Thai Tourism: "Half of foreigners" don't pay their hospital bills; director points finger at three nationalities

[A512]

On 11/29/2019 at 2:33 PM, Sheryl said:

I think these are mostly serious emergency cases including ones who ultimately die  after long stays in ICU.  Not easy to collect from those.

 

An average of 50k per patient is more than believable. Many individual bills will have exceeded 1 million.

 

Certainly tourists should have travel insurance that includes emergency medical before coming here. The problem is the l9gistics of trying to enforce that.

 

And what sort of hare brained onerous  impractical scheme govt might concoct in the regard to the problem,  based on what we have witnessed for retirees.

A friend s kid was 3 days in a hospital in north country, the bill was something close to 100k, the case wasn't that serious, he paid half of the bill after have an unpolite   conversation with the hospital managers. Abusive prices.

[garyk]

What a joke. Isolate and drive out the expats and tourists that actually pay their bills. Then complain about the people that Thailand is wooing.  Hahaha.    

[checkered flag]

On 7/7/2020 at 3:44 AM, A512 said:

A friend s kid was 3 days in a hospital in north country, the bill was something close to 100k, the case wasn't that serious, he paid half of the bill after have an unpolite   conversation with the hospital managers. Abusive prices.

Get serious 100.000 baht is like a little over 3K US. It's not a fortune and I hope your friend's son is OK. I'm sure he is because the doctors in the north are first class. 

Medical care for a falong isn't free like the UK (actually paid by high taxes) but you don't have to wait a month or more for a procedure either.

[nong38]

When I have been to hospital I am ESCORTED to the cashier before I leave to pay so I dont get this at all.

Edited July 8, 2020 by nong38
spelling

[Lemonltr]

Why is this November article being dredged up again? Are we being softened up for a new announcement? 

[Beachcomber]

Any medical bills incurred buy foreign tourists while on holiday should be covered by the Thai government.

The invite us here and it happend in their country so they have responsibility.

Just a thought  ????

Edited July 8, 2020 by Beachcomber

[Airbagwill]

7 hours ago, checkered flag said:

Get serious 100.000 baht is like a little over 3K US. It's not a fortune and I hope your friend's son is OK. I'm sure he is because the doctors in the north are first class. 

Medical care for a falong isn't free like the UK (actually paid by high taxes) but you don't have to wait a month or more for a procedure either.

UK has the best value per capita service in the developed world, but it receives a lot of criticism from people who have never actually had a medical bill in their lives. When they come to Thailand they then are faed with the reality of a medical industry that is run purely for profit.

The Thai system is set up to run without this or monitoring and is free to chase the cash. This is of course in the end at the expense of low income Thai people. It is not exactly 2-tier as the NPs but it definitely milks those who have money and little medical knowledge.

[Airbagwill]

7 hours ago, checkered flag said:

the doctors in the north are first class. 

this is a common misconception about the health industry in Thailand - usually put forward by people with no medical training or research.  Just because you ave been in hospital doesn't mean you are a doctor any more than going to school makes you a teacher or driving a car makes you an instructor.

[checkered flag]

6 hours ago, Lemonltr said:

Why is this November article being dredged up again? Are we being softened up for a new announcement? 

I suspect some insurance company interest is behind the resurfacing of this issue.

[Airbagwill]

1 minute ago, checkered flag said:

I suspect some insurance company interest is behind the resurfacing of this issue.

I think you'll find there is now a lot of interest in all things medical in Thailand.

Post-Covid, the authorities are going to be much more concerned about expats having sufficient medical cover.

 

I think anyone approaching their 60s without good cover should ythink carefully about their cancer of remaining in Thailand. Healthcare will be required for the over 60s and it is an expensive business.

[checkered flag]

3 hours ago, Airbagwill said:

this is a common misconception about the health industry in Thailand - usually put forward by people with no medical training or research.  Just because you ave been in hospital doesn't mean you are a doctor any more than going to school makes you a teacher or driving a car makes you an instructor.

i'm was health care professional in the US, before retiring. I made my assessment based on professional knowledge and visiting Thai hospitals.

I also have taught at US medical schools as an adjunct to my regular position. 

[checkered flag]

3 hours ago, Airbagwill said:

UK has the best value per capita service in the developed world, but it receives a lot of criticism from people who have never actually had a medical bill in their lives. When they come to Thailand they then are faed with the reality of a medical industry that is run purely for profit.

The Thai system is set up to run without this or monitoring and is free to chase the cash. This is of course in the end at the expense of low income Thai people. It is not exactly 2-tier as the NPs but it definitely milks those who have money and little medical knowledge.

NHS isn't perfect and the best option for all. Long wait times for procedures and limiting services are issues, but there are others. In general services at Thai hospital are very quick and effective. Costs at government hospital is low with high quality. It does lack 5 star luxuries of a private hospital, but who goes to the hospital for a vacation.

Thank God the US didn't follow the UK or Canadian models.

[checkered flag]

16 minutes ago, Airbagwill said:

I think you'll find there is now a lot of interest in all things medical in Thailand.

Post-Covid, the authorities are going to be much more concerned about expats having sufficient medical cover.

 

I think anyone approaching their 60s without good cover should ythink carefully about their cancer of remaining in Thailand. Healthcare will be required for the over 60s and it is an expensive business.

Another approach would be for private hospitals to change falongs double. That way they'd break even if half don't pay. Government hospital seem much better at collecting before departure.

[Thomas J]

Certainly if they add something like 100 thb to every entry that is not onerous and if put in a fund to cover medical expenses that sounds like it would cover it.  However, forcing foreigners to purchase healthcare insurance would not work.  First, it is onerous to the tourist, likely far more expensive, and of course what guarantees does the hospital have that the insurance company is legitimate and would actually pay. 

[katatonic]

On 11/29/2019 at 2:24 PM, Isaanbiker said:

That's an average of 50,000 baht for each foreigner. Land of Lies?

 

I had a chat with a Thai doctor from Sapphasit/Ubon R, but he said something totally different.

 

  The majority were from neighboring countries like Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar. 

It's an average of 100,000 baht per foreigner.. 

[Airbagwill]

2 hours ago, checkered flag said:

i'm was health care professional in the US, before retiring. I made my assessment based on professional knowledge and visiting Thai hospitals.

I also have taught at US medical schools as an adjunct to my regular position. 

..and the US has the worst healthcare system in the Western world - QED!

[RayC]

By what criteria does the UK have "the best value (medical) service in the developed world"? Source?

[Reigntax]

"50% of tourists" or 50% of tourists using hospital services?

 

[checkered flag]

16 hours ago, Airbagwill said:

this is a common misconception about the health industry in Thailand - usually put forward by people with no medical training or research.  Just because you ave been in hospital doesn't mean you are a doctor any more than going to school makes you a teacher or driving a car makes you an instructor.

Spending almost 50 years in medicine and medical research qualifies me along with publications. You are blowing wind.

[checkered flag]

16 hours ago, Airbagwill said:

UK has the best value per capita service in the developed world, but it receives a lot of criticism from people who have never actually had a medical bill in their lives. When they come to Thailand they then are faed with the reality of a medical industry that is run purely for profit.

The Thai system is set up to run without this or monitoring and is free to chase the cash. This is of course in the end at the expense of low income Thai people. It is not exactly 2-tier as the NPs but it definitely milks those who have money and little medical knowledge.

Does the UK treat foreigners for free. Returning Brits, I've read, have to wait to get back on the NHS welfare roles. 

[checkered flag]

5 hours ago, RayC said:

By what criteria does the UK have "the best value (medical) service in the developed world"? Source?

Is wait time and treatment options included. Who make critical medical decision of treatment is offered or not and are those deciding physicians? 

NHS provides cheap/free care to most but not by any means the best.

[Airbagwill]

9 hours ago, checkered flag said:

Spending almost 50 years in medicine and medical research qualifies me along with publications. You are blowing wind.

Your qualifications are irrelevant when the hard evidence says otherwise.

[Airbagwill]

9 hours ago, checkered flag said:

Does the UK treat foreigners for free. Returning Brits, I've read, have to wait to get back on the NHS welfare roles. 

Depends on where you are from and how long you have been away. But what is your point?

[Pilotman]

if you can't pay for medical emergencies, or don't have insurance, then don't come expecting Thais to bail you out.  Thailand can do without free loaders. 

[Airbagwill]

On 7/8/2020 at 1:12 AM, checkered flag said:

Get serious 100.000 baht is like a little over 3K US. It's not a fortune and I hope your friend's son is OK. I'm sure he is because the doctors in the north are first class. 

Medical care for a falong isn't free like the UK (actually paid by high taxes) but you don't have to wait a month or more for a procedure either.

Comparing Thailand with the most expensive and dysfunctional healthcare system in the world is hardly a good yardstick.

[Airbagwill]

On 7/8/2020 at 12:10 PM, checkered flag said:

i'm was health care professional in the US, before retiring. I made my assessment based on professional knowledge and visiting Thai hospitals.

I also have taught at US medical schools as an adjunct to my regular position. 

I think you are simply trying to make out your arguments have weight because you have unspecified qualifications....its the message not the messenger  that is important and you clearly haven't got the message 

[essox essox]

i not believe this.....when I was in hospital 2006 they would NOT let me leave with my passport UNTIL THE BILL HAD BEEN PAID...

SO I ASSUME THAT ALL HOSPITALS get passport from patient.....and return it to owner once bill has been paid...

IF THIS REPORT IS CORECT, AND I DOUBT IT .....THEN HOW DID ALL THE PEOPLE MANAGE TO LEAVE...

SURELY AN ALERT WOULD/COULD HAVE BEEN GIVEN TO ANY AIRPORT TO IDENTIFY THE CULPRITS..!!!

[essox essox]

On 7/8/2020 at 11:46 AM, nong38 said:

When I have been to hospital I am ESCORTED to the cashier before I leave to pay so I dont get this at all.

AGREE WITH YOU....this report is false.......and giving farangs a very bad name!!

[Bob A Kneale]

On 11/29/2019 at 2:16 PM, BritManToo said:

I do wonder how the 9,000 foreigners treated over the last year causes 448 Million in bills to be unpaid.

That's not was reported, you're mixing up two comments from two different sources about different subjects.

 

"Prachachat said that huge increases in tourism across Asia - with governments driving growth in the sector - have brought substantial problems for hospitals...From October 2018 to September 2019 448 million in bills went unpaid". 

That's a comment about the total amount of unpaid bills.

 

 

"Vachira Hospital, the largest in Phuket, treated 9,000 foreigners over the last year. Most of them were Russian, Chinese and French, said hospital director Dr Chalermpong Sukhonthaphon...And half of all patients left without paying their bills.

And that's a comment from one hospital director about it own problems.

Edited July 10, 2020 by Bob A Kneale

[checkered flag]

6 hours ago, Airbagwill said:

I think you are simply trying to make out your arguments have weight because you have unspecified qualifications....its the message not the messenger  that is important and you clearly haven't got the message 

I only see a windbag Brit blowing wind.