Help Young Expat Hit with Stage 4 Cancer

[jerrymahoney]

20 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

There are many options for people in this situation in the U.S., why doesn't he just go back?

 

https://www.hca.wa.gov/health-care-services-supports/apple-health-medicaid-coverage/individual-adults

[stigar]

I think this story is totally BS.I migth have someone knock him down on his head.He look so healthy compared to other cancerpasients on stage 4 i seen.They migth be scammers.And why no doctors around him and validate his story???

[Colabamumbai]

Hope he got a second and third doctors opinion. 

[aqua4]

 

I dont mean to be rude but his company should have covered this with their private medical insurance. There is also Social Security and everyone has to pay into that. Friend of mine here in Thailand who worked here got diagnosed with cancer and the social security paid for his treatment at a government hospital as that was the closest to him. It was early stages and he made a full recovery. This was a few years ago. 

 

I had a friend with stage 4 and it cost him everything, including the house. He had kids and wanted to push on. Did a gofundme as well. Died a year later leaving his wife and kids with nothing. I told him that Stage 4 is Gods waiting room. You need to make peace and let it go and not run up debt beyond what they can carry as the kids are young and need a roof over their heads. He insisted on private healthcare instead of free government care back home as well. Some people are just beyond me. I get really tired as well when expats run these 'fund me' when they should be taking care of these things themselves. They are irresponsible. 

 

If you dont have the money, go home and seek free government care at home. 

 

Edited March 16, 2022 by aqua4
to add

[oobar]

9 hours ago, BKKBike09 said:

Perhaps it's my age, but "Young Expat" to me would be a kid, a teen or at most in early 20s. But 36?

Seems young when you're 76.

[Harveyboy]

feel sorry for the bloke hope he can beat this..one comment on here from an op did make sense  why not use the 60.000 and fly home to get treatment that way you know where you stand im not being anti crowdfunding but going home would be the logical..and now he has the cash to do it..

[Ralf001]

9 minutes ago, Harveyboy said:

feel sorry for the bloke hope he can beat this..one comment on here from an op did make sense  why not use the 60.000 and fly home to get treatment that way you know where you stand im not being anti crowdfunding but going home would be the logical..and now he has the cash to do it..

There will be a second round of crowdfunding to raise funds to repatriate his body.

[orchis]

3 hours ago, placeholder said:

You're right that he should have purchased adequate insurance in Thailand. But what makes you think he has insurance back home? He's from the USA. Health insurance is not a given there.

Maybe he hasn't but should he plan for a 240 k USD 3 year stay here (with a  "professionally" written treatment and funding plan)
and be a burden to Thailand and the general public?
He could fly back home to his home country and legion of friends and do this
https://www.hca.wa.gov/health-care-services-supports/apple-health-medicaid-coverage/individual-adults

 

Edited March 16, 2022 by orchis

[thecyclist]

It doesn't really say what cancer he has. But if it is stage 4 brain cancer that has metastized to the brain it would take a miracle to cure him. Even stage 1 lung cancer has only a 20% five year survival rate. 

[Doctor Tom]

I don't donate to any of those GoFund 'projects'. There are many more needy causes than someone who is not properly financed, or who does not have insurance. That said , I wish him well.  

[Excel]

25 minutes ago, Ralf001 said:

There will be a second round of crowdfunding to raise funds to repatriate his body.

Assuming that is anymore is ever heard from them after the first 1/4 million has been raised

[apetryxx]

My friend Jeff, age 37 had stage 4 brain cancer. He lived 2 miserable years under chemo,radiation etc and passed. There is no way out of this alive if it’s glioma. Sorry pal but that’s it, don’t waste the money. 

[dj230]

2 hours ago, FalangJaiDee said:

Ok zoomer 

lol ok boomer, back in the day when people were more honest and had a lack of technological resources I probably wouldn't have said the same, these days the insurance company is a few clicks away, if you choose to not pay for health insurance and can afford it and something like this happens, its unfortunate but I am not going to pay for it.

 

I met a ton of Thai's since I've been in Thailand and many of their family members had cancer and died, they weren't much older than this guy either, wish they had a go fund me, they didn't come from America or have the opportunities to be able to afford good health insurance, nor have a good job. I came from Canada, the last thing I'd do on my death bed with cancer (and I've been close to having it) is ask people for money because I didn't want to spend my own money to take care of myself, and if I did, I'd promise to pay every penny back if I survived. 

 

 

[sateuk]

Just fly home to the UK for treatment instead of begging for money 

[Pouatchee]

Not enough info to go by to make clear judgement on the guy's issues. If he is from a commonwealth country doesn't he have free health care at home?  If so, he should go back home and get treated. If he is from the US then he is better off here as healthcare in Government hospitals is pretty good depending on which is assigned to your social security, and according to this OP he does have this.  --> Which leads me to ask, 'If he has Thai social security, as mentioned, why is he trying to raise funds. The VIP rooms in government hospitals are very affordable.

 

If this guy is trying to get treated at a 4 star Thai hospital then that clears up why he is trying to raise the funds. But he should go to a Government hospital a pay a bit more from his savings, as I did when I needed surgery, because the doctors who generally work in the Government hospitals are USUALLY  the same who work in the private ones. In a nutshell it seems this guy has a plan and it does not entail going to a cheaper, but well serviced, hospital. 

 

With the economy right now, I can't afford to pay for a guy like this. He should go with the cheaper yet just as good alternative. 

Edited March 16, 2022 by Pouatchee
no glasses -->. typo

[mikebike]

31 minutes ago, dj230 said:

the last thing I'd do on my death bed with cancer (and I've been close to having it)

Not sure I understand "close to having it".

 

You either have cancer or you don't. It ain't horseshoes.

[Sheryl]

13 hours ago, jerrymahoney said:

From GoFundMe page:

 

The cost of medical care is significantly less in Thailand than it would be in the U.S., however, the Thai insurance system does not cover cancer treatments. Sam is facing an extraordinary challenge with medical bills as he gets very little support from his Thai health insurance.

 

I have no idea what they mean by " the Thai insurance system does not cover cancer treatments."

 

First of all, there is no " Thai insurance system" unless they were referring to Thai Social Security, which most definitely does cover cancer...and if employed here, he should be under SS.

 

If referring to private insurance there is no "Thai system" for that, just different insurers, both Thai and international. But it would be a very rare policy that excluded  cancer per se.

 

All that said, it is possible that some specific treatments planned are not  covered e.g. I think does not  cover immunotherapy or PET scans.  But it would cover most of the rest.

[Sheryl]

3 hours ago, placeholder said:

Social security registration is mandatory for employees in Thailand under the labour law and allows employees to access to the social security benefits.

https://thailand.acclime.com/guides/social-security-explained/#:~:text=Social security registration is mandatory,the following social security information.

 

This is correct, it is mandatory and he would have to have been covered, and this is likely what the article misleadingly refers to as "the Thai insurance system".

 

Some international companies also offer private insurance on top of this, but the SS cover is mandatory except for private schools.

 

I suspect the actual case is that he has SS which covers pretty much everything except the immunotherapy and PET scans (which do indeed add up to quite a lot).

 

The way the article words things  is very misleading.  Should have explained what SS will cover and what the gaps are and why those things are considered necessary.

[Ralf001]

56 minutes ago, sateuk said:

Just fly home to the UK for treatment instead of begging for money 

Why would a  USA citizen fly to the UK for treatment ?

[Liverpool Lou]

4 minutes ago, Ralf001 said:

1 hour ago, sateuk said:

Just fly home to the UK for treatment instead of begging for money 

Why would a  USA citizen fly to the UK for treatment ?

If someone was returning "home to the UK" he would, obviously, be a UK citizen!

[elektrified]

15 hours ago, Ralf001 said:

His insurance not cover it ?

No health insurance covers cancer in Thailand.

[elektrified]

12 hours ago, Ralf001 said:

He's working so will have social security which give him free/cheap access to government hospitals, they certainly do treat cancer as a friends (Thai) mother is currently under going treatment.

They do NOT cover expensive imported chemotherapy drugs.

[impulse]

1 hour ago, Sheryl said:

The way the article words things  is very misleading.  Should have explained what SS will cover and what the gaps are and why those things are considered necessary.

Keep in mind that the article is pretty much just a copy and paste of the actual GoFundMe blurb, which appears to have been launched by a 3rd party guy that may have never been to Thailand.

Edited March 16, 2022 by impulse

[Sheryl]

26 minutes ago, elektrified said:

No health insurance covers cancer in Thailand.

This is absolutely untrue.

 

Almost all do. Mine certainly does.

 

Many TV members have had their cancer care costs fully paid by their insurers.

 

Coverage for specific types of treatments, especially very new or experimental ones, may not be covered but I don't think i have ever seen an insurance policy with a blanket exclusion on cancer.

[dj230]

1 hour ago, mikebike said:

Not sure I understand "close to having it".

 

You either have cancer or you don't. It ain't horseshoes.

there are certain stages (mutation of cells) in my case before it became cancer

Edited March 16, 2022 by dj230

[impulse]

4 hours ago, jerrymahoney said:

4 hours ago, bkk6060 said:

There are many options for people in this situation in the U.S., why doesn't he just go back?

 

https://www.hca.wa.gov/health-care-services-supports/apple-health-medicaid-coverage/individual-adults

What makes you believe that would cover him for a pre-existing condition?

[RT555]

15 hours ago, mtls2005 said:

Strikes me as odd that a mate would be in a hospital, bed-side to a cancer patient without a mask.

 

 

Mask for what?

 

[Boyn]

14 hours ago, Henryford said:

Thai medical insurance only covers being by a meteorite on a leap year.

Thats not true,you also have to be wearing red socks as well

[placeholder]

2 hours ago, impulse said:

What makes you believe that would cover him for a pre-existing condition?

Obamacare.

[wprime]

On 3/16/2022 at 7:38 AM, Etaoin Shrdlu said:

Thai medical insurance policies don't typically exclude treatment for cancer.

 

A proper employer-provided group medical insurance program would not necessarily exclude pre-existing conditions.

 

If he was legally working for a Thai company and paying into the Social Security system, his treatment should be covered by SS at the designated hospital.

 

There must be more to this.

 

 

 

 

Given the price, it's most likely involves newer (expensive) drugs that aren't available through SS.