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Claim centres to track down tourists who skip hospital bills


webfact

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When you compare it to the supposed 800,000 unpaid fines for whatever offenses that local people and others chose to ignore, at say 500 baht each...

(Some obviously more)

 

400 million baht... Its peanuts. 

 

But nice beat up on the tourists again. 

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3 hours ago, ChipButty said:

Your lying there half dead on the trolley and the first words, How do you want to pay?

My Uncle was having a heart attack, brought to the hospital he was put in a wheelchair and immediately wheeled to ... the desk to fill out insurance forms ... that was in the 1970s in the U.S.

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"FOREIGN TOURISTS failed to pay a combined Bt300 million in medical bills after receiving treatment in state hospitals last year, prompting the government to set up “claim centres” to collect what’s due." 

 

This looks like a wonderful business opportunity for a competent bill collector.  If it were me, I would hire a few unemployed Muay Thai fighters, and have them dress and act professionally.  Then give them a list of the people who owe money to the hospitals, and simply have them convince these people how it would be in their best interest in paying what they owe pronto. ????

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I would welcome Thailand developing affordable medical coverage based on Thai costs for long term residents on retirement Visa extensions. I am priced out of the "free market" insurance due to price, plus pre-existing conditions being excluded for coverage.

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11 minutes ago, DLock said:

 

You know you can leave any time and go to <insert country here>, right?

 

If you are not happy and can't afford to live here, feel free to leave and enjoy quality free healthcare in <insert country here>.

many a retiree, whether by disability or age,

are not fit to leave, unfortunately

Edited by brokenbone
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3 minutes ago, CMNightRider said:

"FOREIGN TOURISTS failed to pay a combined Bt300 million in medical bills after receiving treatment in state hospitals last year, prompting the government to set up “claim centres” to collect what’s due." 

 

This looks like a wonderful business opportunity for a competent bill collector.  If it were me, I would hire a few unemployed Muay Thai fighters, and have them dress and act professionally.  Then give them a list of the people who owe money to the hospitals, and simply have them convince these people how it would be in their best interest in paying what they owe pronto. ????

I'm thinking that many of the debtors have either left or will be forced out by the new enforcement of income for marriage/retirement extensions.

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3 hours ago, YetAnother said:

i see, so expats without insurance, many of whom won't know this new requirement beforehand , will be turned away and die at the front-door of the hospital; nice look for thailand

Last time i was admitted to Pattaya public hospital acute pancreatitis,  i was required to put 50,000 baht cash downpayment. 

They explained that they don't take credit cards, and don't have facilities to claim from your insurance company. 

The 50k had to be produced before admission. 

 

My partner had to produce the folding stuff and costs were deducted from it. 

 

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Insurance companies licking their chops and pushing hard. Life insurance, accident insurance, health insurance. The big three. Next will come, police insurance, bank fraud insurance, attack by Thai insurance, an accident caused by drunks insurance, etc...ect... Probably no need to worry, the first three types of insurance will finish off 90% of long term stays. I would suggest life bans and deportation for those who don't pay their hospital bills. Start with that.

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19 minutes ago, 5633572526 said:

I think it’s safe to assume that the vast majority of the people not paying are not retirees who could be found easily but tourists who can flee the country. If you are on a retirement extension and have 800,000 in the bank then you have money the government can access to pay your bill.

Agree, and with the latest rule they have 400,000 year-round that we can't touch. Immigration know where we live [they get us to verify that often enough!] and the bank has our passport number >>>>> so there is 400,000 they can draw on if someone can't pay.

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22 minutes ago, Sealbash said:


Any factual examples of tourists being overcharged? The hospitals will give an estimate of costs prior to any service given. Final costs may vary depending on individual requirements. Do you have any proof of cost differences for exactly the same service for a national as opposed to a tourist? Medical check up? MRI service? Any actual proof?


Sent from my iPad using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

Yes. On the wall at Queen Sirikit Hospital in Sattahip is a sign informing that foreigners will be charged more than Thai patients.
I have not had the opportunity to do a line by line comparison, but I am confident that when there is a sign posted to the effect that they do in fact charge western patients more.
One item I am aware of is that none of "us" qualify for the thirty baht scheme for "basic" service. For farangs it is a minimum 200 baht, and more for after hours.
I seem to recall that my biggest bill was after a stroke. That involved an MRI, plenty of meds, and Physical Therapy training. Four days in, plus ambulance, was 15,000 baht. That is less than I have been charged at a US hospital to be wheeled through the ER without a stop! No joke. I already had a room assigned in the cardiac unit. They did not even point one of those temperature taking gadgets at me yet charged for an Emergency Room visit. Total cost of a bypass operation was over $300,000. I forked over $2,000.00 and declared bankruptcy. 

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42 minutes ago, Sealbash said:


Any factual examples of tourists being overcharged? The hospitals will give an estimate of costs prior to any service given. Final costs may vary depending on individual requirements. Do you have any proof of cost differences for exactly the same service for a national as opposed to a tourist? Medical check up? MRI service? Any actual proof?


Sent from my iPad using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

My last stint in Pattaya public hospital was 4400 a night private room.

They had me on death watch and hourly observation. 

Whatever it was had sent the brain stupid and bp over 220/150..

Hypercalcemia pancreatitis they said. 

Had a place for my partner to sleep too plus private facilities. 

The five litres a day of fluids and drugs seemed reasonable. 

The blood tests were 950 each time. 

The MRI was 14,000 abdominal. 

I thought it was a bit high.

Total was 34,000 included discharge meds.

I had to put 50,000 cash down before admission. 

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7 minutes ago, P Funk said:

So leave you deadbeat... so many people getting care here and skipping on the bill... shameful! True, the quality of care may be poor compared to other countries, but if you are going to get care here you should have the decency to make an effort to pay. For those with legitimate grievances about the bill, there should be a government mediation service available.

I have some experience with the government hospitals. I disagree about the quality of care being poor.  The only problem I have encountered is in the communication department. Thank Buddha for my fiancee!???? I recently was an obstreperous old grump at a provincial hospital, mostly because I did not understand what the gorgeous young lady doctor was attempting to do, and my "translator" does not know much about medicine.
The doc thanked me for teaching her the English word for "titration" once I understood what was going on. A new protocol for my insulin dosage was established in the course of four days. US hospitals would not even consider doing such a verifiable protocol because of the expense. Here? 7,350 baht, including a month's supply of insulin and a couple of other meds.
I do not mind that the provincial building could use some fresh paint. I did not check in for the decor. I went because blood glucose readings of 477 do not feel good.????

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3 hours ago, Peterw42 said:

Where do you get a figure of 15,000/5,000 baht, insurance costs $2000US a year.

15'000 Baht is the maximum personal income tax deductible figure if you hold private health care insurance in Thailand - So that seemed as good a place as any to start. It was the idea not the detail I was floating. 

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