Suan Doc Hospital, Chiang Mai, Fees

[peterpop]

My friend had severe infection in his leg last week.  He is far from being well off.  He was admitted to Suan Doc and placed in a ward of 6 men.  After 4 days he was informed that the bill would be 4500 bht per day [inc meals and basic care]  OK cheap by some standards but he could have had a private room for virtually the same price if he had been told.  He is now struggling to find the money and still is not sufficiently fit to be discharged.  Thais in the same room have no charge.  This is a new tax on farang.

[Sheryl]

It is not a "new tax on farang". It is simply having to pay for your care, as has always been the case for non-Thais (and for Thais not registered at that hospital or referred to it by the hospital they are registered at).

 

Government hospitals receive funds from the government for care of Thais based on the size of the Thai population they are responsible for. they do nto receive any government support or subsidy for foreigners.

 

Note that medications etc will likely be extra, he may be looking at much higher bill than he thinks.

 

 

 

 

[BritManToo]

Yeah, that's seriously overpriced.

Care in a government hospital ward used to be around 300bht/day, or 1,000bht in a private room.

They're ripping foreigners at Suan Doc these days.

 

If you want Thai prices you need to go to hospitals that don't cater to foreigners.

NakornPing or SanSai would have probably been a lot cheaper.

I use the new hospital at Sansai for my outpatient treatment, 50bht foreigner fee.

Edited July 20, 2020 by BritManToo

[orchis]

that's cheap, actually. no insurance?

[from the home of CC]

 just like when you purchase anything anywhere any country ask the cost up front to avoid surprise..

[peterpop]

1 hour ago, Sheryl said:

It is not a "new tax on farang". It is simply having to pay for your care, as has always been the case for non-Thais (and for Thais not registered at that hospital or referred to it by the hospital they are registered at).

 

Government hospitals receive funds from the government for care of Thais based on the size of the Thai population they are responsible for. they do nto receive any government support or subsidy for foreigners.

 

Note that medications etc will likely be extra, he may be looking at much higher bill than he thinks.

 

 

 

 

My point Sheryl is that this is A NEW PRICE and he was not informed that the price had risen from 300 bht t0 3000 bht ++.  He was not offered a better room that he may have enjoyed.

[Sheryl]

I doubt 3000+ is the room charge alone. Even at top end private hospitals, ward rooms don't cost that. 

 

This estimated cost must include more than the room, meals and nursing care. That or something lost in translation.

 

It is always possible to pay accumulated bills during one's stay rather than all at the end (in fact in Govt hospitals they may request it). I suggest he have someone go down to the billing office and request a detailed bill for his stay so far. That should shed some light on charges and also help him estimate what his total bill will be.

 

You can be sure whatever the final cost, a private room would have cost him at least 1000 baht a day more. Also note it is usually required to have an attebdant with you 24/7 if in a private room. Which can be hard for some people to arrange.

[peterpop]

As you say something may be lost in translation.  Anyway he will be discharged tomorrow and there will be 2 highly motivated Thai wives needing a breakdown of costs.  It will be interesting after such a shock.

Incidentally Suan Doc is Chiang Mai's University hospital.  It has a really good reputation and all the best skills and equipment.  The lowest level of accommodation is where my friend is located.  Needs a lick of paint but otherwise quite OK.

Edited July 21, 2020 by peterpop

[ChakaKhan]

15 hours ago, from the home of CC said:

 just like when you purchase anything anywhere any country ask the cost up front to avoid surprise..

THIS...I learned a few hard lessons about this.....food...mbike repairs..etc.......unless price stated, always ASK

[NancyL]

Suan Dok did indeed raise their foreigner room price a few years ago after they got feed up with too many foreigners not paying bills and/or expecting special treatment.  If your friend is able to pay cash at check-out (not using a credit card), his wife should ask to talk with a Social Worker about getting a cash discount.  If he's been a good patient -- not making too many demands, not throwing farang fits, etc, then they'll give a discount.  

 

Incidentally, it would have been difficult to get a private room at Suan Dok, even with someone able to stay with in in the room.  They keep them for special Thai people  The only time I've known a foreigner to get one was a man who had custody of his 12-year old son, had no one to look after the son and wanted him in the room with him.  Otherwise, their attitude toward foreigners wanting a private room is they should go to a private hospital.

 

Oh, and not every Thai person there is getting treatment for free.  Some go to Suan Dok because they want good care and circumvent their assigned amphur hospital where they should be going for treatment.

 

And it's difficult to get a "running bill" at Suan Dok (and Nakorn Ping for that matter).  Often the nurses wait until just before discharge to calculate the charges.  It's just not a priority for them to keep up with the billing, unlike in the private hospitals where they note on your record every time they use a cotton swab on a patient.  It's not unusual to find the final bill is less than the running bill.  I think that's because a patient is charged for medicines and supplies allocated to him, but if they aren't used, they're returned and his account is credited at the end.

[Sheryl]

7 hours ago, peterpop said:

As you say something may be lost in translation.  Anyway he will be discharged tomorrow and there will be 2 highly motivated Thai wives needing a breakdown of costs.  It will be interesting after such a shock.

Incidentally Suan Doc is Chiang Mai's University hospital.  It has a really good reputation and all the best skills and equipment.  The lowest level of accommodation is where my friend is located.  Needs a lick of paint but otherwise quite OK.

 

I will be very interested to learn the final cost and its breakdown, please update when you can