Credit card payment to hospital

[lelapin]

I am shortly going into hospital in Bangkok for surgery. The estimated cost is about 500,000 baht.

I would like to use my Bangkok Bank credit card to make the payment.

I will have the necessary money in my credit card account but wonder if I am likely to have any problem trying to process such a large amount.

[NancyL]

Why don't you call their customer service number 1333 from your mobile phone within Thailand?  It will help if it's the mobile phone registered to your account.  Alert them about this upcoming  charge and they can note it on your account record.

 

I have to do this every year with my Visa-card provider, a U.S. bank when it's time to pay our annual health insurance bill.  The health insurance company's headquarters is in London, England and if I don't give the Visa card people a heads-up, they reject the charge because it's a large charge from a provider we don't normally deal with in a location we don't visit.

[lopburi3]

You do not normally have money in a credit card account (but perhaps a secured account)?  Or is this a debit card?  Debit accounts have fixed limits to how much can be withdrawn (but you can normally change that) so best to check with your bank.  It is often only 100k.  I got caught out by that limit on a hospital bill in the past.  Limits are normally daily - so another method is to withdraw funds for a few days - hospital should be willing or you could just use ATM and deposit to hospital.  Hospital normally wants deposit of estimated bill so have shown up with a couple hundred thousand in cash also.  But as said you can increase the allowed limit if you do before needing - can even do online.  

Edited July 26, 2019 by lopburi3

[scubascuba3]

You do not normally have money in a credit card account (but perhaps a secured account)?  Or is this a debit card?  Debit accounts have fixed limits to how much can be withdrawn (but you can normally change that) so best to check with your bank.  It is often only 100k.  I got caught out by that limit on a hospital bill in the past.  Limits are normally daily - so another method is to withdraw funds for a few days - hospital should be willing or you could just use ATM and deposit to hospital.  Hospital normally wants deposit of estimated bill so have shown up with a couple hundred thousand in cash also.  But as said you can increase the allowed limit if you do before needing - can even do online.  

With credit cards you can credit the account, i do this when i withdraw a big cash amount. In the event of hospital treatment where the credit limit isn't enough, transferring money to the account is sensible.

Hospitals may also charge 0-3% for credit cards

[legend49]

Shop around for other quotes. My first quote from a hospital named after the city you are in was 550,000. Yesterday after heart surgery with a close competitor hospital it was 350,00 then we chatted with Chief of finance managed a 80,000 baht discount as we paid cash.

[crazykopite]

Depends what amount you are allowed on your credit card if it’s the same as the bill or higher you shouldn’t have a problem or ring your CC company and make them aware . I wouldn’t pay up front just in case you don’t wake up .when my wife was in hospital l paid in stage payments after a certain amount of treatments it was the hospitals suggestion not mine . Good luck stay safe.

[gamini]

4 hours ago, NancyL said:

Why don't you call their customer service number 1333 from your mobile phone within Thailand?  It will help if it's the mobile phone registered to your account.  Alert them about this upcoming  charge and they can note it on your account record.

 

I have to do this every year with my Visa-card provider, a U.S. bank when it's time to pay our annual health insurance bill.  The health insurance company's headquarters is in London, England and if I don't give the Visa card people a heads-up, they reject the charge because it's a large charge from a provider we don't normally deal with in a location we don't visit.

All you need to do is pay money into your credit card account, just put 500,000 into your credit card account. I always do this when I go abroad. The credit card companies keep this quiet because it deprives them of a lot of interest

[natway09]

Just make the arrangements with the credit card section of the bank before you go into hospital

All the best

[malt25]

Some little time back I had 600,000 baht surgery at St Louis hospital in BKK. At admission I said I'd like to pay via Visa card. No card details, deposit or any guarantees asked for. On discharge I presented tha Visa card & was accepted no problems.

[sometimewoodworker]

1 hour ago, gamini said:

All you need to do is pay money into your credit card account, just put 500,000 into your credit card account. I always do this when I go abroad. The credit card companies keep this quiet because it deprives them of a lot of interest

That is exactly what I used to do 45 years ago as my credit card had no fee for foreign cash withdrawals but charged interest from the first day, so as I had a positive balance I paid nothing to my bank for the cash only the Thai bank fee. 

 

Not surprisingly the credit card company did not make it clear that what I did was possible.

[Sheryl]

As others have said, check with your bank. It's a banking issue nto a medical one. Some banks/cards have limits or need prior notification if there will be a large charge.

[Oliver Holzerfilled]

I would use my credit card due to the ability to contest the charge if the hospital tried anything shady or failed to deliver the agreed upon service.

[Captain 776]

No problem.

If your card has that amount of credit, no difference than using it any other place

[lelapin]

Thanks all.

I went to my bank yesterday and explained the situation. They have increased my daily/transaction limit and as I am there several days I can make large enough daily payments to cover the cost.

[lopburi3]

13 minutes ago, lelapin said:

Thanks all.

I went to my bank yesterday and explained the situation. They have increased my daily/transaction limit and as I am there several days I can make large enough daily payments to cover the cost.

Good.  You actually have a debit card?

[lelapin]

33 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

Good.  You actually have a debit card?

Debit and credit card with Bangkok Bank

[NancyL]

18 hours ago, Oliver Holzerfilled said:

I would use my credit card due to the ability to contest the charge if the hospital tried anything shady or failed to deliver the agreed upon service.

This may not apply with a Thai-issued credit card the way it does with one issued in the western world.