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

[kennw]

8 hours ago, kingkenny said:

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.

 

Makes a whole mockery as to why people are forced take out so called "insurance"  How can an invidual  win against  them. shame on them.

[MrJ2U]

11 hours ago, kingkenny said:

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.

 

Like most readers here are saying.

Don't report unless absolutely necessary.  

 

Safer and more cost effective to stay home.

 

Report in Reuters mentioned that PCR tests aren't even picking up the newer B.A.2 variant.

 

"BA.2 and another sibling, BA.3, which is also increasing in prevalence but is currently at low levels, can only be found by genomic sequencing, which some countries do more of than others."

 

https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/omicron-stealth-covid-variant-ba2-now-dominant-globally-2022-03-29/

[MrJ2U]

4 hours ago, hioctane said:

So now everyone thinks doctors are free. They pay all that money to go through medical school and they shouldn’t be paid.

Not their entire tuition for 10 minutes work.

[soi3eddie]

12 hours ago, bdenner said:

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!

I certainly didn't notify neither did most farangs here. No chance of getting ripped off. Keep isolated until negative and no financial pain. 

 

 

[Mike k]

9 hours ago, new2here said:

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. 

If I ever test positive with mild or no symptoms I will not go to a hospital and take a chance at being put in a prison hospital or charged an outrageous fee since I live by myself I will self isolate 

[Lacessit]

9 hours ago, hioctane said:

So now everyone thinks doctors are free. They pay all that money to go through medical school and they shouldn’t be paid.

A doctor at a clinic or private hospital normally gets between 400 and 800 baht for a consultation, depending on how long it is, and its complexity.

No-one is suggesting doctors should be free. They are suggesting 10,000 baht for a COVID diagnosis with a 100 baht ATK kit is a totally unreasonable charge under the circumstances, where the people involved did not take up a hospital bed for a single minute.

Would you be happy to be slugged that amount of money for a 15 minute diagnosis?

[zaZa9]

14 hours ago, new2here said:

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. 

Exactly me and my families situation when we contracted it , because we live in Phuket and had had  reported to us ( by friends who are nurses, hotel staff ) numerous appallingly exploitative practises applied to unsuspecting tourist first arriving under the Sandbox Program. It included as victims  the  tourists  merely sitting in proximity to those who tested positive on arrival ...  it didnt matter if they tested negative , they were "potentially infected" as determined by Contact Tracing Practises and whisked off to 2nd rate , recently re-opened  hotels now  called 'hospitels' to while away 10 days of  their holidays at the cost of 10k baht a day !  Often without refund on their 4 and 5 star hotels they couldnt use. EVERYONE of them reported they only saw a nurse , usually once a day , to have their temps and vitals recorded. That was it !

At the start , Insurance paid for their 'confinements' but soon saw what was going on and started refusing to cover the 'ill' that werent actually  'ill' and had no symptoms and no positive testing - for obvious reasons !!

How a supposed health program had degenerated to this was hard to fathom , until you realised that the Phuket gouge had simply been applied to a new target group at the same time they were begging for tourists to return  , and this one generated by hospitals , with  the Bangkok Group always the front runner.

Despicable stuff.

So of course we ( my family ) , at the urging of my Thai wife who heard all of these stories from her cronies who worked in those areas , were not going to report to  any authorities , and probably , even today  still wouldnt !

[MrJ2U]

18 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

They did not know about the home isolation program in place that has been set up in order to reduce the hospitals and such being loaded up.....Sorry to hear that they felt they would be forced into somewhere if indeed they were expats and not tourists....

Did you have to pay anything during your home convalescent?

 

I've heard of reports of people having to pay a deposit of 5,000-20,000 baht.  This includes doctors calls,medicines, oxygen meter,etc.

 

Hopefully you and your girlfriend are recovering well.

[Eaglekott]

Seams like This thread fit very good in this thread also:

 

 

[Road Warrior]

that will temp people to stay away from hospital relating to poss. covid 19 !!!!!!!!!!

[Freddy42OZ]

23 hours ago, kingkenny said:

I can confirm this, here is my ongoing story.

 

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.

 

Have you considered contacting the Thailand Ombudsman

https://www.theioi.org/ioi-news/current-news/mr-somsak-suwansujarit-appointed-new-chief-ombudsman-of-thailand#:~:text=Somsak Suwansujarit was appointed Chief,Hunsacharoonroj as Ombudsman of Thailand.

[2009]

20 hours ago, new2here said:

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. 

So basically they followed the sensible protocol of their home country -- as did I.

 

 

[kingkenny]

16 minutes ago, Freddy42OZ said:

Have you considered contacting the Thailand Ombudsman

https://www.theioi.org/ioi-news/current-news/mr-somsak-suwansujarit-appointed-new-chief-ombudsman-of-thailand#:~:text=Somsak Suwansujarit was appointed Chief,Hunsacharoonroj as Ombudsman of Thailand.

Thankfully my insurance have now agreed to cover me as OPD and the hospital have agreed to refund the 10k, not sure when I will get it back but at least it's a start, also they have accepted that my quarantine will finish tomorrow. 

 

Anyone sent for home quarantine with no symptoms push your insurance xompany tomorrow it as OPD then the asymptomatic does not negate the insurance. 

[kingkenny]

2 minutes ago, 2009 said:

So basically they followed the sensible protocol of their home country -- as did I.

 

 

That's always been my stance, however coming into the country under test and go you don't get the option to not report it. 

[spidermike007]

The corruption only seems to have gotten worse after Prayuth's promise to fight it, address it, and eliminate it. 

 

A bit like Liam Neeson saying he will only make good movies from now on. 

 

Or Will Smith saying he will work on his anger issues, and grow some thick skin. 

[MrJ2U]

12 hours ago, MrJ2U said:

Not their entire tuition for 10 minutes work.

No kidding.

 

Satirical.

 

No matter which way one looks at this case its wrong and indicating a 40,000 baht bill is ok for minimal service is ludicrous.

 

 

 

 

[2009]

It's a complete violation of human rights.

[2009]

8 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

Or Will Smith saying he will work on his anger issues, and grow some thick skin.

Loved Will's performance

[billd766]

7 minutes ago, 2009 said:

Loved Will's performance

He stood up for his wife.  Good for him.

 

Something that few people do nowadays.

 

If the idiot who made the bad/insensitive insult (it was no joke but a serious insult) had been flattened by Will Smith I would have been Will Smith's cheerleader all the way.

[NoshowJones]

On 3/29/2022 at 11:35 AM, 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.

and are you going to pay it? Just one of the many reasons I only keep enough money in Thailand for living expenses.

[NoshowJones]

On 3/29/2022 at 12:47 PM, kingkenny said:

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.

 

Yes doctors and hospitals now seem to  be the biggest crooks in Thailand, all getting rich from a pandemic. Shame on them. Just another reason for sensible retirees and people married to Thais, to keep the bulk of their money in their own country.

[StayinThailand2much]

On 3/29/2022 at 10:28 AM, 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.

Yeah, right! LOL.

[StayinThailand2much]

7 hours ago, Lacessit said:

A doctor at a clinic or private hospital normally gets between 400 and 800 baht for a consultation, depending on how long it is, and its complexity.

TiT! - I guess, to take advantage of the Covid patients, they just called it 'Covid Treatment', with a flat fee of 10,000 baht...

 

Anyhow, another reminder to myself to not seek medical treatment in Thailand, but instead to buy a flight ticket back home if I ever get seriously ill. 

Edited March 30, 2022 by StayinThailand2much

[NoshowJones]

21 hours ago, Farma said:

I know of a farang husband, Thai wife couple who tested positive with mild symptoms in a nearby province recently.

 

Wife contacted the covid line and were assessed over the phone by the Govt hospital Dr to home isolate.

 

Wife received free medication while husband required to pay 2,250 Baht, with official receipt, for his Favipuravir.

 

Care package with medications delivered to their door by the local covid team.

I just knew this Favipuravir would be another get rich quick scheme for doctors and hospitals.

[chickenslegs]

7 hours ago, Lacessit said:

A doctor at a clinic or private hospital normally gets between 400 and 800 baht for a consultation, depending on how long it is, and its complexity.

No-one is suggesting doctors should be free. They are suggesting 10,000 baht for a COVID diagnosis with a 100 baht ATK kit is a totally unreasonable charge under the circumstances, where the people involved did not take up a hospital bed for a single minute.

Would you be happy to be slugged that amount of money for a 15 minute diagnosis?

The full invoice is shown in the video in the linked article.

 

I don't read Thai, but it shows 10 items @ 1,000 Baht (not a single item at 10,000 baht).

 

Is it possible that each family member has been charged 1,000 baht for hospital services each day of their home-isolation? How could this possibly be justified?

 

Whatever the explanation, I agree with most posters that the charges are unreasonable.

[puck2]

There might be a "simple" excuse for the hospital;

 

40,000 -   in English wrighting is:        forty thausand (km)

40.000 -   in German wrighting is:       forty thausand (km)

40,000 -   i.e. German wrighting is:     forty (km)

 

Only a "little" difference ???? concerning comma and point.

[Freddy42OZ]

4 hours ago, kingkenny said:

Thankfully my insurance have now agreed to cover me as OPD and the hospital have agreed to refund the 10k, not sure when I will get it back but at least it's a start, also they have accepted that my quarantine will finish tomorrow. 

 

Anyone sent for home quarantine with no symptoms push your insurance xompany tomorrow it as OPD then the asymptomatic does not negate the insurance. 

Great that you have good insurance and a good outcome. 

[richard_smith237]

On 3/29/2022 at 1:26 PM, Liverpool Lou said:

On 3/29/2022 at 1:14 PM, MrJ2U said:

On 3/29/2022 at 12:54 PM, Liverpool Lou said:

Their four bills did also, as clearly shown in the photo, one item at B10,000 another at B59.

Itemized.

You don't put on a bill:

Fixed broken car

10,000 baht.

 

The reason it's not itemized properly is because its a scam.

Expand  

What was the specific description that was clearly shown in the photo notated on their bills for the B10k item that you, obviously, must have translated?

The itemised bill - can’t clearly be read from the photo in the article..

 

The Sanook Article (in Thai) states: 

 

1): Room and meal costs Service fee and patient care (10,000 baht)

2): Medication: Paracetamol (59 baht)

 

 

10,000 baht is a very convenient, nicely rounded number considering individual facets are added up. 

- Room cost (how long were they in a room for ? over night?)

- Meal costs (how many meals did they eat ? did they eat any at all?)

- Service Fee (service fee, is this the nurses fee ? Doctors Fee ?)

- Patient care (ok, so whats this if there is a service fee ?)

- Then of course - Tax... 

 

The bill is exceptionally vague, I think any person would be well within their rights to question such a bill and lends one to suspect some ‘padding’. 

 

It's certainly difficult to defend a bill like this which lacks significant detail. 

 

 

 

[billd766]

23 hours ago, Lacessit said:

Not always possible, some medications are only available at hospital pharmacies and are withheld from street pharmacies.

If I go to the state hospital the prices are quite reasonable and if the meds are restricted to hospital issue only then I would be quite happy to pay their price.

 

Private hospital prices? No way.

[billd766]

22 hours ago, hioctane said:

So now everyone thinks doctors are free. They pay all that money to go through medical school and they shouldn’t be paid.

I don't think that they are free at all.

 

The state hospital I use charges me around 50 to 100 baht, yet the private hospital I use for a 3 monthly check up cats me 400 baht for around 10 minutes of his time.

 

But he is not the one setting the prices.