A Bangkok Hosp blatantly charging foreigners a 25% surcharge!

[owenm]

I visited a hospital clinic a few days ago to have an assessment with a doctor on a inguinal hernia issue I currently have..

 

I was quite shocked that the blatant signage stated that because I was a farang or foreigner, that the fee would be an ADDITIONAL 25% on top of the local Thai rate.. And I would have to pay 100% of the full charge prior to seeing a doctor, known as the Foreigner's In-Patient Pre-Payment..

 

There is currently an American in Hua Hin who was offered compensation by a hospital about overcharging, but has decided to take the matter further legally, due to principal..

 

On the day, I didn't bring my passport, just a digital copy on my phone, but that wouldn't suffice as they also wanted to check my legal status, as far as having a current visa or extn etc.. This I could understand, but I know I'd be a cash prepayment patient. So I have to reschedule and return with PP in hand again sometime this week..

 

Is this 25% surcharge for foreigners fully legal, because it sounds like another blatant hospital price gouging rip-off that farangs constantly have to put up with here in Thailand?? I haven't mentioned the particular Bangkok Hospital clinic, but one photo tells it all..

[ianezy0]

I could accept the pre payment, but the 25% on top....no way.

If this is to justify losses from other foreigners then they have a b$#@dy cheek.

[Isaanbiker]

3 minutes ago, ianezy0 said:

I could accept the pre payment, but the 25% on top....no way.

If this is to justify losses from other foreigners then they have a b$#@dy cheek.

No, they don't do that to justify any losses. I'm afraid that 25 % more for foreigners must be against existing law.

 

  I'd look for another hospital if I were in such a situation. 

[elliss]

14 minutes ago, ianezy0 said:

I could accept the pre payment, but the 25% on top....no way.

If this is to justify losses from other foreigners then they have a b$#@dy cheek.

 

 Fyi ,  private hospitals , require proof of method of payment , before medics even look at you.

       

[Sheryl]

This is more than a year old and has been covered in prior threads

 

https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1037075-25-increase-for-foreigners-at-government-hospital/

 

Even with the surcharge, still vastly cheaper than any private hospital

 

I am not aware of any law that would prohibit this since it is openly done and posted i.e. they are not deceiving people as to price or charging other than their official price

 

[sunnyboy2018]

10 minutes ago, elliss said:

 

 Fyi ,  private hospitals , require proof of method of payment , before medics even look at you.

       

That has not been my experience. 

[elliss]

3 minutes ago, sunnyboy2018 said:

That has not been my experience. 

 

     It has been my experience @ AEK, international hospital  Udon ..

Edited July 28, 2019 by elliss

[Roy Baht]

Buy health insurance

[JHolmesJr]

Medicine....its just business folks.

 

Try to to get sick, folks...doctors are mostly scumbags.

[thaitero]

Their country and we are the quests + openly without hiding telling the price etc.????

I like this way better than how things are in my home country..

[Puchaiyank]

Stop lugging that ATM machine around with you!   ????

[ianezy0]

8 hours ago, elliss said:

 

 Fyi ,  private hospitals , require proof of method of payment , before medics even look at you.

       

Then how do so many ferangs  flyhome without paying the bill? Just asking

Edited July 29, 2019 by ianezy0

[Moonlover]

8 hours ago, Roy Baht said:

Buy health insurance

That's an even BIGGER rip off!

[scubascuba3]

Medicine....its just business folks.
 
Try to to get sick, folks...doctors are mostly scumbags.

Taking advantage of the sick should be a crime

[Pilotman]

well just don't go to that hospital, they are not all doing that.  It's not exactly rocket science. 

[Pilotman]

9 hours ago, Roy Baht said:

Buy health insurance

well said youngster. it's not available for many of us older (and much wiser) folks. 

[ChipButty]

At least they forewarned you in Phuket they dont so the choice was yours take it or leave it, Upto you as they say

[SantiSuk]

When I had triple bypass surgery at Bumrungrad a month ago the room charges were discounted "for foreigners as a special offer that expires on 30-Jun-19" (by 16.7%).

 

Is this a first in Thailand and from the least likely source? ????

 

PS - let's not get diverted into a discussion of how expensive Bumrungrad is - happy to contribute 3 experiences if someone wants to open a sensible thread that isn't kicked off by ill-informed invective!

 

Edit - unintended pun 'ill-informed'

Edited July 29, 2019 by SantiSuk

[owenm]

Not much good for a pre-existing condition..

I know a Thai who had a hernia op to correct at this hospital.. About 80k plus extras.. So a 25% surcharge for a foreigner would come in at 100k plus any additions..

Why should a foreigner be charged an extra 20k baht for same procedure and then insist on a longer stay and perhaps in a private room?
They recommend a 3 day admission..

100k which is about AUD 5000, is more expensive than in Oz as a private patient.. On the public Medicare would be free, but maybe a 12 mth wait, being an elective procedure.. And in both cases, a morning op and discharge same day in most cases..

I did manage to suspend my private Bupa cover in Oz because an extended stay abroad.. You can do this for up to 2 years without penalty.. If I rtd to Oz, paid 2 mths premiums, no wait period applies, and with excess and gap fees my full cost would be AUD 1000 or about 20k baht.. A lot cheaper than 100k baht.. Maybe a plan to consider.. [emoji4]

Buy health insurance

[chakatee]

16 hours ago, owenm said:

Bangkok Hospital

Bangkok Hospital bought Siriraj (government hospital under umbrella of Mahidol University)?

[mike787]

I simply don't care anymore.  This topic of over charging has been beaten to death.  Just do it or take my business else where.   Go too Bumrungrade, you pay more but you get more.  

[Happy Grumpy]

They need  new marketing manager.

 

 

25% increase on all fees.

25% discount for Thais. 

[BobBKK]

5 hours ago, Pilotman said:

well said youngster. it's not available for many of us older (and much wiser) folks. 

I'm sure if you were 'wiser' you would have bought it before turning 60?

[Pilotman]

5 minutes ago, BobBKK said:

I'm sure if you were 'wiser' you would have bought it before turning 60?

I did and then the premiums got excessive and uneconomic.  The premiums asked for exceeded the cost of a triple heart bypass ever 3 years, a nonsense situation. 

[BobBKK]

4 minutes ago, Pilotman said:

I did and then the premiums got excessive and uneconomic.  The premiums asked for exceeded the cost of a triple heart bypass ever 3 years, a nonsense situation. 

I never had it until I approached 60 and, as far as I know, the premiums stay steady according to the published rates.

[beau thai]

17 minutes ago, BobBKK said:

I never had it until I approached 60 and, as far as I know, the premiums stay steady according to the published rates.

Nope. Mine from Cigna went up 3 fold in one hit after a significant birthday. No claims.

Their justification was that I had entered a more at risk age group. Which, when you think about it, becomes a self fulfilling prophecy, as healthy people will not accept the increase, but unhealthy will feel glad to have insurance, even at exhorbitant premia.  So they are then left with a pool of greater risk clients, enabling actuaries to say 'told you so' when the claims inevitably arise .

But they evidently feel pricing out healthy older folk is good for their business.

I would have found it more acceptable if they had required me to have a full medical with all the tests at my cost before renewing. But they didnt.

Bit simplistic in my view, but hey, its their business.

[wreckingcountry]

That’s Thailand !! I could use some words and phrases but the mods would re I s for “bashing “


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

[manarak]

16 hours ago, Sheryl said:

This is more than a year old and has been covered in prior threads

 

https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1037075-25-increase-for-foreigners-at-government-hospital/

 

Even with the surcharge, still vastly cheaper than any private hospital

 

I am not aware of any law that would prohibit this since it is openly done and posted i.e. they are not deceiving people as to price or charging other than their official price

 

does this apply to patients covered by Thai social security and registered at the provincial hospital?

[SantiSuk]

3 hours ago, owenm said:

Not much good for a pre-existing condition..

I know a Thai who had a hernia op to correct at this hospital.. About 80k plus extras.. So a 25% surcharge for a foreigner would come in at 100k plus any additions..

Why should a foreigner be charged an extra 20k baht for same procedure and then insist on a longer stay and perhaps in a private room?
They recommend a 3 day admission..

100k which is about AUD 5000, is more expensive than in Oz as a private patient.. On the public Medicare would be free, but maybe a 12 mth wait, being an elective procedure.. And in both cases, a morning op and discharge same day in most cases..

I did manage to suspend my private Bupa cover in Oz because an extended stay abroad.. You can do this for up to 2 years without penalty.. If I rtd to Oz, paid 2 mths premiums, no wait period applies, and with excess and gap fees my full cost would be AUD 1000 or about 20k baht.. A lot cheaper than 100k baht.. Maybe a plan to consider..

Talking relative costs across territories for hernia ops you have to be careful to get equivalent operations have you not? I seem to recall that open-cut surgery close to the site of the hernia outburst is significantly cheaper than microsurgery through a small hole(s) close to the belly button (and carries longer in hospital and longer recovery).

 

Looks as though the prices you quote both relate to open-cut surgery though (based on how much my insurer paid for the micro version in a UK private hospital 12 years ago - about GBP 4,500 - ThB 225,000 in 2007 money) 

[RJRS1301]

8 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

17 hours ago, JHolmesJr said:

.

Medicine....its just business folks.
 
Try to to get sick, folks...doctors are mostly scumbags.

Taking advantage of the sick should be a crime

I disagree doctors and nurses are probably the most trusted of all professions,

We rely on their expertise to keep us alive, and hospitals are very expensive to run, try getting treatment in many western countries, and see how much more you will pay.

Did you study for minimum of 7 years to gain your basic qualification, without doing a specialty post graduate qualification?