Clarification re Thai people free health treatment

[thaisabai]

Just wondering if a girl is telling the truth.

she generally goes to government hospitals.

now the doctor tells her she needs to do a blood test and she tells me she cannot afford it (1,500 Baht).

am I wrong or are Thais getting such treatment for free?

just curious, thanks

 

thaisabai

[fishtank]

Free or 30 Baht at most.

[Excel]

1 hour ago, fishtank said:

Free or 30 Baht at most.

Only if you go to the hospital in the Amphur that you are registered at

[kingofthemountain]

1 hour ago, Excel said:

Only if you go to the hospital in the Amphur that you are registered at

You can go to an hospital in another amphur

 

However in this case you have to pay and

later when you are back in your amphur, you can present

the bill paid to the other hospital and you have a refund.

 

It takes a little bit of time to have the money back

 

Of course we are here talking about a Thai registered in the 

health system.

 

So in the case of the OP maybe the girl isn't registered

(for some reasons she doesn't pay the mandatory annual fee)

or she is registered in another amphur and she has to do the payment

then if she doesn't plan to come back to the amphur where she is registered, she cannot be reimbursed of the money she paid

so in these 2 cases she is telling the truth 

 

[Sheryl]

All Thais can get  free health care at the government hospital where they are registered OR other hospital that it refers then to.

 

Quite likely you are just being lied to, happens a lot.

 

But other possibility is that she is registered in another province and so has to pay for using the government hospital where she now is.

 

The registration is based on listing in a tabian ban (house registration) and it is not unusual for people to live in a different province while still listed i  another one. These lisitings can be changed, but people often don't want to bother doing it.

 

 

 

 

[Excel]

7 hours ago, kingofthemountain said:

You can go to an hospital in another amphur

 

However in this case you have to pay and

later when you are back in your amphur, you can present

the bill paid to the other hospital and you have a refund.

 

It takes a little bit of time to have the money back

 

Of course we are here talking about a Thai registered in the 

health system.

 

So in the case of the OP maybe the girl isn't registered

(for some reasons she doesn't pay the mandatory annual fee)

or she is registered in another amphur and she has to do the payment

then if she doesn't plan to come back to the amphur where she is registered, she cannot be reimbursed of the money she paid

so in these 2 cases she is telling the truth 

 

There was a report about 3 weeks ago that the government is re-considering that idiotic rule and changing it it so you can attend any government hospital. Never heard if anything more has happened with that.

[rcuthbert]

My 62 year old expat pal is registered at Banglamung Government Hospital. Last week he saw a doctor, got a 90 day supply of medicine, and he booked an appointment for minor surgery. He was charged 200b for the doctor visit, 100b for the surgical appointment, and his medicine cost 45b. Incidentally - a pharmacy had previously quoted 500b for  10 of the same tablets.

 

It seems that the OP might be being played.

[PPMMUU]

some (very few) test are not support by 30 baht.

[BritManToo]

16 hours ago, thaisabai said:

now the doctor tells her she needs to do a blood test and she tells me she cannot afford it (1,500 Baht).

am I wrong or are Thais getting such treatment for free?

To get free treatment for non-emergencies Thai adults need to live locally (house book) and be registered at that hospital.

Thai children are treated free at any government hospital.

 

Blood test for non-registered persons is usually around 200bht, depending on the test.

You'd need to tell us the reason for the blood test in order for us to give you a closer price.

 

1,500bht would probably be a lie.

[Sheryl]

There are plenty of blood tests that can cost that much or even more. There is no standard fee for "blood tests" anymore than there is for "medicine". Depends on what it is.

 

burt as mentuioned she can get free care at the hospital where she is registered.

 

 

[thaisabai]

thank you for all the answers. More clear now how the Thay health care works

 

thaisabai

[PPMMUU]

1500 baht blood test is very possible.