Online appeal launched to fly home elderly British man taken seriously ill in Korat

[jerrymahoney]

From the GloucesterLive link in the OP:

 

"... and has a good circle of English friends out there (in Khorat) helping us through this. It’s a very complicated situation. Believe me we have tried every which way."

 

So what are these friends actually doing?

[Pravda]

14 hours ago, Hindy said:

here is my take on self insurance

i have 25k GBP in a Bangkok bank account,which i never touch and use for my visa,(3 so far)

it will also double up as a self insurance policy should i need it.

no need to pay rip off insurance fees.

i also have money in the uk which i can use ,if need be

 

i am 63

 

Wow what a great plan

[cdnvic]

A post in poor taste was removed.

[Gandtee]

1 hour ago, ThailandRyan said:

Inside a pre-built medical suite in a cargo container...that's the ticket. Fresh sea air, rolling waves....

And if things go pear shaped, consigned to the deep. I wish him well.

[puchooay]

5 hours ago, ericthai said:

Not because she had no money.  Thais are covered under the 30 baht system.  

That would mean that the hospital are not being paid also. Hence, sick people who cannot be helped are sent home to save the hospital money.

[IvorBiggun2]

Whether it's to save money we can only guess but I know of lots of people who got sent home based on the fact the hospital could do no more fore them. 

[bobandyson]

1 hour ago, IvorBiggun2 said:

Can someone please show me where it says he is being treated in a private hospital? Due to his condition, in a government hospital, I'd expect him to be in a private room which should cost around 1,500 Baht per night.

 

Judging by the photo in the OP it looks like a private room in a government hospital.

 

Private rooms in private hospitals has a hidden cost of approx 1000 baht per visit by a doctor doing daily check-ups. Even if he basically pops his head round the door asking if everything is ok.

So if staying in a private room ask what the price actually entails.

[bobandyson]

 

Sorry double post.

Edited June 20, 2021 by bobandyson

[Huckenfell]

On 6/19/2021 at 11:31 AM, canopus1969 said:

Sorry I do not understand, he can get very good treatment here

But at a premium price.

 

[Denim]

1 hour ago, canopus1969 said:

If you visit your local Government hospital and ask the costs you would be surprised how low they are compared to the extortionate charges at a Private Hospital.

He has money in Thailand, just not the amount to go private – plus his family in the UK could transfer any extra he may need

 

My local hospital will not allow you to have a private room unless the doctor consents to it.  Thinking I might have to use one in the future , I took a look at them a couple of years ago and enquired about the cost. Nice rooms and only 850 a night ....very cheap. However, the nurse told me that as these rooms are in a separate block and the doctors are often rushed off their feet , they don't like going there just to see a couple of patients and they prefer you to use a ward. On the Ward beds are narrow and hard and no air conditioning. In addition, all the Thai patients have relatives sleeping on the floor next to them to provide care since the nurses are busy doing other things !!! My wife had to do this for her mother when she was bitten by a snake.

[Scouse123]

18 hours ago, Gandtee said:

So what happens if the funds are not forthcoming? 

 

He becomes a statistic on the Thai health system as one of those here that cannot pay for their care, that is unless he has a pension to cover his hospital and/or care fees.

[Scouse123]

23 minutes ago, Huckenfell said:

But at a premium price.

 

 

No, with his funds depleted, he will fall back on the Thai health system which is not expensive on a paid basis.

 

 

 

 

Edited June 20, 2021 by Scouse123

[canopus1969]

37 minutes ago, Huckenfell said:

But at a premium price.

 

Wrong - Government hospitals are very reasonable

[Hindy]

1 hour ago, Pravda said:

 

Wow what a great plan

thanks,it's a master plan

[Gandtee]

51 minutes ago, IvorBiggun2 said:

Whether it's to save money we can only guess but I know of lots of people who got sent home based on the fact the hospital could do no more fore them. 

Sent home by whom? Hospital bill not paid? It seems like a catch 22 situation. Will the hospital not release you until the bill is settled and is mounting each day? What happens if his visa expires due to not enough collateral? Is he put on a plane? Many questions here. I'm sure someone here has the answers.

[puchooay]

1 minute ago, Gandtee said:

 I'm sure someone here has the answers.

I'm not sure anyone does.

We don't know how long he has been in Thailand so we don't know his visa status.

 

The article does not state that he is not paying the hospital bills. It only states that his family need money to get him back to UK.

 

 

 

 

[Hindy]

14 hours ago, Neeranam said:

Not much use if you get what this guy got and the 80,000 quid fee is correct.

read my post properly,i have funds in the uk and a house.

 

i just hope you have been 100% truthful to your insurance company.

i suspect many expats will get a shock when they try to claim.

[Scouse123]

18 hours ago, youreavinalaff said:

The ones in the article. Here. Can you see it?

 

"Speaking to Gloucestershire Live, daughter Vanessa said: "Dad did have insurance initially but it lapsed and when he tried to get it re-issued they wouldn’t insure him because of his age and his medical conditions (co-morbidities)”".

 

The Insurance company would not have given him insurance in the first place if he had two simultaneous diseases ( co-morbidities), which is what she is now saying.

 

If his age is 73 and he had insurance  18 months ago, ( which I am finding hard to believe ), they wouldn't take it away based on age and medical conditions. Not a lot between 71.5 years of age and 73 years.

 

The daughters are painting a picture here to cover up his own self neglect.

 

Sad story, but there will be another one next week.

 

 

[IvorBiggun2]

2 minutes ago, Scouse123 said:

The daughters are painting a picture here to cover up his own self neglect.

Of course they are. The sadder the story the sooner the coffers will be filled.

 

2 minutes ago, Scouse123 said:

Sad story, but there will be another one next week.

And the next. And the next. And so on. And so on.

[puchooay]

3 minutes ago, Scouse123 said:

 

The Insurance company would not have given him insurance in the first place if he had two simultaneous diseases ( co-morbidities), which is what she is now saying.

 

If his age is 73 and he had insurance  18 months ago, ( which I am finding hard to believe ), they wouldn't take it away based on age and medical conditions. Not a lot between 71.5 years of age and 73 years.

 

The daughters are painting a picture here to cover up his own self neglect.

 

Sad story, but there will be another one next week.

 

 

It was only travel insurance. Maybe he only had it for a month or so. Maybe he had it longer and the health conditions developed during the first insurance policy. The article is very vague.

[Scouse123]

6 minutes ago, puchooay said:

It was only travel insurance. Maybe he only had it for a month or so. Maybe he had it longer and the health conditions developed during the first insurance policy. The article is very vague.

 

OK,

 

I am letting it rest now from my point of view.

 

But there was Pacific Cross insurance , he could have taken a large excess to reduce premiums to get insured, or Nomads who specialize in med to long term travel insurance and no doubt if I google there will be other options. There are companies in the UK that specialize in affordable insurance for elderly and pre existing, I have seen them advertised.

 

He didn't. He adopted a ' It'll be alright on the night ' approach.

 

We've seen it with a lot younger tourists than him, who travel with inadequate insurance and then hit a big problem.

 

 

 

Edited June 20, 2021 by Scouse123

[NoshowJones]

On 6/19/2021 at 9:50 AM, Ron jeremy said:

Very sad and I hope for the best, 

again, no place to be at that age with no money.

insurance should be mandatory!

next week there will be another!

"insurance should be mandatory!"  Insurance companies are rich enough by confusing people with their legal claptrap and small print without the government forcing everyone to get insurance thus collecting brown envelopes from the insurance companies.

[puchooay]

2 minutes ago, Scouse123 said:

We've seen it with a lot younger tourists than him, who travel with inadequate insurance and then hit a big problem.

He did have adequate insurance but was then denied renewal, if we are to believe the article.

 

At that point, as he had no insurance and also health issues, he should have returned to UK.

[IvorBiggun2]

1 hour ago, Denim said:

Thai patients have relatives sleeping on the floor next to them to provide care since the nurses are busy doing other things !!!

Never been to an hospital, government or private, where the nurses do not have a TV on in their office doing other things..

[colinneil]

1 minute ago, IvorBiggun2 said:

Never been to an hospital, government or private, where the nurses do not have a TV on in their office doing other things..

Do not knock nurses, most of them do a sterling job, sometimes in very difficult conditions.

So what they watch tv when not attending to patients needs, they took damned good care of me in my time of need.

[IvorBiggun2]

2 minutes ago, colinneil said:

, they took damned good care of me in my time of need.

That's what they're paid for.

[NoshowJones]

On 6/19/2021 at 10:13 AM, Saltire said:

Depending how long he has been in Thailand there is no guarantee he can use the free NHS. While he would be happier at home, if he has to pay in the UK anyway, he should get treated here as some suggest. Last I read the NHS for this sort of treatment is not only expensive, they add 50% for good measure. Hope he was a real tourist and still qualifies for free treatment in the UK.

 

Good luck to him anyway, hope the family get something sorted.

 

 

I don't see how in his situation that he would not get free treatment in the UK, no matter how long he has lived in Thailand although technically that could be the case. If he relies only on a state pension, it will be greatly reduced because of him not getting his annual increases. As you say, good luck to him.

 

[puchooay]

7 minutes ago, IvorBiggun2 said:

That's what they're paid for.

They are also paid to be able to take a break, a quick rest or just a minute to take their mind off of all the s%$t they see and go through.

[Saltire]

2 minutes ago, possum1931 said:

I don't see how in his situation that he would not get free treatment in the UK, no matter how long he has lived in Thailand although technically that could be the case. If he relies only on a state pension, it will be greatly reduced because of him not getting his annual increases. As you say, good luck to him.

 

Yes I agree in his circumstances, if he makes it to the UK it's very likely he won't be going anywhere anytime soon. His condition is too serious.

[puchooay]

1 minute ago, possum1931 said:

I don't see how in his situation that he would not get free treatment in the UK

There is no situation. It is barstool talk that UK nationals lose their right to NHS treatment.

 

As soon as they return to UK they are able to re-register with NHS, if they had ever been un-registered.