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

[justin case]

14 million tourists in phuket, make them pay an EXTRA 100 baht = 1.4 billion baht or 3x more than claimed

 

and how much did THAI people not pay, ah, yes, I forgot, the NEVER PAY and cost (tens of ) BILLIONS , but that is ok

 

[Alex2554]

21 minutes ago, justin case said:

14 million tourists in phuket, make them pay an EXTRA 100 baht = 1.4 billion baht or 3x more than claimed

 

and how much did THAI people not pay, ah, yes, I forgot, the NEVER PAY and cost (tens of ) BILLIONS , but that is ok

 

Thai people are taxpayers.

We are a public charge

[DJ54]

On 11/29/2019 at 2:10 PM, webfact said:

Thai media Prachachat posted a report about the growing problem of tourists in Thailand and other parts of Asia leaving without paying their hospital bills. 

 

One major hospital director in Phuket has even said 50% of tourists leave Thailand without paying up. 

Prachachat - Was this information verified? If so what was the method. Percentage of Thai Nationals that didn’t pay bill? Keeping 

in mind most Thai have government? Coverage. 

[Rocking Robert]

Just get insurance. Why would you travel with out it

[brokenbone]

On 11/29/2019 at 2:18 PM, darksidedog said:

While I agree wholeheartedly that anyone who uses a hospital should pay their bill, I think a major point is being overlooked. Tourism generates billions of dollars for the economy. Tourism is also by all accounts other than TAT in sharp decline. That number may well reduce further if every tourist has to pay out for an insurance policy, which may or may not cover problems they encounter. Maybe they should weigh the 448 million baht against the potential tens of billions they might lose.

its called 'the cost of doing business', the state could perhaps reinburse

part of the alleged hospital bill, im just thinking theres no corruption free solution to be had

[IvorBiggun2]

2 hours ago, essox essox said:

most hospitals will hold passport until one pays....

You can provide a link to that statement? I say it's not true.

[SOTIRIOS]

...is this a little too convenient....???

 

...what are the other possibilities....

 

...double sets of records.....???

 

...then 'the payments were never made'....and...the money disappears...???

 

...dunno...too different from 'reality...???

 

...all stories we hear are...padded bills...passports held....patients held until they 'pay up'...???

 

....so...gotta wonder....

 

 

 

..the perps playing the victims....???

 

...all the while crying for more handouts....???

 

 

 

 

 

 

[MeePeeMai]

5 minutes ago, brokenbone said:

its called 'the cost of doing business', the state could perhaps reinburse

part of the alleged hospital bill, im just thinking theres no corruption free solution to be had

As a comparison -

 

Hawaii hospitals treat foreign tourists year round and many do not pay for their treatment.  If someone is uninsured, the patient is billed at the mailing address given when they were admitted.  It is against the law to refuse to treat someone there.  Not surprisingly, many do not pay or give an incorrect mailing addresses (or simply do not respond to the bills/notices). 

 

The hospitals are forced to write off many unpaid bills as a loss (or sell them to collection agencies) but the State of Hawaii subsidizes most of the hospitals in Hawaii (as well as the EMS services or Advanced Life Support ambulances), they do get some Federal money also. 

 

Hawaii gets 10 million tourists a year but there is no requirement for them to carry any insurance and no push for any such legislation (since they know it would injure their cash cow and bring about bad publicity).  Most (but not all) Americans treated there have health insurance but many of the foreigners do not have international policies and are not covered. 

 

Unpaid bills are a very small percentage of the total there and I would suspect an even smaller percentage here. 

[moe666]

9 hours ago, Sheryl said:

ASEAN workers are eligible for the Thai univetsal covet  if they have work permits. They have to pay an annual fee of about 2000 baht and the all health care is free (or 30 baht) same as for Thais. 

 

So no I don't think that is the problem.

 

I do think Vachira's admin and billing practices/capacities needs a critical look. 

 

 

But not all workers are legal many working without the proper paper work.

[IvorBiggun2]

5 minutes ago, moe666 said:

But not all workers are legal many working without the proper paper work.

If they're then working illegally I doubt very much that they'll try to obtain medical assistance due to exposing themselves for arrest and deportation.

[WhatupThailand]

Everyone miss the point, This is not about the Facts.

This is only more Negative Media farce in order to Push the next BS Insurance move.

 

It is all about pushing their Insurance Scam Agenda, for the Greedy Cronies.

If they really wanted to solve the Problem, they would devise a way to add Everyone living

or coming to Thailand into their National Social System, based on the Time being in country.

 

 

[George FmplesdaCosteedback]

"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."

 

So now we know who to blame...

 

[vivananahuahin]

in accounting they are loose and profits and not only profits,and if more loose it's mean bad management.

[KKr]

about 15.000.000 USD unpaid bills in Thailand per Annum.

Thai Tourism Revenue about 58.000.000.000 USD in 2018.

0.026  % 
I SAY,
now I understand the focus on this huge problem, especially in the light of the desire to grow tourism and promote Thailand as a medical hub, or even better Center of Excellence.

and silly me, I thought this enormously large sum in outstanding debt was one of the reasons for officially allowing triple pricing tiers for different categories of foreigners and Thai ? Surely the additional revenues generated more than 15.000.000 $.

Joking aside,
A) if insurance is made compulsory it should be universally accessible, also for 95 year olds with umpteen conditions.
B) the service should be fairly priced as a flat fee same for all,
B.1. the market should be competitive, not a monopolistic cartel.
C) the cover should be adequate, THB 400.000 is not. 
D) there should be independent supervision of the Insurers.

E) So far, at least I have not seen, statistics about who did not pay for what have not been made available. Moreover, it would be interesting to see how many unpaid bills are attributable to foreign Labor, to Tourism, and how that compares to Thai outstanding debts.

F) how much was billed to the respective segments in total ?
G) were some of the unsettled debts possibly related to people passing away, or people dissatisfied with the treatment ?

any insights welcome

[dapperdan]

i carry a million $ policy, which I've used from the to time, over the years.  Companies always paid out. That's  not good enough for the A O Visa. Immigration wants Travelex to fill out a Thai document. Among other questions " the insured persons insured in accordance with the Cabinet Resolution, dated, etc, etc.  What insurance company is going to sign that? Probably none. The Thai retirement dream is over unless you are under 65-70 and were able to buy the ripoff Thai insurance offered. Sell the property, if you can and get out of here before it gets worse.

[bimmerbob]

On 11/29/2019 at 7:16 AM, BritManToo said:

Result = almost no tourists.

 

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

Even if we're talking 10x the normal billing for foreigners.

 

To put it into perspective, 448 million ('inflated' unpaid) represents 32 baht per each of the 14 million tourists.......

[scunner]

On 11/29/2019 at 7:19 AM, Samui Bodoh said:

How to deal with this issue:

 

1. Add 100 Baht to each plane ticket.

 

OR

 

2. Make it difficult, bureaucratic, nonsensical, stupid and unintelligible in order to make every visitor angry.

 

Which do you think will be chosen?

 

 

Let's see, which one offers the most opportunity for graft and make work - I know, Ill take (1) and (2) please Bob

[scunner]

2 hours ago, KKr said:

2 hours ago, KKr said:

snip for brevity

 

But you aren't thinking like the people in charge - as in "where can I extract the most money out of the system"

[Hugh Cow]

I have always had full insurance for my stays in Thailand both short and long. Compulsory insurance could be added to hiring fees for motor bikes, cars jet skis etc which would mitigate a large part of the problem.

[DUNROAMIN]

On 11/29/2019 at 2:19 PM, Samui Bodoh said:

How to deal with this issue:

 

1. Add 100 Baht to each plane ticket.

 

OR

 

2. Make it difficult, bureaucratic, nonsensical, stupid and unintelligible in order to make every visitor angry.

 

Which do you think will be chosen?

 

 

Gee, no brainer there!!!

[DUNROAMIN]

OK, now the truth is slowly rising out of the Thai BS of expats running up millions of barht in hospital bill!!!!

[Longcut]

Notice it says, "TOURIST".  Not long term residents. Then why is it the long term residents are being punished for the crime of others? Having pensioners obtain insurance is not going to solve the problem of tourist walking out without paying their bills. 

 Unless of course, the fact that you must use a Thai insurance company is their way of balancing the coffers. 

[essox essox]

On 11/29/2019 at 2:29 PM, cmsally said:

Simply make it compulsory for those hiring motorbikes and doing watersports to purchase appropriate insurance when they hire the service in question. "attack by animals" ??!! don't know what to think about this one , is it by any chance stray dogs? In which case it is the municipalities job to sort out.

thort the BIKE rental place would make sure hirers have insurance, other wise they should not be on the roads???!!!

[Sheryl]

12 hours ago, IvorBiggun2 said:

If they're then working illegally I doubt very much that they'll try to obtain medical assistance due to exposing themselves for arrest and deportation.

Correct.

 

The problem is tourists. 

 

Some uninsured but I also suspect some insured but hospital fails to do the necessary papetwork.

[Yadon Toploy]

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

Result = almost no tourists.

 

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

Even if we're talking 10x the normal billing for foreigners.

 

It is creative accounting to excuse incompetent accounting or staff on the fiddle.

 

Whenever they claim something, I immediately disbelieve it until I see concrete proof, which usually never arrives.

[joebrown]

33 minutes ago, Longcut said:

Notice it says, "TOURIST".  Not long term residents. Then why is it the long term residents are being punished for the crime of others? Having pensioners obtain insurance is not going to solve the problem of tourist walking out without paying their bills. 

 Unless of course, the fact that you must use a Thai insurance company is their way of balancing the coffers. 

Hospitals have ways of 'balancing' the coffers. Keeping brain dead expats alive on 'expensive' life support systems is one of them. This is done on the basis of Thai Buddhist ethic, not on the reality of the expat's non- Buddhist religion. 

[Isaanbiker]

From October 2018 to September 2019 448 million in bills went unpaid. 

 

  It's not really clear what it includes. Who'd believe such a statement? 

 

Somebody cuts off a big piece of cake and blames foreigners for the missing cash. Huge sums might not land where they should. 

 

Does that also include the medicine and machines that were never bought and the money sacked by some big shots who need the cash for their Mia Nois and expensive cars?

 

 

[johnarth]

as usual total lies, last time this came up it was pointed out that the people not paying up were all from next door, and it is well known most of those do not have visa or work permits, but if big org and his mob were to chase them home as before they were quietly let back in because Thais will not do the dirty work, so the government should pay those bills 

[potless]

11 hours ago, KKr said:

E) So far, at least I have not seen, statistics about who did not pay for what have not been made available. Moreover, it would be interesting to see how many unpaid bills are attributable to foreign Labor, to Tourism, and how that compares to Thai outstanding debts.

F) how much was billed to the respective segments in total ?
G) were some of the unsettled debts possibly related to people passing away, or people dissatisfied with the treatment ?

Thats exactly what I wanted to know when the story first appeared. Who finished 4th 5th 6th etc. in the dishonours list? No real details supplied. And who would believe them anyway ?

[FritsSikkink]

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

Result = almost no tourists.

 

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

Even if we're talking 10x the normal billing for foreigners.

 

Read a bit better, 9K tourist in 1 hospital, 448 million country wide.