Warning to expats: Surgery of any kind in Thailand can come with a hefty price tag

[damascase]

Reading about the broken kneecap and the costs potentially involved, reminds me of a similar occurrence two years ago, here in Thailand. 
I stepped from a sidewalk without looking and, as it turned out to be 60 - 70 cm high, landed on my knee. I didn’t know at the time, but I broke my kneecap. Although fully insured I didn’t really want to go to hospital. Almost immobile first, but slowly started exercising, like swimming, and after a couple of weeks I was even cycling again. More than 10 weeks later, back in my home country, my GP advised me to have an X-ray, which showed it had been broken but was healing nicely. No operation, only a temporary brace; the doctor couldn’t believe that I had been walking, swimming and cycling (over a 1000 km) with it...... After reading the above I do wonder what would have happened if I had gone to hospital and got an operation, I’m not sure I would have been better off......

 

[nrasmussen]

4 hours ago, robblok said:

I lost money on insurance.. and I dont mind. Its a peace of mind for me. But im in a different age bracket as you. I wound not care about 160k baht that is not a problem. I am talking about the things that cost around a million and stuff like that. 

I agree, but I don't see it as losing money. Taking out insurance for something is to pay someone else to take the risk on your behalf, so you get what you pay for, no matter if you make any claims or not.

[Curt1591]

1 hour ago, Crusader said:

Still amazes me how many expats here do not have insurance...but their choice.  On the Thai side, my wife gets all her health bits free (treatment & medication) at a hospital here in Bangkok.

I have had some expensive procedures here in Bangkok. I have paid for them myself and, doing the math, have saved money over what insurance would have cost me. 

My wife is also covered by the  Thai social security healthcare scheme. We use it for nickel and dime stuff. But, when it comes to serious medical procedures, I prefer that she is be able to choose her doctor.

[damascase]

10 minutes ago, worgeordie said:

A Thai friend of the wife, just been in hospital for removal of Gallstones,

378,000 THB, the hospital is a well know one in Chiang Mai, no meals

provided, everything extra, even charge for rental of Saline stand ,120 THB,

3,500 THB for room, it was keyhole surgery so lucky only in for 3 nights.

regards Worgeordie

3 nights, 378k baht, OMG.

[from the home of CC]

4 hours ago, Surelynot said:

Just had a Ultrasound, MRI and biopsy, along with medication to treat an infection from the biopsy......all in must have cost around 200k.

private hospital?

[KhunG]

I decided to self-insure when the insurance companies told me they wouldn't cover heart or circulatory issues due to me having high blood pressure, but they wouldn't reduce the premiums for the reduced coverage.  

Among other things I've had done here I had a RLE on an eye at a private hospital.  90KBaht (approx 3KUSD) for a more advanced lens than the one I had put in my other eye more than 10 years ago in the US for 4KUSD.

 

[oobar]

1 hour ago, malibukid said:

i needed surgery and was quoted 300K at Bumagrad.  flew home to the States.  85,000.00 and Medicare picked up the tab.

Wow, so the same surgery in the States cost more than eight times what it cost at Bumrungrad. 

[kingofthemountain]

1 hour ago, KarenBravo said:

Self insured = Uninsured.

I don't think so

insurance isn't always the good answer

they often have a lot of exclusions, plus they also have max amount

i know by experience you end sometimes fighting against the disease AND your insurance

not an enjoyable situation.

At least when self insured you can decide by yourself if you use your money or not

of course there is still the risk to run out of money, and it's exactly the same situation if

your medical costs are up to the max cover of your insurance, they just stop to pay.

 

Before someone comes with the answer my US\AUS (Or whatever coutry) insurance company

cover me up to 10 millions dollars let me inform you that the maximum coverages are usualy

at ridiculous low levels (In regards of the premiums asked) on most of the Thai contracts

[gamini]

seems a lot of confusion about hospital prices in Thailand. The best hospital is the government  Rama in Bangkok. It is better equiped than Bumrungrad. I had leg artery opeation there for bt 160,000 as against 1,300,000 in a leading private hospital. It is cheaper to use government hospitals for expensive operations than paying out  hefty insurance premiums when you get older. I am 90 and in last 20 years have had 3 heart operatons, above operation, cancer radiation and about two months total in patient treatment,  which came to much less than 20 years insurance.  

[hotchilli]

5 hours ago, robblok said:

That is why expats should have some insurance or enough money to self insure. 

Last year I asked a good Thai insurance company the cost of a medical insurance policy to cover accidents or surgery/illness.

They quoted me a policy with 40,000 baht a year payment.
Each type of surgery payment is capped, depending on the surgery required.

The highest payment was 36,000 baht, with me having to pay the balance????

Less than my premium... how does that even work?
 

[thequietman]

5 hours ago, Surelynot said:

Just had a Ultrasound, MRI and biopsy, along with medication to treat an infection from the biopsy......all in must have cost around 200k.

 Had an ultra-sound, MRI and CT scan last year. Cost was 460 baht a month. Free in hospital.

I have government health insurance through my jerb. ????

[Randy99]

Just had a kidney stone removed from my bladder at a hospital in Sri Racha.  They kept me there for two nights.  It was 150,000.  In Canada same procedure is done as an out patient, 3 or four hours at the hospital maximum.  Stark difference between the two countries and I suspect that the Thai procedure is crafted with profit in mind.

[Lingba]

and they call Thailand a medical hub....for what?...it can be just as expensive here...and believe me ..they have the cashier standing right next to your bed with their hand out after every little procedure...as soon as a nurse cleans your ass they expect to be paid.....its a gamble too...a lot of doctors are good...but a lot don't know <deleted> so you must educate yourself because if something were to happen...you have absolutely no recourse

[thequietman]

25 minutes ago, gamini said:

seems a lot of confusion about hospital prices in Thailand. The best hospital is the government  Rama in Bangkok. It is better equiped than Bumrungrad. I had leg artery opeation there for bt 160,000 as against 1,300,000 in a leading private hospital. It is cheaper to use government hospitals for expensive operations than paying out  hefty insurance premiums when you get older. I am 90 and in last 20 years have had 3 heart operatons, above operation, cancer radiation and about two months total in patient treatment,  which came to much less than 20 years insurance.  

Great 2 C yer still at it old timer. I can only hope that I reach that ripe age. I bow down to you sir. Keep er lit.  ????

[pierrenoel]

there is no cover for thai ( accident ),not free thai hospital

[DogNo1]

The problem with depending on insurance in your home country is whether or not you will be able to travel back for medical care after your accident, stroke, heart attack, etc.   About two months ago, a friend of mine fell and suffered a serious concussion.  He wasn't able to travel and his hospital wouldn't perform an emergency operation without payment up front.  He didn't have the money and died in the hospital about three weeks later.

Accident policies available in Thailand don't pay out much.

[4MyEgo]

1 hour ago, nrasmussen said:

I agree, but I don't see it as losing money. Taking out insurance for something is to pay someone else to take the risk on your behalf, so you get what you pay for, no matter if you make any claims or not.

Spot on.

Most expats don't understand that private health cover isn't that expensive if they break it down to a daily amount, e.g. at 60 year of age I pay 73,000 baht per annum, paid monthly, it's better this way as the dollar has been rising which makes it even cheaper as long as the dollar keeps rising.

The above said, 73,000 baht divided by 365 days in the year = 200 baht a day, now, for that 200 baht a day, I am covered for up to $1.2 million USD (emergency and elective surgery), no outpatient cover, cheap enough for me to pay for it if I need it, also there is no excess or waiver to be paid on a claim. The policy also includes coverage for a pre-existing condition, i.e. I had a stent inserted into a main artery back in 2008, naturally that is an additional cost if I wanted the pre-existing condition covered, and of course I wanted it and it is included in the above amount which works out to be around $60USD per month on top of the normal policy amount.

I also have my wife & kids insured under a different company and that comes to about 60,000 baht a year or 33 baht per head per day and the coverage is for up to $500,000 USD, again it an (emergency and elective surgery policy), no outpatient coverage, as mentioned before, it's cheap enough.

I now a lot of expats that do not have coverage of any sort, and that is their choice, for me, I want peace of mind, and yes, I could self insure and save 133,000 baht per year, but I would need to have no emergencies for 8 years to get to a million baht in the bank, that said, if an emergency was a bad one it could cost millions of baht, so whilst I can afford it, I will continue to pay for the privilege.  

[itsari]

6 hours ago, robblok said:

That is why expats should have some insurance or enough money to self insure. 

Stay home and do the gardening . 

[brewsterbudgen]

6 hours ago, Shuya said:

What ever happen to free universal healthcare for Thais? 

How is that relevant?  This is about expats.

[wwest5829]

6 hours ago, bdenner said:

At 71 I'm virtually uninsurable now but in saying that I have been self insured (when it comes to health) all my life.

Had a domestic accident 2 months ago, splintered a section of my knee cap and tissue damage to my lower leg and foot. In short 6 days in the BKK Hospital Udon which included surgery.

Thus far 140K Baht (AUD $6000) = absolutely no problem. I'm so far in front of the game just looking at the ridiculous premiums I would have paid over the years.

I too am pretty much self insured at 74 and having heart/circulation pre-existing conditions. I do carry an “accident policy” which would cover the motorbike mishap as well as tripping on an uneven sidewalk. The O-A required insurance with a 200K deductible is in all likelihood non usable. I do have a retirement policy that covers up to $5000 USD annually.

[Lacessit]

5 hours ago, KamnanT said:

Which works if your home country's socialised health care system is available to non-residents.  Increasingly, governments are restricting access by citizens who reside overseas (UK, Australia and Canada are all examples). I suspect it will only get more restrictive as populations age and resources get stretched.

Really? I can go back to Australia until February 2025 and still avail myself of the Medicare system, plus reinstate my private health cover within 90 days of arrival.

[Lacessit]

Insurance companies own big buildings in most cities for a reason. Every insurance company has a department which is dedicated to disallowing claims, again for a reason.

At 77, with pre-existing conditions, I am uninsurable anyway. Self-insurance is my only option.

If I can get back to Australia, any treatment costs nothing. Here, all I can do is try to stay healthy. Roll on COVID vaccination.

[Humpy]

 After a biopsy of the skin cancer on my head at the Pattaya Bangkok Hospital I was told that it was 'cutaneous squamous cell  carcinoma (cSCC ) . They told me the cost of treatment would be Baht 160,000 .   I was too old for health insurance.

However, I sought treatment at a private hospital in Khon Kaen . The operation was successful, (2 inch diameter skin repair with skin taken from my leg) and the cost was Baht 38,000 which included one night in hospital and regular check ups for 18 months after. Excellent service . So it pays to shop around .

 

Edited March 19, 2021 by Humpy
more detail

[shackleton]

I am paying a high premium for my insurance  with BUPA

and have been with them for a lot of years and its been worth it

Have to admit first class service with them on my medical care operations and treatment here in the hospitals in Thailand 

Health in my estimation comes first 

 

 

 

[snowgard]

9 hours ago, aussie11950 said:

Its called "skate boarding" in Australia.
Sorry for his pain

Not only in Australia!!! Hahaha....
 

[Letseng]

8 hours ago, fvw53 said:

About 10 years ago I got a crack in my meniscus .....and I got here a quote of 300.000 Baht ...so I returned to my home countriy (EU member state) where the meniscus was taken away in 15' for free ...Here they estimated three to four days of stay in the hospital but in my home country I checked in during morning hours and left back home two hours after the surgery 

Bumrungrad it is a day procedure. Yes, price for op is higher than in some EU countries. 

[cobra]

Unfortunately insurance is one of those things which indirectly provide no tangible benefit, albeit peace of mind.

It's a gambling game on both sides.

IMHO health care in Thailand is still very reasonable compared to the west and usually of satisfactory quality.  
Saying you're uninsurable at a certain age is a bit of a misnomer.

There is always some entity that will insure you, but the price will reflect the risk, and may be beyond what one can pay.

Hence when saving for retirement, keep in mind medical coverage, knowing it will take up a large portion of your budget.

[shy coconut]

12 hours ago, aussie11950 said:

Its called "skate boarding" in Australia.
Sorry for his pain

I'm not an expert in these matters so did a Google search.

Apparently skate surfing is a board whose wheels are set up in a way that you can do "surfing" moves, as opposed to the original board and wheel alignment.

It does appear to be a different discipline to regular skate boarding, although I have no idea if that applies down under?

Edited March 19, 2021 by shy coconut

[impulse]

15 hours ago, robblok said:

That is why expats should have some insurance or enough money to self insure. 

 Don't forget "enough left over after self insuring that your entire retirement isn't derailed." 

Bad enough to get caught out with an accident and a one time treatment.  Then there's the accidents which will require multiple surgeries over a period of years.  And let's not forget chronic conditions like cancer and other diseases which will keep on racking up the bills.

A guy may have the baht to pay the medical bills, but then it's nice to keep eating...  And for that, you need money left over.  Too old to work and bankrupted by medical bills isn't on my bucket list, even if I could get back to avail myself to Medicare. Imagine what it would cost to repatriate...

Edited March 19, 2021 by impulse

[scorecard]

11 hours ago, worgeordie said:

A Thai friend of the wife, just been in hospital for removal of Gallstones,

378,000 THB, the hospital is a well know one in Chiang Mai, no meals

provided, everything extra, even charge for rental of Saline stand ,120 THB,

3,500 THB for room, it was keyhole surgery so lucky only in for 3 nights.

regards Worgeordie

I wonder which hospital (but I'm guessing on s hway).