Multi-tier prices at state hospitals now in effect in Phuket

[Benmart]

14 hours ago, BigC said:

So they  gave you a discount and you got angry

 

They should have charged you the full wack is thats  the case

I read his post and understood that challenging the charge can result in a bill reduction. I appreciate his sharing his personal experience. Your experience in this particular incident seems to consist of mere criticism, and has no benefit.

Edited October 17, 2019 by Benmart
Addcspacing

[berrec]

15 hours ago, PatOngo said:

I have a good mind to report this to the anti discrimination board!

Go ahead my friend, I am behind you 100%, lots of luck, below is the New York Thai Embassy UN contact point.........I am sure you will get the runaround if you hit them up first with your complaint.

 

Address: 351 East 52^nd Street, New York, NY 10022

Phone: 212-754-2230  Fax: 212-688-3029

Email: [email protected]

Website: http://www.thaiembassy.org/unmissionnewyork/

[Rocking Robert]

So you have 6500 Baht a month 800000in the bank and you want to pay the same as the cleaning lady. That sounds fair 

[smudger1951]

I would understand if Thai citizens hospitals are funded through their taxation, but this just seems to be a charging system based on your wallet. Do rich arab nationals have another tier ?

[Tayaout]

15 hours ago, kotsak said:

That's pathetic.. If I have a local health insurance why on the earth should I be charged more? Ah wait.. TIT

 

This is the US flawed model. The insurance company have full-time employee to negociate the price down. The hospital charge the highest price they can get away with expecting to get less. 

Edited October 17, 2019 by Tayaout

[SuwadeeS]

I would recommend everybody to complain to their Embassy. Over and over again.

That is racist and discrimination.

Countries who do like that, should be banned from international trade!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[glennb6]

medical services should have a published price list, and I'll bet my appendix isn't any different that a Thai's or anyone else's.

 

some "dickering around" is acceptable when purchasing a used car, but not when one's health and possibly life is used as leverage for a higher price. that should be seriously illegal.

[dotpoom]

16 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

I think 'potential scams' would be a better word than fees

Nothing "potential" about the "rip off" prices being charged for medicines in many parts of Europe and the USA...Thailand is still cheap by comparison, even after this latest news.

[thailand49]

The more patriot the more stupid that is the label that got to be put on the leaders.  A black eye on the people of this country who deserve more than what they are getting from them.

DISCRIMINATION AT IT BEST NOW IT IS OFFICIAL!

[fruitman]

21 hours ago, smedly said:

how long do they think foreigners are going to put up with this, I know people who now travel to India for medical procedures

to India?? Come on man....

 

My insurance covers me worldwide, do you think i would stay in a 3rd world country for medical treatment???? 

[peter14]

xenophobia..  discrimination.....   i fixed my teeth in phil (  exit visa)  and cost me way cheaper  even with airfare 

[Dukeleto]

9 hours ago, Brigand said:

Can you just imagine the venom and spitting if the UK came out with a policy that foreigners had to pay at the NHS and natives got it for free. You would be in court before you could say "hang on."

I think you are wrong. It may have been like that 10 years ago but its not anymore. I am British and I had to cough up for the birth of my son in the UK as my wife was not Brit and not on a long term Visa. The hops I had to go through to get her registered at a clinic even with a rental contract and electric and water bills in both our names. It may work differently for a foreigner on holiday who has an emergency but I can't really comment on that.

[Frenske]

9 hours ago, DaRoadrunner said:

“This law focuses on foreigners who do not have any health and accident insurance. Even though the rates might be different (for different groups of people), the prices are now regulated by the government, so foreigners do not need to worry about being overcharged,” he said.
 

Yes and our insurance premiums triple every two years because of this government scam. Just sickening

 

[Bartman1369]

10 hours ago, Skallywag said:

(Off topic to hospital pricing, but wanted to respond with my rant to onera1961) 

Brothel girls?  Man you are living in some prudish, victorian, holier than thou world.

Thailand has many women who can choose to be your paid companions and/or sex therapists. 

Am certain many end up married for good reasons or bad, and in many cases the marriage might not work out, but this happens with every man/woman relationship in every country in the world.

 

Yet unlike work you have been told to do by your boss (AKA pimp) to earn your paycheck, many of these Thai ladies can and do choose who they spend their time with and receive their compensation from.  

I have never heard of a Mamasan (AKA pimp) having to "fill" a quota, or "force" a lady to accompany a customer

 

Agree with the majority of your post until you spoke about quotas. A friend of my wife recently took a job at a bar and must bar fine at least 5 times per month or she loses her job. I also heard recently of several bars that the girls must receive at least 30+ drinks per month to retain their jobs.

[HHTel]

For once I'm not able to criticise this latest rule in Thailand.  They're only doing what most countries around the world do.  Even in Europe, foreigners will be charged more than locals and that does include the UK.

At least now the charges are fixed and therefore can be checked.

[kevin612]

When I see higher fees for foreigners, I really pi ssed  off. Please Excuse my language.

Edited October 17, 2019 by kevin612

[DUNROAMIN]

How convenient, scheduled treatment and prices are available in Thai only. 

Anybody out there have some information in English about prices with the three tier policy.?

[owenm]

“We don’t have any documents in English, but we have staff available who can explain the details to foreigners,” he added.
Read more at https://www.thephuketnews.com/multi-tier-prices-at-state-hospitals-now-in-effect-in-phuket-73252.php#KJB20yhhhx2WlJKA.99

 

No one at this stage have a downloadable pricelist in English, and how are staff with limited English going to explain the pricing structure that applies to foreigners in the different tier pricing? 

 

If they have already implemented these new pricing structures, why no information available in English? 

[Ajvat37]

Wow as a 40 old with some uninsurable health problems this is going to make me seriously reconsider staying in Thailand.  Almost a deal breaker,  seeing as I spend over 1 million baht a year here and have a Thai family, To have my health care costs increase exponentially just because I’m a foreigner is complete rubbish.  Looks like it’s time to marry the gf and head back to the U.S.  what a shame.  

[kentrot]

PatOngo  -->

"Be warned, I went to the first afore mentioned hospital last week to get a few things checked, when the bill for 9,280 baht was handed to me I bucked and they reduced it to 5,280 which I paid and vowed never to return."

***********

PatOngo  --> You do understand that by expecting a fair price,  you are not only hurting the Doctors, but their daughter's ballet teacher, the Mercedes dealership, the 5 star restaurants, the Bespoke Thai Men's Tailors .... In the words of little Greta the "environmentalist" .. "How dare you ?" 

[Percy P]

18 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

I think 'potential scams' would be a better word than fees

I use hospital in Penang when l do a visa run.

[NightSky]

11 hours ago, Brigand said:

Can you just imagine the venom and spitting if the UK came out with a policy that foreigners had to pay at the NHS and natives got it for free. You would be in court before you could say "hang on."

They already do, there is an nhs surcharge to be paid every year.

[zhangxifu]

What if I check in the hospital using my alien ID card and the 13-digit ID number assigned to illegal aliens and the rest? Wouldn't that put me in cat 1 with the rest stateless/illegal workforce from the neighbouring areas?

[moe666]

11 hours ago, Skallywag said:

(Off topic to hospital pricing, but wanted to respond with my rant to onera1961) 

Brothel girls?  Man you are living in some prudish, victorian, holier than thou world.

Thailand has many women who can choose to be your paid companions and/or sex therapists. 

Am certain many end up married for good reasons or bad, and in many cases the marriage might not work out, but this happens with every man/woman relationship in every country in the world.

 

Yet unlike work you have been told to do by your boss (AKA pimp) to earn your paycheck, many of these Thai ladies can and do choose who they spend their time with and receive their compensation from.  

I have never heard of a Mamasan (AKA pimp) having to "fill" a quota, or "force" a lady to accompany a customer

 

People are miss informed if the think all bar girls have to go with you, they do not it is their choice and I have seen it happen many times when the girls say no and it can get tense.

[sandyf]

11 hours ago, Skallywag said:

 

You realize Thais only pay 30 baht for government hospital visit.

Are you saying foreigners should only pay 30 baht and if charged more it is discrimination?

That is gross information, what Thais pay depends on a variety of factors.

I recently had cataract surgery and was offered a choice of lenses between 6K baht and 13K baht and I chose the higher price. A friend of my wife's had the operation a couple of months ago was covered by a health scheme and paid the difference to get the same lens as me. When I had the operation the guy sat next to me had a lens in different packaging. Turned out he was a friend of my wife's uncle and he said he wasn't given a choice and had what he was given, which would have been the cheapest available.

Everything is not as straightforward as you may think and spreading misinformation does not help anyone.

 

Charging a different price based on nationality cannot be anything else other than discrimination. I am due to have the other eye done in a couple of weeks and have already signed to have the operation at the same price so hopefully there will be no last minute change.

[Moo 2]

There no such a thing as anti-discriminations laws in developing countries!

that's why they can afford to discriminate, but we can't in our civilized countries of origin.  

[scorecard]

17 hours ago, kotsak said:

That's pathetic.. If I have a local health insurance why on the earth should I be charged more? Ah wait.. TIT

 

Most hospitals charge more (thai and foreign customers) if they discover you have private insurance.

 

My Thai son has private insurance for himself, wife and 3 kids, they used to show their insurance cards to hospitals but at one hospital in Chiang Mai he discovered the hospital charges 50% more if you show them a health insurance card. He now pays cash at the hospital then claims it back by sending smartphone pics to the insurance coy., and fairly quickly (2 or 3 days) the reimbursement is transferred to son's nominated bank account. 

Edited October 17, 2019 by scorecard

[Sumarianson]

18 hours ago, smedly said:

so first they are complaining about bills not being paid - now they are making it more expensive for foreigners to pay the bills

 

how long do they think foreigners are going to put up with this, I know people who now travel to India for medical procedures

Including me! Dentistry and hair transplant. Thailand is too expensive now. 

[justin case]

in any western country, this would face big lawsuits

 

but overhere? just milk the farang, from the land of gold

 

why not charge EVERYBODY the same and get rid of the free health care, most people do not pay for anyway, sorry, THAI

[KKr]

12 hours ago, Skallywag said:

So, it would be OK if a U.S. citizen gets a visa to Canada and while there demands free health care?

You realize Thais only pay 30 baht for government hospital visit.

Are you saying foreigners should only pay 30 baht and if charged more it is discrimination?

please do not mix up government health care schemes (aka 30 B.), probably similar to Medic Aid, with paid services.