Private hospital in trouble for charging Bt30,000 for diarrhoea

By THE NATION

 

File photo

 

A PRIVATE hospital is in hot waters for charging a patient Bt30,000 for a simple stomach infection.

 

A source at the Internal Trade Department revealed yesterday that a review of the medical bill suggests the price charged was unreasonable. 

 

“The hospital will be asked to explain,” the source said. 

 

According to the source, the complaint was filed via the Internal Trade Department’s 1569 hotline.

 

In January, the Cabinet approved a resolution to control the prices of medical supplies and services amid loud cries of opposition from private hospitals. 

 

The source added that the private hospital in question can face legal punishment if it is unable to provide a reasonable explanation for the unreasonably high bill. 

 

“From our examination of the bill, it is clear that the hospital has subjected the patient to over-treatment with many items that in fact might not have been necessary,” the source said. 

 

If convicted, the hospital/its executive will face up to seven years in jail and/or a fine of Bt140,000. 

 

The source added that the Internal Trade Department has summoned the management of 70 out of 353 private hospitals for a discussion on why the price of medicines they sell are three to nine times higher than market prices. 

 

In a related development, a rule is now being drafted to require private hospitals and medicine manufacturers/importers/distributors to declare their selling prices on the Internal Trade Department’s website.

 

“The draft will be completed soon as Deputy Commerce Minister Chutima Bunyapraphasara is expected to sign it before the end of this week,” a source said. 

 

This rule will take affect only after it is promulgated in the Royal Gazette. 

 

Sources said affected entrepreneurs are not happy with this regulation and plan to petition the Central Administrative Court. 

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30369770

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2019-05-22

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15 minutes ago, webfact said:

The source added that the private hospital in question can face legal punishment if it is unable to provide a reasonable explanation for the unreasonably high bill. 

I am sure it must read WILL face legal punishment ?

Edited May 21, 20197 yr by Thaiwrath

i paid 10k some 17 years ago on pattaya memorial hospital.

6 minutes ago, brokenbone said:

i paid 10k some 17 years ago on pattaya memorial hospital.

And ????

58 minutes ago, Lamkyong said:

And ????

I think he still has the sh#ts about it !!!

1 hour ago, webfact said:

If convicted, the hospital/its executive will face up to seven years in jail and/or a fine of Bt140,000. 

No need to be a genius to know which penalty will be given IF found guilty, private hospitals are the to maximise profits even if it makes you sick all over again just to see the bill...

1 hour ago, brokenbone said:

i paid 10k some 17 years ago on pattaya memorial hospital.

for a "brokenbone" ?

Our office canteen can provide diarrhoea on a random basis for 35 Baht, why pay more?

Gawd if i received a bill like that it would certainly give me another dose of the sh++s.

2 hours ago, webfact said:

and/or a fine of Bt140,000. 

no problem, that is just 5 more diarrhoes

Always only about rigged medicine prices.. why not make it all transparent hospitals  put up at entrance all their prices: broken leg, heart attack, ear infection etc etc

 

C'mon - Name and shame the greedy mongrels

 

Oh! - wait! - that'll upset the tea-money flow from the hospital to "somewhere upwards"!

Why would you go to the hospital for a simple case of the runs? A pharmacy should be your first call. Of course, if the treatment from the pharmacy doesn't work then it's not really a simple case of diarrhoea, is it?  

10 minutes ago, Destiny1990 said:

Always only about rigged medicine prices.. why not make it all transparent hospitals  put up at entrance all their prices: broken leg, heart attack, ear infection etc etc

 

It's a bit hard for "instances" but not for services - bed of room rates. hourly charges, x-rays or a list of drug prices.

It seems they are adopting the American business model,  where I was charged 17,000 dollars for one night in the hospital, no operations or medications, and treated like a derelict the entire time.   

This is most unusual for Thailand's private hospitals.

i'm deeply shocked. 

 

 

Edited May 21, 20197 yr by stanleycoin

I'm guessing it was one of them pesky furriners who received this bill. 

 

4 minutes ago, Snow Leopard said:

Why would you go to the hospital for a simple case of the runs? A pharmacy should be your first call. Of course, if the treatment from the pharmacy doesn't work then it's not really a simple case of diarrhoea, is it?  

Very often here the first thing they go for is a load of antibiotics when they get the runs, tends to make it worse I reckon along with the fact they, antibiotics. do nothing for the runs so they end up going to hospital anyway because of their own stupidity. 

2 minutes ago, alfalfa19 said:

I'm guessing it was one of them pesky furriners who received this bill. 

 

Yes, got to be.  ( saying that, they do rip each other off as well )

If it was a Thai, he would have gone berserk with a meat cleaver. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

Edited May 21, 20197 yr by stanleycoin

8 minutes ago, alfalfa19 said:

It seems they are adopting the American business model,  where I was charged 17,000 dollars for one night in the hospital, no operations or medications, and treated like a derelict the entire time.   

And, they want to force us to buy junk insurance to pay for it .........

  

20 minutes ago, stanleycoin said:

This is most unusual for Thailand's private hospitals.

i'm deeply shocked. 

They can treat shock for only 50,000 baht.

18 minutes ago, overherebc said:

Very often here the first thing they go for is a load of antibiotics when they get the runs, tends to make it worse I reckon along with the fact they, antibiotics. do nothing for the runs so they end up going to hospital anyway because of their own stupidity. 

Has nobody heard of Imodium (Loperamide)?

40bht for a generic pack of ten.

1 minute ago, BritManToo said:

Has nobody heard of Imodium (Loperamide)?

40bht for a generic pack of ten.

They are good but can cause problems if taken too often, Seems if used very frequently they have a bad effect on the muscles or whatever in your gut that 'keep things moving' 

1 minute ago, overherebc said:

They are good but can cause problems if taken too often, Seems if used very frequently they have a bad effect on the muscles or whatever in your gut that 'keep things moving' 

Imagine being a drug addict and taking 50 at one go for your 'high'.

Couldn't poop for a month.

Edited May 22, 20197 yr by BritManToo

The hospitals here know what we pay in the west. When we go to the hospital they simply cut the price in half thinking we will be elated, but it's still 4 times what a Thai would pay. It's subsidized healthcare for the locals. We do the same in America. When someone insured receives treatment, the bill can be thousands of dollars for a very minor outpatient visit. When a poor uninsured illegal immigrant receives care---it's free. The cost is recovered by inflating the price on the insured.

I am sure this was overcharging, the client could have just eaten some rancid chicken for 20 THB

3 hours ago, Thaiwrath said:

I am sure it must read WILL face legal punishment ?

That will probably depend on the circumstances - who owns the hospital...

50 minutes ago, alfalfa19 said:

I'm guessing it was one of them pesky furriners who received this bill. 

 

I doubt it, then the complaint would not even have been acknowledged.

1 hour ago, Lenny Jones said:

C'mon - Name and shame the greedy mongrels

 

Oh! - wait! - that'll upset the tea-money flow from the hospital to "somewhere upwards"!

It is probably a "B"grade hospital somewhere along Sukhumwit

Thai private hospitals are absolutely horrible when it comes to sucking money out of sick people.

 

For a period of time I had problem with outer ear infections. Back home I was treated with cleansing of the ear and then the doc smeared on something that would cure the infection. No antibiotics, and no other medicines. I had to repeat this procedure 2-3 times to get totally rid on the infection.

 

In Thailand - well doc there did the same, cleaned the ear, smeared on something to stop the infection. And then he prescribed 2 different antibiotics, 2 different eardrops, painkillers, antihistamine and 2 more medicines which I dont remember the name of right now. First of all - I didnt get well any faster with all those medicines and remedies I got in Thailand. I had to see the doc another 2-3 times there too. But of course the bill of it all became quite high in the end...