hospital  for one visit was just about 4 times what any visit I had at Bumrangrad. I never paid more than 4,500 to Bumrangrad for a visit and they did lots of tests and probes. 

  People say Bumrangrad is expensive because it is international  but I found it cheaper than private hospitals in our area. 

  The private hospital in Petchebun was just a rip off.

[bumofdabeach]

I live up north and just had a large cancer removed from my face. First I went to a private hospital and they quoted me between 100 and 150k thb. The doctor I went to see there informed me she worked fulltime at the government hospital just down the street. The next day I saw her at the Buddhist hospital she set surgery for two days later I had the surgery and was relieved when I went down to pay my 9100 thb. Follow up visits cost 50thb each.

Sent from my SM-J250F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[simoh1490]

Bumrungrad, 2011, bare metal stent, 176K, it was on special, really!

[yankee99]

arthroscopic shoulder surgery at samitivej 475,000

[Kerryd]

Couple years ago I needed surgery for a torn rotator cuff injury.

 

2 nights in the hospital (Bangkok-Pattaya Hospital), surgery for the rotator cuff and to remove a small bone spur that was aggravating the initial injury. Total - 300,000 baht. (Not including the costs I'd paid over the previous month when they had me doing physio and getting cortisone shots that did absolutely nothing.)
 

I didn't remember that I had bought coverage from Bangkok Bank but the bank reminded me about it when I went to get a cashier's cheque to pay for the operation.

 

Insurance ended up covering 160,000 of the costs. If I'd remembered I had it and used it (when the hospital first told me how much it was going to cost) they may have covered it all (or they should have covered it all). 

I'd been expecting to pay the full cost so when it turned out I was only going to have to cover less than half I was somewhat relieved.

 

[lopburi3]

Below at mid and upper price private hospitals.  Don't even try to self insure if you are at an age/condition to obtain valid insurance.  Below were without any complications - prices can get very high if there are. 

 

In my experience would not want to depend on using cheaper government hospital as had required operation canceled on operating room table due no ICU available and told would be 3-5 months before a new queue available.

 

Cataracts removed/single vision lens - 100k (4 years ago)

Thyroid removed - 100k (5 years ago)

2 plain stents - 360k (5 years ago)

Radical cystectomy w/ileal (cancer) - 1m (about 80k at gov hospital if queue available) (2 years ago)

Urethra removal (cancer) - 220k (current)

Skin cancer removals by plastic surgeon in range 25-35k each

 

[wwest5829]

At 71 and having 5 by-passes in 2005 (US insurance covered), I found insurance here would exclude my biggest risk (anything related to heart or circulation). In 2015 after retiring to Thailand lI had a heart attack necessitating placement of a stent and 2 additional angioplasties. At the end of the week, I had a bonus of a minor stroke from poking around the heart. Total cost here in Chiang Mai was 411,000.00 baht (about $11,000.00). Found out that I have a retiree Seniors policy that will pay up to $5000.00 annually for overseas care. So, 6K was my coat. Meds run about 3200 baht a month over the counter. One of the reasons for retiring here was the availability of world class medical care at reasonable cost.

[chrissables]

Cataract op in Pattaya, 50k, totally f#$ked up. Follow up ops to try and repair 750k!

 

Hospitals need to be responsible for the doctors who do wrong.

Edited October 10, 2018 by chrissables

[wwest5829]

Skidded over on the motorbike at low speed and “sandpapered” myself out on Chiang Mai’s 3rd ring road (Route 121). Policeman was there quickly, as well as, an ambulance to take me to the closest community hospital (Doi Saket). They cleaned the wounds (looked like a partial mummy), gave me tetanus shot, meds and the ambulance took me home. Total cost = $10.00.

[wwest5829]

2016 went to Rutnin Eye Hospital in Bangkok. I had worn glasses since 5th grade in school. Natural lens removed, prescription lens installed = no glasses needed (OK, for reading, close work). $1800.00 perveye. My US Seniors policy paid the total.

[connda]

Inguinal hernia repair.  Maharaj Hospital Chiang Mai.  3 nights in a private room and surgery with mesh.  18K THB.  If you're paying out of pocket, government hospitals are the way to go.  You just have to have a little patience. 

[SweatySock]

February 2018, 300k at Srinakharin Hospital (Government), Khon Kaen. Cervical Myelopathy, 3 nights in hospital. Excellent medical care (although the food left a lot to be desired.) Was quoted 400k+ at Bangkok Hospital (Private) in Udon Thani.

[soisanuk]

Prostate Cancer - Radiation treatment - MRI & CAT for setting up computer program plus 26 radiation treatments - done at Wattanasoth Cancer Hospital in Bangkok (part of Bangkok Hospital Group) - 600,000 baht - 85% (outpatient coverage) direct billed to my health insurance - guarantee obtained in advance.

 

Ischemic Stroke - 265,000baht (clot busting medicine - 2 doses were 50,000 baht each and need to be injected within 3 hours of the stroke) - treated at Bangkok Hospital Pattaya - fortunately fully covered by my US health insurance who were billed direct by hospital - but initially had to put up deposit until they received "guarantee" of insurance coverage (BHP had me sign a credit card charge for the deposit, use it to "block" that amount on my credit card, and when they received the guarantee, tore up the credit card slips and removed the "block" on my credit card - deposit was around 150,000 as I recall).

 

Cataract surgery at BHP, both eyes, 169,000 baht - one night in hospital -- mono focal lenses. 

 

 

[klauskunkel]

March 2018, pneumonia, 6 nights at Bangkok Hospital, 250,000 bt (mostly for antibiotics)

[mentalcolonization]

Headache and stomachache = 20 thb plus pills

[Chicken George]

Total knee replacement in the Bangkok hospital Bangkok.. Set price 270,000 baht. Discount of 40k because Im living here . Its Expat duscount. Not a lot of people know that... I paid for a upmarket implant which gives more movement and an extra 40k.. Lol

No insurance paid myself.. Worth every penny. That was jyst over four months ago. Im cycling 26k tfour times a week. Swimming 8k a week over four days and using the gym about five hrs a week.. Hip and Knee department Bangkok Hospital. 

Rooms fantadtic nursing Care second to none.

[camble]

I had a full gastrectomy for a hemorrhaging stomach at Bangkok Hospital Medical Center.  I arrived at the ER in an ambulance, throwing up blood, the hospital had arranged a motorcycle police escort.  Spent two weeks (including 3 days in the ICU) getting soapies from awesome nurses.  Full bill was 1.6 Million, including discount.

[Henricus]

March this year,Bangkok Pattaya Hospital, i had 6 stents, 1 week in ICU cost 1.221.000 THB

[London Boy]

฿300,000 for surgical repair of a torn plantar plate in my foot. 1 night stay at BNH hospital. The surgeon had trained at Bristol hospital and spoke flawless english. The whole experience at the hospital was top notch. It was covered by my travel insurance but when I went to renew the policy they said they would no longer cover any related bills as it’s now a pre existing injury. So paid for the physiotherapy myself which worked out at £520. Still worth it in my opinion. 

[The Fugitive]

Loss of consciousness due to low blood sugar whilst in waiting room at Khon Kaen Regional Government Hospital. Very good and attentive treatment. Oxygen administered, blood samples, vital signs and ECG, chest X-ray and drip inserted into arm. Saw 4 Doctors! Cost 810 baht.

[CGW]

860 Baht for medical to get extension driving license, wasted as they stated not needed! ???? 

[simon43]

Some serious illnesses/medical emergencies mentioned ==> heart attacks, stroke, cataracts etc....

 

I'd be interested to know how old you were when you had these medical conditions ocurred.

[Tchooptip]

4 hours ago, soisanuk said:

Prostate Cancer - Radiation treatment - MRI & CAT for setting up computer program plus 26 radiation treatments - done at Wattanasoth Cancer Hospital in Bangkok (part of Bangkok Hospital Group) - 600,000 baht - 85% (outpatient coverage) direct billed to my health insurance - guarantee obtained in advance.

 

Ischemic Stroke - 265,000baht (clot busting medicine - 2 doses were 50,000 baht each and need to be injected within 3 hours of the stroke) - treated at Bangkok Hospital Pattaya - fortunately fully covered by my US health insurance who were billed direct by hospital - but initially had to put up deposit until they received "guarantee" of insurance coverage (BHP had me sign a credit card charge for the deposit, use it to "block" that amount on my credit card, and when they received the guarantee, tore up the credit card slips and removed the "block" on my credit card - deposit was around 150,000 as I recall).

 

Cataract surgery at BHP, both eyes, 169,000 baht - one night in hospital -- mono focal lenses. 

 

 

Both eyes for cataract the same day?

[lopburi3]

13 minutes ago, simon43 said:

Some serious illnesses/medical emergencies mentioned ==> heart attacks, stroke, cataracts etc....

 

I'd be interested to know how old you were when you had these medical conditions ocurred.

For mine current age is 76 so all but skin cancers after age 70.

[abrahamzvi]

The biggest medical bill was from Bangkok Hospital Pattaya. It was in respect of a broken hip operation with a 14 days stay in a first class room. It totalled some 1,2 Million Baht. It wasn't cheap but fr the first class treatment I received it was worth it, and probably less than I would have paid in Europe or the US.

[giddyup]

Gall bladder removal (keyhole) at Bkk/Pattaya hospital, included 3 night stay, 220,000 baht. Surgery and aftercare, excellent.

[wgdanson]

5 hours ago, Kerryd said:

bought coverage from Bangkok Bank

Please tell me more

[giddyup]

1 minute ago, wgdanson said:

Please tell me more

Accident insurance.