British woman, 64, stranded in Thai hospital unless she can pay 450,000 THB for treatment

[Psimbo]

Son nam na.

 

Just out of interest I did a search for travel insurance for 14 days for someone her age. It ranged from 15 to 36 pounds.  The sum total of far call.

 

If people will not spend such a small amount of money to look after themselves sod 'em.

 

It's about time people were not allowed to board aircraft without demonstrating that they have taken adequate measures to protect themselves when abroad. Alternately- if people turn up at Immigration on arrival and can't show they have insurance introduce a Gov't scheme at B 1500 per person giving full coverage for 30 day visitors. I would also welcome a compulsory scheme for longer term stayers as well. (By the way I AM insured).

Edited January 30, 2019 by Psimbo

[Greyhat]

People are always very quick to judge in these situations but any one of us could easily make a mistake in life. Hindsight is a wonderful thing.

 

All the best to the family for what must be a very difficult time.

[Andrew65]

2 hours ago, Briggsy said:

Go fund me.      x

 

Loan.   

 

All those friends and family and nobody is prepared to loan this woman £10,000 instead they go to the local paper to assist in begging money from strangers. I understand that many Brits, used to the welfare state, travel abroad without insurance and expect others to pick up the tab but I don't have to like it. My mother is 86, regularly travels abroad and arranges insurance every time, which she has never used.  

I doubt that any of her friends or family have that much spare cash, or anything like it. Also, this isn't the first crowd-funding story on here for similar needs, and not just Brits.

[Baerboxer]

2 hours ago, Briggsy said:

Go fund me.      x

 

Loan.   

 

All those friends and family and nobody is prepared to loan this woman £10,000 instead they go to the local paper to assist in begging money from strangers. I understand that many Brits, used to the welfare state, travel abroad without insurance and expect others to pick up the tab but I don't have to like it. My mother is 86, regularly travels abroad and arranges insurance every time, which she has never used.  

 

Not just Brits. Many people, according to reports, from Western nations, don't bother with insurance. I guess they still think their currency is mega and Asian nations are all piss poor and cheap. Or there again, just don't bother thinking or are too mean to pay the small premium.

 

Crowd Funding has made begging and sponging off strangers fashionable. 

 

Her son lives in Thailand and should take responsibility for his mum.

[Baerboxer]

18 minutes ago, Greyhat said:

People are always very quick to judge in these situations but any one of us could easily make a mistake in life. Hindsight is a wonderful thing.

 

All the best to the family for what must be a very difficult time.

 

Not bothering with insurance when traveling several thousands of miles to a holiday destinations where medical facilities are charged for is hardly a mere mistake. It's a gamble and as with all gambles a risk that might not pay off!

[Briggsy]

6 minutes ago, Andrew65 said:

I doubt that any of her friends or family have that much spare cash, or anything like it. Also, this isn't the first crowd-funding story on here for similar needs, and not just Brits.

I bet they do have it. (Median household income in the UK is £27,300; middle-aged son can afford to live in Thailand; mother can afford to take a holiday here, they all have credit cards,.....) They just probably prefer to beg from strangers. I am British. I am familiar with British thinking. Many British believe first class health care must be available to them 24-7 anywhere in the world for free and that directly paying for doctors, hospital equipment and surgeries is scandalous.

[Greyhat]

2 minutes ago, Baerboxer said:

Not bothering with insurance when traveling several thousands of miles to a holiday destinations where medical facilities are charged for is hardly a mere mistake. It's a gamble and as with all gambles a risk that might not pay off!

Granted, but it's happened now and rather than jeer and condemn the poor lady I'd rather offer my sympathy and best wishes.

[salavan]

Another health insurance propergander gander post

[David Walden]

2 hours ago, Briggsy said:

Go fund me.      x

 

Loan.   

 

All those friends and family and nobody is prepared to loan this woman £10,000 instead they go to the local paper to assist in begging money from strangers. I understand that many Brits, used to the welfare state, travel abroad without insurance and expect others to pick up the tab but I don't have to like it. My mother is 86, regularly travels abroad and arranges insurance every time, which she has never used.  

One of the reasons older people do not have travel insurance is that often they have a heart condition or other ailments and take preventative medicines to reduce the risk of those problems.  The insurers will often use this information to refuse a claim if it happens  This indicates that the problem may be a pre-existing condition, not always.  Most travel insurance issued in Australia and perhaps the same in the UK is that if possible the insured just has to be repatriated you back to their home country so they can receive any corrective surgery under your home countries free health care system.  Read the fine print you will find it among the 60/70 pages.  The insurers, they will take the cheapest option.  If you are to sick to travel then they will have to do enough to get you home.  Like you break a hip and with a bit of treatment, you can travel home with an escort in a week or 2.  That's what they will do.  Their obligation stops the moment you arrive back in your home country. 

[steven100]

Treatment at any hospital in any country is not free.

Go fund me seems to be the norm now.

 

I am in need of a holiday, I was thinking about a cruise around Asia but I don't have the cash.

I will set up a go fund me ....   and I appreciate everyone's donation. ☺️

 

[khunJeroen]

it's the same every time. Why don't people have proper insurance when travelling abroad. 

[jacknorman]

go fund britain, its almost only british, and nearly every week

[jonclark]

44 minutes ago, Psimbo said:

 

It's about time people were not allowed to board aircraft without demonstrating that they have taken adequate measures to protect themselves when abroad. Alternately- if people turn up at Immigration on arrival and can't show they have insurance introduce a Gov't scheme at B 1500 per person giving full coverage for 30 day visitors. I would also welcome a compulsory scheme for longer term stayers as well. (By the way I AM insured).

 

The compulsory health insurance needs to be very carefully considered especially if it becomes a mandatory requirement. 

 

If you are over 60 health insurance becomes increasingly difficult and expensive as, well, the older you get the greater the risk of falling ill. And that risk is covered by the company to whom the premium is paid.  Additionally most insurance companies request that older people get a check up so the risk can be assessed, and the premium adjusted to compensate for any risk. 

 

If a a government sponsored scheme for a fee of 1'500 is introduced, without a health check (and its kinda hard with 32 million visitor per year to insist they all have a health check - imagine the queues at immigration! ) it makes very good sense to go on 'holiday' to Thailand just to use the health insurance that is mandatory (government sponsored??) to your entry, even if it is a relatively 'cheap procedure' the cumulative cost will soon outstrip the cost of the premiums for the country. And we need to remember that travel insurance would define this woman's condition as 'emergency medical care' , as it appears to be life threatening. 

 

The obvious answer it to exclude pre-existing conditions, and associated procedures, but does pre-existing translate into conditions that have not been diagnosed? Does it only cover cost up to a limit? Or treatment at a government hospital, Does it include repatriation costs as Thailand has a sadly high number of tourist deaths. It is not a simple make travel insurance mandatory situation.

 

I am sure the vast majority of people would take the insurance and not claim, they would rather enjoy their holiday, but given that Thailand is a medical tourism hub, many medical tourist would be looking at this and think why not lets put in a claim? 

[Myran]

24 minutes ago, Briggsy said:

I bet they do have it. (Median household income in the UK is £27,300; middle-aged son can afford to live in Thailand; mother can afford to take a holiday here, they all have credit cards,.....) They just probably prefer to beg from strangers. I am British. I am familiar with British thinking. Many British believe first class health care must be available to them 24-7 anywhere in the world for free and that directly paying for doctors, hospital equipment and surgeries is scandalous.

That's what rubs me the wrong way about the majority of these Go Fund Me's – they're not asking you to help Sandra get home or Bill to pay his surgery, but rather asking you to help avoid selling their cars, computers and whatnot to take care of their own family.

[realenglish1]

Sorry to all the bleeding hard liberals I will not be donating money She did not buy health insurance Under $100 per week stay for peace of mind,'

This is just irresponsible and now she wants us to pay NO WAY JOSE'

Why should I pay for someone else being irresponsible. I feel for her but No

 

[stanleycoin]

51 minutes ago, Greyhat said:

People are always very quick to judge in these situations but any one of us could easily make a mistake in life. Hindsight is a wonderful thing.

 

All the best to the family for what must be a very difficult time.

and how much did you donate ?

[mamypoko]

Hope that little bit helps.

Get well soon!

[stanleycoin]

28 minutes ago, jacknorman said:

go fund britain, its almost only british, and nearly every week

not true, last one was an Oz lady that i know of.

but i'm sure there are loads all over the world every day.

not just the uk

Edited January 30, 2019 by stanleycoin

[RichardColeman]

I imagine that even if she had of had insurance, there would have been a limit to how much the insurance company would have been happy to have been ripped off for.

[spermwhale]

Surely if you're traveling here you must have a credit card! How can people travel without one, especially at her age? How do they pay for hotels? flights? it makes no sense. Grifter. 

[indepth]

5 minutes ago, spermwhale said:

Surely if you're traveling here you must have a credit card! How can people travel without one, especially at her age? How do they pay for hotels? flights? it makes no sense. Grifter. 

I dont want a persons life at risk, i will be donating every last satang i have, if i can find it.

 

[overherebc]

5 minutes ago, spermwhale said:

Surely if you're traveling here you must have a credit card! How can people travel without one, especially at her age? How do they pay for hotels? flights? it makes no sense. Grifter. 

Carry cash? Risky, I know, but many do. (me? cash and card)

My wife always gets insurance for both of us going to UK every year or wherever we go.

[madmitch]

2 hours ago, mercman24 said:

its not that they want to stay in a private hospital, they are generally taken there by taxi drivers who are in cahoots with the hospital and get a kickback, most tourists do not know of this, my friend, got taken to Pattaya Bangkok Hospital, despite me telling him otherwise. (thats where you end up if you go by taxi), he was cajold by the staff to stay in a private room. it was *oh you dont want to stay in a general ward with the riff raff basically. ok room very nice a bed where a guest could stay fridge etc, but he did not need any of these things, his 3 days cost his insurance company a fortune. i think they see you have health insurance and the bill gets doubled, just scammers, like everything in this country, for instance the 180,000 for a triple bypass. was the realistic bill, i bet that would be near a million anywhere else. still the UK is no different, when they hear BUPA their eyes light up, my knee scan years ago was double the normal rate

The room rate is generaly a minor part of the bill.. The medicine is the one you need to look out for.

 

I think there must be a special page on Go Fund Me just for Thai  hospital treatment. About time some of the locals cashed in.

[BobbyL]

Stopped reading or caring after this - 

 

Because Barbara was only visiting Thailand for a short holiday, she did not take out insurance for her trip.

[Christophers200]

2 hours ago, The Stranger said:

BTW Thailand should ascertain that tourists have a travel insurance before entering the Kingdom

1

 The same could be said about Australia, Europe, the USA etc.

[legend49]

2 hours ago, mercman24 said:

its not that they want to stay in a private hospital, they are generally taken there by taxi drivers who are in cahoots with the hospital and get a kickback, most tourists do not know of this, my friend, got taken to Pattaya Bangkok Hospital, despite me telling him otherwise. (thats where you end up if you go by taxi), he was cajold by the staff to stay in a private room. it was *oh you dont want to stay in a general ward with the riff raff basically. ok room very nice a bed where a guest could stay fridge etc, but he did not need any of these things, his 3 days cost his insurance company a fortune. i think they see you have health insurance and the bill gets doubled, just scammers, like everything in this country, for instance the 180,000 for a triple bypass. was the realistic bill, i bet that would be near a million anywhere else. still the UK is no different, when they hear BUPA their eyes light up, my knee scan years ago was double the normal rate

Same hospital group I recently had a broken ankle bone. Wow the art of selling tests and treatments you dont need goes on and on $$$$$$$$$$

[Johnnyy]

Unless you have a stack of pre-existing conditions, a premium is only going to cost around £50. There really is no excuse for not taking out a policy. 

I only travel once a year so as soon as I buy the ticket it’s insurance next. 

If you are a regular then get an annual one.

Hope the lady gets it all sorted.

[Skallywag]

Son has a job doesnt he?  $14,000 U.S. is not a lot - I paid more than that for my mother when she got sick and had to go into a long term care facility 12 years ago

[legend49]

Just now, Johnnyy said:

Unless you have a stack of pre-existing conditions, a premium is only going to cost around £50. There really is no excuse for not taking out a policy. 

I only travel once a year so as soon as I buy the ticket it’s insurance next. 

If you are a regular then get an annual one.

Hope the lady gets it all sorted.

50 pounds what insurance company. I use a global French company to travel to Russia for 4 weeks, looking at $200.

[Johnnyy]

50 pounds what insurance company. I use a global French company to travel to Russia for 4 weeks, looking at $200.

InsureandGo. Destination may vary of course.