Family get shock bill - 40,000 baht for nothing more than paracetamol

[webfact]

Sanook Thai Caption: Treated at home so why must I pay?

 

A family in the north east who all tested positive for Covid-19 decided to do the right thing and opt for Home Isolation. 

 

The Mukhdahan area hospital sent them all home with some paracetamol. 

 

When they had recovered they went to get doctor's certificates and were each slapped with a bill for 10,059 baht - 10K for Covid services and 59 for the paracetamol.

 

The family said they have been asked to part with 40,000 baht for nothing more than "para". 

 

They had no hospital meals or used any bed at all. 

 

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They said they were advised that by paying it into a certain fund first they would be able to get it back later.

 

But this seemed to lack transparency, reported Sanook. 

 

The authorities have reiterated that all Covid-19 treatment should be free.

 

Investigations are underway as the possibility of a misunderstanding is mulled. 

 

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[fredscats]

Misunderstanding LOL,imagine a farang going through this  10 mil at least

[ThailandRyan]

Shocking, really....a travesty is more like it.

[MrJ2U]

Usually a bill has some sort of summary of expenses.

 

Talk about sticker shock! 

7/11 has paracetamol for 20 baht!

[chickenslegs]

32 minutes ago, webfact said:

... the possibility of a misunderstanding is mulled. 

Yes. They forgot to add the vat and service charge ++

[Tropicalevo]

33 minutes ago, webfact said:

They said they were advised that by paying it into a certain fund first they would be able to get it back later.

But this seemed to lack transparency,

As with most things under the current regime.

[DezLez]

A bill for 40,236BHT of paracetamol takes a lot of swallowing!

[ThailandRyan]

Must have been 500,000 miligram tablets.

[Hans Johnson]

My wife’s father who is in his eighties  tested positive yesterday and the family requested for him to be hospitalised and they sent a van and put PPE suit on him and said it cost 12000 Baht. Now we wait what the final statement.

[RafPinto]

Must have received the "luxury Vuis Luiton" version.

 

[bdenner]

This sort of BS is the reason that Thailand can brag about only logging 20K cases a day. No one in their right mine is going to report a positive RAT test if showing mild symptom's!

[kingkenny]

I can confirm this, here is my ongoing story.

 

Myself and my two sons went to the UK for a month, tested positive with ATK in UK, two weeks later we all tested negative by PCR for fit to fly back to Bangkok. We arrived in Bangkok evening 24th and straight to hotel for PCR tests, Eventually get the results at 3pm on 25th. I showed as positive, eldest son showed as Equivocal, youngest son negative. I eventually get them to accept home quarantine but before they send the transport I must deposit 20,000 Baht to the hospital, I contacted my insurance who said they will not cover me as I have no symptoms. I get the 20k down to 10 and transfer and they send a van to send me home.

 

In the mean time I talk on the phone with the hospital and ask what the money is for, I am told for medicine to cure my covid (yes this is what she said) and for a Dr to call me daily to check my symptoms.

 

Anyway a Dr called on 26th, asked how I am, I told her the same as the previous day, nothing wrong with me, she agreed that I am not infectious (never met me or examined me) and said she will release me from home quarantine on 31st, and she would send medicines and food, I refused meds, she sent a thermometer, an oxy reader, some masks and bin bags, also food has arrived that I reject as I wouldn't feed it to my dog.

 

I have had no more calls, they chat to me via Line app.

 

Long story short for my 10k I have a thermometer, oxy reader, masks and bin bags and one Dr call, and a van home (10km),

Thankfully my insurance have now agreed that as I am home quarantine they will class it as an OPD every day and will cover, so fingers crossed I get my 10k back, or what could have been 20k if I hadn't stood firm. 

 

Imagine being a tourist, strange country/language, no home to do house quarantine, an insurance company that decides they wont cover asymptomatic.

 

Absolute joke.

 

[Ralf001]

Yeah 59b for some paracetamol is outrageous, can understand their angst.

[kotsak]

11 minutes ago, kingkenny said:

Imagine being a tourist, strange country/language, no home to do house quarantine, an insurance company that decides they wont cover asymptomatic.

It's the non-stop gravy train.. ????

Edited March 29, 2022 by kotsak

[pokerface1]

This sort of ripoff is enough to give you a headache.

That the real reason for sending them paracetamol.  

[richard_smith237]

1 hour ago, Hans Johnson said:

My wife’s father who is in his eighties  tested positive yesterday and the family requested for him to be hospitalised and they sent a van and put PPE suit on him and said it cost 12000 Baht. Now we wait what the final statement.

While I’m sure there are excess PPE costs with ensuring isolation etc.. a usual ambulance costs 1800 baht (or has for me in the past to Bumrungrad when I injured by back)... 12,000 Baht seems wholly excessive....  

 

Regarding isolation etc: 

Wife & Son tested ATK positive - reported it, received a phone call from a Dr. or representative from MoPH who asked a few questions (they had very mild symptoms) - they were told to stay at home and isolate. 

 

Wife’s Parents (late 70’s) also tested ATK positive (probably caught from my Son) - reported it and received the same phone call from MoPH, they were told to stay at home and isolate. 

 

‘Care packages’ (if they can be called that) were received a couple of days later.

 

It would appear that ‘going to a hospital’ after testing positive for covid opens the door to a hospital padding the bill with a ‘covid surcharge’...    

 

IF testing positive, unless you are quite sick the obvious answer is just stay at home. 

[billd766]

2 hours ago, MrJ2U said:

Usually a bill has some sort of summary of expenses.

 

Talk about sticker shock! 

7/11 has paracetamol for 20 baht!

Down at my local pharmacy, Tylenol 500 mg cost 100 baht for 100 tablets.

[c0nfu5edp5yc0]

Sounds like a scam from the hospital, Myself my wife and 3 kids all got sick with covid when we returned from a trip and were in a pretty bad way for around 5 days, my wife went through all the correct channels and we were given medicine, tests some other equipment such as heart rate monitors and temperature tests and of course being Thailand a lot of paperwork, not 1 baht was asked even from me the Farang. For reference this was in Udon Thani. 

[firestar]

8 hours ago, fredscats said:

Misunderstanding LOL,imagine a farang going through this  10 mil at least

Err.. no. I had covid here and was given the breakdown of all the costs at the start.

Edited March 29, 2022 by onthedarkside
flame comments removed

[Fairynuff]

The only thing they’ll be investigating is if they can get away the corruption 

[TheFishman1]

Just think how much they would charge an unsuspecting Tourist who just arrived off the plane Thailand the world of scams TIT

[SomchaiCNX]

The owner (doctor) of a well known hospital, just bought a rolls royce. The hotel of a partner (doctor) is now used as a place to isolate Covid patients. Gives you an idea about how doctors in Thailand think. Quite normal with the kind of selection they have in place. You will get a lot of disturbed and antisocial nerds with no EQ at all who pass the entrance exams.

Edited March 29, 2022 by SomchaiCNX

[Cadan]

There is zero consumer protection in this country. It’s a joke. I parted with 2500 baht medication that costs 350 baht. Thus my only advise is do not buy Pharma at any hospital - refuse it 

[vandeventer]

3 hours ago, MrJ2U said:

Usually a bill has some sort of summary of expenses.

 

Talk about sticker shock! 

7/11 has paracetamol for 20 baht!

Take them to court, you just  might win?

[SheikYabodyline]

Clearly a gross misunderstanding. I expect the hospital was trying to donate 40,000 Baht to this unfortunate family, but a lowly accountant in the billing department filled in the wrong forms. Never mind, with this publicity I am sure the hospital will do the right thing and correct their mistake; they may even try to make a further donation, but were I the head of the family, I think I'd ignore all future correspondence.

[IAMHERE]

The unpleasant medical expenses are now a thing, they aren't gonna be going away when the pandemic does. A new normal I am afraid. 

[swm59nj]

Im not condoning the charges these people were given.  Drugs, and other things in hospitals are much more expensive than outside to begin with. Not just from hospitals in Thailand. 

So if a doctor needs to give me medicine here.  I get the name of the medicine and purchase it from a pharmacy near my condo.  The doctors never had an issue with it.

I have medical insurance from my previous job in the states.  This includes a prescription plan. Im covered domestically and internationally.  But they only cover generic drugs.  The plan seems to classify the medications in Thailand differently when it comes to generics.

[Harveyboy]

Oh yes the old misunderstanding trick.. thieves..

[new2here]

I know of two people (both foreigners) first-hand who in the last month or so, self-tested (ie home ATK) positive without symptoms…. but rather than go to the hospital for care etc, just stayed home - literally 24/7- for about a week, plus or minus a few days, then when they double tested negative C-19, just carried on as normal. 

 

Their logic was, rightly or wrongly, they didn’t want the possible risk of getting trapped in some kind of cash-driven healthcare solution … be that a forced stay at huge prices, etc…. They just essentially flew “under the radar” until they tested negative again.. 

 

Not so sure I agree with the idea of a home stay without FIRST consulting a legit healthcare provider—- but i cede that there IS a risk of getting caught up in what ends being for some, a fairly massive cost that seems to be outside of your control as the patient. 

 

so to that end, I can see the logic there. 

[Almer]

Let’s all concentrate on the “certain fund” comment and then let us all know the outcome, be mindful of any  derogatory comments against those involved in what will be a misunderstanding for sure.

Edited March 29, 2022 by Almer
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