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

[wgdanson]

8 hours ago, roadrunner32 said:

I'm already at home and it's here in LOS. Why don't you try to stay at home yourself?

And do you have health insurance here?

[Briggsy]

9 hours ago, Catoni said:

i'm curious as to what insurance company would cover an 86 year old person.

Saga.

[wgdanson]

2 hours ago, superal said:

I reckon where your thinking is wrong is that if there were such a mandatory health insurance it would only cover emergency treatment and not mundane claims . Plus the patients medical history could / should be able to be accessed by the Thai medical team to reveal previous and current ailments .

Have to say that whilst I do not condone this womans actions as the insurance premiums were low and only a fraction of her travel costs , I bet that the majority of TVF members do not carry health insurance as the premiums are beyond their budget . Their thinking  has been told to me by saying that smaller medical treatment is affordable but in the case of something major it would be a return to their home land for , in the case of a UK ex pat , NHS treatment . But I have also heard that if you are out of the UK for more than 2 years you lose the right to treatment.

I think you will find it is a lot less than 2 years....six months if my memory serves me. There was a thread about this recently.

[ChrisKC]

11 hours ago, wgdanson said:

Local doctor had an X Ray machine?

Yes he has an Xray machine. How could I have an Xray there if not? My (ex) local Doctors clinic in Loi Kroh, Chiang Mai has had one for 15 years!

[wgdanson]

8 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

I wish you a smooth and successful Operation, a speedy recovery and an enjoyable return to Thailand.... 

 

I think its pretty obvious that you are one of those who takes full responsibility for themselves - I hope your insurance holds up to their comments. 

 

Question (To anyone who may know): Does the retirement Visa entitle retirees to govournment medical care in Thailand? or does that fall under being in a yellow house book etc? (I'm still way too young for retirement, but it would be interesting to know and perhaps helpful to others).

No, retirement EXTENSION does not, nor does a Yellow Book.

[puukao]

great.  so she can just stay at the hospital forever?  if they won't let her leave, she will get free food and bed.

 

most people have insurance, but don't have common sense, love hookers, beer, and complaining while they live on little money and have a bad life.  and then they lose more money marrying someone who hates them, so they love to yell at those without insurance.  those that throw stones.....

 

 

[The Stranger]

She was traveling from the UK to visit her son in Thailand for a holiday no? So she's not an expat and she was a stupid bint not to buy insurance in the UK prior to her departure. Tried to save a few quid down to the negligence of herself thinking oh ill be okay and now begging random people to help pay her bills. 

That was exactly my point.

Sent from my CPH1823 using Tapatalk

[David Walden]

9 hours ago, Catoni said:

   I'm 67, and discovered I need quadruple heart by-pass surgery.  My insurance company told me they require me to stay in country, (Canada) and not travel back to southeast Asia.  

    They will not cover me out of country with this condition.

     They told me that there are three conditions for them to cover me out of country.  If I complete the three conditions, they will cover me as before with no increase of premium.

1. I must get the by-pass surgery

2. It must be successful   (obviously)

3. Following the heart bypass surgery and the healing recovery weeks, I must be stable for a minimum of 90 days according to my surgeon and cardiologist.

   

  All three conditions must be met..  and then they will again be happy to cover me for out of country as previously with no increase of premium cost,  and I can return to southeast Asia. 

Sorry but you are really asking the insurance company for two to one odds in a one-horse race.  I'm not sure I like any travel insurance companies but asking them to give you Cartblanc cover for maybe $500 premium for an almost certain claim of up to $100,000 for triple by-pass surgery in a private hospital in Thailand or a $50,000 medi-evac ambulance trip home is just unrealistic.  It is reasonable to assume that Travel Insurance companies only like to take odds of at least one hundred to one in their favor.  Even if you did go along with the Insurance compies requirements there would likely still be a loading on the premium that you could not afford...sorry

[josephbloggs]

2 hours ago, mickyboy said:

The girl jumped swimming pool broke her neck boy today 17 English killed motorbike this women plus the others pay £500 for plane ticket and spending money on top but no insurance their selfish behaviour taken go fund me money from someone who could done more with that money rant over 

Is Go Fund Me really that hard to understand for people???  It doesn't "take money" from anyone.  It especially doesn't take money from people who could do more with it.

 

Why do people keep saying these outrageous and, let's be honest, quite stupid things?  Go Fund Me is a request.  It doesn't come and steal your money.  If you want to contribute to a campaign you can.  If you don't want to then you don't.  When I see Go Fund Me campaigns I usually don't even bother clicking on them, therefore it is irrelevant to me, and it is irrelevant to you.  Occasionally I see something that moves me and I'll contribute.  Someone getting injured in Thailand generally doesn't move me so I ignore it and go on with my day.  Go Fund Me is not lurking outside my front door ready to mug me.

[stanleycoin]

43 minutes ago, puukao said:

great.  so she can just stay at the hospital forever?  if they won't let her leave, she will get free food and bed.

 

most people have insurance, but don't have common sense, love hookers, beer, and complaining while they live on little money and have a bad life.  and then they lose more money marrying someone who hates them, so they love to yell at those without insurance.  those that throw stones.....

 

 

It's yellow pill today, not the green one. 

 

[puukao]

I will create a gofundme page for people without insurance.  Now, will you help these people?  NO.  But you will yell at them afterwards for being "stupid," according to your expert knowledge.

 

Maybe, for once in your life, go help a poor Thai or someone who could use your money.  Oh, going to the bar and buy another beer???  Oh, not your problem?  But you sure like to complain about it.... lol.... maybe projecting how you were never cared for by others.  lol

 

exactly.  

[norfolkandchance]

2 hours ago, n210mp said:

Thanks for that but cannot open the site.

Journeyman.com

Failed to load page content

Journeyman-services.com

[David Walden]

11 hours ago, Letseng said:

Go to www.journeyman.com.

I'm over 70, husband is 74, we pay +- 135£ for a one year policy with trips up to 90 days.

 

2

I'm 77y/o and by the grace of God I'm in quite good health but NO travel insurance, it is not available to me (mostly or a very heavy loading)  I live most of my time in Thailand with regular trips back to Australia, that keeps my residency in Australia current.  The Australian almost free Medicare, Immigration and Centrelink sites are linked).  I also I did have Medibank Private cover for over 30 years, that also gets suspended the moment you leave Aus as that is only good if you qualify for the free Govt Medicare cover as well which I don't because I'm out of the country, so I canceled.  I have put in a special fund money so that if I have a medical problem in Thailand my oldest daughter will hop on a plane from Perth and come to my assistance or even my estranged wife would come as being still married to her (but separated) she will have legal control to assist me, my daughter will also is also authorized to act for me.  This issue is a big problem for people sick or injured whilst traveling alone overseas.  If I break a leg, well get I'll the local hospital to fix it up enough so I can catch a plane home with my daughter or estranged wife (they both have a plan just in case) or just get a lovely Thai girl nurse to assist me. (good option).  My Aus free Medicare Cover will now be reinstated the moment I arrive home in Aus.  When you take out travel insurance and are sick or have an accident that is all the insurance companies agree to do for Australians anyway.  If you have any level of medical coverage it will be the same.  Only essential ongoing medical treatment is provided overseas, and simple recovery treatment must be done back in Aus.  If there is any way the insurance company can get you back to Aus so you can get the free Aus Medicare treatment that's all they are required to do, legally.  It tells you all that in the fine print of the travel insurance policy...read it.

[jamesmith]

Those people make the Thai Government to have tough regulation for us living and travelling in Thailand. If this thing keeps happening in Thailand, the Thai Government will make a law that foreigners need insurance to be in Thailand , for travelers are ok, but for a lot old age people want to live here to retire will be difficult to get insurance after age 65

 

[Catoni]

2 hours ago, Briggsy said:

Saga.

Nice...  but their website says...quote: "Saga only covers round trips that start in and return to the United Kingdom."

   Well....  I live in Canada and I've never been to the United Kingdom. I fly to southeast Asia from Toronto, Canada.... with stop-overs in Hong Kong or Shanghai before flying on to Cambodia or Thailand. 

     I think SAGA is for citizens of the United Kingdom only.   

I tried to get a quote..just for interest's sake.... but got this message:  "Thank you for your interest in Saga Travel Insurance.

Unfortunately, an error has occurred while processing your quotation."

 

   I'm going to guess their insurance would be very very expensive....  which is just fine if you're in the champagne and caviar moneyed crowd... 

  

[HAKAPALITA]

When i came here it was simple. Holiday Folk, Offshore Folks having a Ball and Genuine Retired /Married Folk. Border Bouncers/ E Beggars were a rarity.Now they even post on TV.????[emoji481]


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

[Catoni]

1 hour ago, David Walden said:

Sorry but you are really asking the insurance company for two to one odds in a one-horse race.  I'm not sure I like any travel insurance companies but asking them to give you Cartblanc cover for maybe $500 premium for an almost certain claim of up to $100,000 for triple by-pass surgery in a private hospital in Thailand or a $50,000 medi-evac ambulance trip home is just unrealistic.  It is reasonable to assume that Travel Insurance companies only like to take odds of at least one hundred to one in their favor.  Even if you did go along with the Insurance compies requirements there would likely still be a loading on the premium that you could not afford...sorry

       Did you read my post carefully?  I'm in my country of Canada.  I have coverage with both government OHIP protection, and with my private Greenshield Health Insurance.   (NOT travel insurance) .. which I've paid into all my working life for forty years......  Now I'm retired and 67 and need quadruple bypass.  

   After all the taxes I've paid all these years for government OHIP coverage.. and all the premiums I've paid for private health care coverage all these years... they damn well better cover my quadruple bypass surgery....  If they don't... then they're no better than an organized criminal theft organization...    Happy to take all my money over the years with nothing in return for me when the time comes I need the help ? ?   Really ? ?

     <deleted> ? ! ? ! ? 

 

    I am not getting it done in Thailand. (Where did you get that idea?)   

  I said....  (repeat):....

 

 I'm 67, and discovered I need quadruple heart by-pass surgery.  My insurance company told me they require me to stay in country, (Canada) and not travel back to southeast Asia.  

    They will not cover me out of country with this condition.

     They told me that there are three conditions for them to cover me out of country.  If I complete the three conditions, they will cover me as before with no increase of premium.

1. I must get the by-pass surgery

2. It must be successful   (obviously)

3. Following the heart bypass surgery and the healing recovery weeks, I must be stable for a minimum of 90 days according to my surgeon and cardiologist.

   

  All three conditions must be met..  and then they will again be happy to cover me for out of country as previously with no increase of premium cost,  and I can return to southeast Asia.

 

   I said nothing of getting this done in a private hospital in Thailand.  Please read more carefully.....

[Briggsy]

1 hour ago, Catoni said:

Nice...  but their website says...quote: "Saga only covers round trips that start in and return to the United Kingdom."

   Well....  I live in Canada and I've never been to the United Kingdom. I fly to southeast Asia from Toronto, Canada.... with stop-overs in Hong Kong or Shanghai before flying on to Cambodia or Thailand. 

     I think SAGA is for citizens of the United Kingdom only.   

I tried to get a quote..just for interest's sake.... but got this message:  "Thank you for your interest in Saga Travel Insurance.

Unfortunately, an error has occurred while processing your quotation."

 

   I'm going to guess their insurance would be very very expensive....  which is just fine if you're in the champagne and caviar moneyed crowd... 

  

This travel insurance for older citizens is very affordable. I am British. My mum is British. I am sorry you are Canadian. You seem angry about that. I cannot help you further.

[Redline]

Seems she got the “foreign” price

[Kasset Tak]

Just to compare price:
My sister was stung by a jellyfish in HuaHin and went to a private hospital, saw the doctor, got medication and paid about 3500 Baht for the treatment. 3 days later she she came up north to were I live and complained about the pain not getting any better. So, a quick visit to the local government hospital, cleaning the wound, new creams and a bunch of other medicine and the pain was gone within 30 minutes... 300 Baht.
Another friend ended up at the same hospital with arrhythmia (he has a heart problem and ran out of his meds while in Thailand...), over night EKG observation in ICU and other tests, medication (with express delivery from Phitsanulok as the hospital didn't have his medicine in stock) and everything else left him with a staggering bill... 275 Baht.
I have psoriasis, and at the local government hospital I pay 300Baht for seeing the doctor and get a month worth of meds. But being stupid I listened to recommendations and went to a private hospital in Bangkok, it was 3000 to see the doctor and 3000 for the meds... it was the same meds as I get when I pay 300 at the local government hospital!!!

[David Walden]

3 hours ago, Catoni said:

       Did you read my post carefully?  I'm in my country of Canada.  I have coverage with both government OHIP protection, and with my private Greenshield Health Insurance.   (NOT travel insurance) .. which I've paid into all my working life for forty years......  Now I'm retired and 67 and need quadruple bypass.  

   After all the taxes I've paid all these years for government OHIP coverage.. and all the premiums I've paid for private health care coverage all these years... they damn well better cover my quadruple bypass surgery....  If they don't... then they're no better than an organized criminal theft organization...    Happy to take all my money over the years with nothing in return for me when the time comes I need the help ? ?   Really ? ?

     <deleted> ? ! ? ! ? 

 

    I am not getting it done in Thailand. (Where did you get that idea?)   

  I said....  (repeat):....

 

 I'm 67, and discovered I need quadruple heart by-pass surgery.  My insurance company told me they require me to stay in country, (Canada) and not travel back to southeast Asia.  

    They will not cover me out of country with this condition.

     They told me that there are three conditions for them to cover me out of country.  If I complete the three conditions, they will cover me as before with no increase of premium.

1. I must get the by-pass surgery

2. It must be successful   (obviously)

3. Following the heart bypass surgery and the healing recovery weeks, I must be stable for a minimum of 90 days according to my surgeon and cardiologist.

   

  All three conditions must be met..  and then they will again be happy to cover me for out of country as previously with no increase of premium cost,  and I can return to southeast Asia.

 

   I said nothing of getting this done in a private hospital in Thailand.  Please read more carefully.....

Sorry, but I did think these posts were about having emergency insurance treatment in regard to accident or sickness matters in Thailand...the last time I heard Thailand was in S/E Asia.

[SoonOh]

 

 

I sprained my ankle few day prior to departure and I requested a wheelchair from the airplane to Bangkok Immigration. I did not expect and questions by Thai Immigration 

Immigration officer at Bangkok International asked me for my medical insurance. Yes. I had copy with my flight itinerary.

 

I do not have any medical condition, but I never travel without medical and life insurance. 

 

 

[steven100]

2 hours ago, Kasset Tak said:

(with express delivery from Phitsanulok as the hospital didn't have his medicine in stock)

That Phitsanulok region is such a great place to live .... 

[Catoni]

7 hours ago, David Walden said:

Sorry, but I did think these posts were about having emergency insurance treatment in regard to accident or sickness matters in Thailand...the last time I heard Thailand was in S/E Asia.

There are also posts here from others about insurance coverage from other countries. Like the insurance someone gets in Great Britain to cover them in Thailand as someone else posted. That post, like mine, was still on the topic of having insurance coverage or not having insurance coverage for cases. 

    I was merely tossing in information about how my insurance won’t cover me in Thailand or Cambodia right now due to a serious operation I require first. 

     You didn’t read carefully. But never mind. 

[Too young to be old]

On 1/30/2019 at 4:04 AM, 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 live in the Uk with my Thai wife and everytime she goes to Thailand I take out travel insurance for her. The chances of, falling down stairs, being run over, on the road or pavement, being bitten by a dog, eating something dodgy, being wacked over the head or just falling ill are all possibiliies. For less than £20 you can get good cover.

[mommysboy]

On 1/30/2019 at 11:04 AM, 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.  

It says that part of the cost has already been covered, but this is for additional expenses.  Maybe the family are now out of cash. Good for your mum- that's the sensible way.  I think these people don't have a bad attitude as you imply, but are simply feckless, and because of the way the health system in the UK is organized the idea of health insurance is perhaps puzzling.  But you go ahead with Brit bashing based on your Kane and Abel myth.

[The Preacher]

On 1/30/2019 at 11:43 AM, darksidedog said:

This situation with crowd funding is getting ridiculous. It seems almost every day there is another one. Do people who come here check nothing about where they are going before they jump on a plane. Traveling anywhere overseas, especially Thailand, without good insurance is stupid and plain wrong.

I have been giving this crowd funding thing a lot of thought lately.  I am thinking about concocting a cock and bull story about how the stronger baht has reduced fixed income to the point I can no longer afford to smoke Cuban cigars, drink single malt scotch, eat grain-fed Australian beef and run the air conditioner 24/7.  I wonder if people would send me money?  It night be worth a try.  Any ideas on this?

[essox essox]

On 1/30/2019 at 11:04 AM, 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.  

if she is 86 what premium does she pay for travel insurance??

some friends of mine in their 70's stopped comning to Thailand as the costs were very high....

[balo]

THis could easily be a scam operation , do not donate unless you are sure about she is ill , make someone in the area visit her hospital. It has happened before. 

 

If it's not a scam I wish her a speedy recovery. 

 

 

[David Walden]

13 hours ago, Catoni said:

There are also posts here from others about insurance coverage from other countries. Like the insurance someone gets in Great Britain to cover them in Thailand as someone else posted. That post, like mine, was still on the topic of having insurance coverage or not having insurance coverage for cases. 

    I was merely tossing in information about how my insurance won’t cover me in Thailand or Cambodia right now due to a serious operation I require first. 

     You didn’t read carefully. But never mind. 

It's the same in Australia we have Medicare, the almost free hospital and medical cover available to all in Aus.  And/or private top up you pay extra for so you can elect to have surgery done when it's convenient for you, something you can't jump the queue, if and when you go through immigration to leave Aus it is all automatically suspended with a link to Centrelink (SS).  Travel insurance is not a good substitute for this universal health cover when overseas from Aus especially if you are older.  At home, you are covered for everything.  No pre-conditions in your Medicare cover and a 12-month lead-in for private health cover top up.  9 months for having a baby, for ladies only (that figures).

   In my experience of friends who have had bypass heart surgery most have had considerable evidence in the months or years leading up to their condition that things were becoming troublesome.  i.e. Very high blood pressure, taking blood thinning medication, cholesterol reducing medication, frequent visits to the doctor to monitor their condition.  It may well be that people are at risk when traveling and just go anyway and hope for the best outcome. (you are unlikely to get travel insurance to cover you at any price). Lots of unanswered question there.     There are some exceptions like a friend on his 60th birthday his kids paid for a tandem parachute jump from a plane as a present.  He just loved it talked about doing it for years.  The excitement was so great he had a heart attack when he landed and 3 weeks later had triple bypass surgery, still with us...nice bloke