Another Disappointing Encounter with the Thai Medical Establishment

[Mike Lister]

The government approved and published tiered pricing in hospitals about five years ago, there are four bands but they are not always used in all hospitals. it is at the discretion of each hospital.

 

The lowest band is a Thai national

The second an ASEAN resident

The third is a visitor from another country

The highest is a foreigner who lives here.

 

https://www.pacificprime.co.th/blog/dual-pricing-at-thai-public-hospitals-and-the-implications-on-foreigners/

[Keeps]

17 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

 

I think having an attitude like that is just an invitation for aggravation, you can play the victim if you want, but I would rather pay a price that's 2% of what I would pay back in the US, than worry myself over a small premium that they're charging for a foreigner.

 

It just doesn't make a difference. Water off a duck's back. 

This topic has nothing to do with the comparable price for the same treatment between Thailand and USA. It has everything to do with the 20% load being applied for the same treatment between a Thai national and a foreigner.

[Mike Lister]

5 minutes ago, Keeps said:

This topic has nothing to do with the comparable price for the same treatment between Thailand and USA. It has everything to do with the 20% load being applied for the same treatment between a Thai national and a foreigner.

Did you read my post above?

[gomangosteen]

1 hour ago, DUNROAMIN said:

Just imagine the reaction if a Thai was overseas on a holiday and visited a hospital that had 2 tier sytem. Norman price for locals, 100% price hike for foriegners. 

You mean like New Zealand?

Quoting from Manukau (Auckland) City Medical Centre: Enrolled patient 18-64 $18.00; Non-resident $80.00.

 

Fail to see why a country  should subsidise medical expenses for foreigners.

 

 

[Keeps]

18 minutes ago, Mike Lister said:

Did you read my post above?

Yes. Do the same rules apply to private medical centres as opposed to public hospitals? I think this is about the principles/fairness rather than the suggested tier pricing differential.

[BangkokHank]

7 hours ago, expat_4_life said:

This is just another "double pricing" thread.

Everybody knows how this works but you thought you would try to embarrass or humiliate some poor receptionist who works at the clinic by demanding answers, another disgruntled farang.  Pretty pathetic IMHO

He's not responsible for the policy, congratulations, well done

 

While the receptionist is obviously not responsible for the clinic's pricing policy, a receptionist is generally the first point of interaction between a business and its customers. In a properly run business, he should report to his manager that the policy of charging foreigners more was getting some pushback from foreigners. Then the manager can either change the policy (which they won't do), or just tell him not to tell foreigners that they are paying more (which would be the sensible thing to do). If he hadn't told me, I wouldn't have known. The fact that he told me suggests that didn't think there was anything wrong with charging foreigners more. Maybe he's used to dealing with foreigners like you who prefer to say nothing and pay more.

 

I will visit the mall management tomorrow and point out this dual pricing that is taking place in their mall. They probably won't/can't do anything about it, but they should at least know that one of their biggest tenants has a policy of charging foreigners more.

[Mike Lister]

20 minutes ago, Keeps said:

Yes. Do the same rules apply to private medical centres as opposed to public hospitals? I think this is about the principles/fairness rather than the suggested tier pricing differential.

Of course

[BangkokHank]

7 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Maybe the reason why they charge more for foreigners is because foreigners complain more. QED

 

We would complain less if we were not charged more.

[BangkokHank]

54 minutes ago, gomangosteen said:

You mean like New Zealand?

Quoting from Manukau (Auckland) City Medical Centre: Enrolled patient 18-64 $18.00; Non-resident $80.00.

 

Fail to see why a country  should subsidise medical expenses for foreigners.

 

 

Resident and non-resident is not the same as foreigner/local. I am a resident of Thailand, but I still have to pay the "non-resident" price.

 

I don't think the Thai government is subsidizing a private clinic in a shopping mall.

[herfiehandbag]

5 hours ago, fittobethaied said:

Just imagine if they see a mere 100 patients a day at 300 Baht a pop, that's an extra 30,000 Baht per day or 10,950,000 Baht per year in the hospital's coffers. That certainly makes the shareholders happy!

You mean it doesn't go to "Nurse Noodle"?

[Ben Zioner]

8 hours ago, steven100 said:

you did say it's convenient for you as you live nearby ....  so isn't that worth the extra 70 baht alone .   

The 70 Baht aren't a big deal. But they are a reflection of the deeply ingrained anti Farang attitude of Thai institutions. They want us to get punished for having a white [pink] skin.

[herfiehandbag]

1 hour ago, Mike Lister said:

The government approved and published tiered pricing in hospitals about five years ago, there are four bands but they are not always used in all hospitals. it is at the discretion of each hospital.

 

The lowest band is a Thai national

The second an ASEAN resident

The third is a visitor from another country

The highest is a foreigner who lives here.

 

https://www.pacificprime.co.th/blog/dual-pricing-at-thai-public-hospitals-and-the-implications-on-foreigners/

I have for some time now had to attend my local hospital to have dressings changed every couple of days.

 

They were charging me B180 a time - I remarked that it was working out, for me,as a bit expensive. They promptly reduced the charge to B50 a time!

[Mike Lister]

5 minutes ago, herfiehandbag said:

I have for some time now had to attend my local hospital to have dressings changed every couple of days.

 

They were charging me B180 a time - I remarked that it was working out, for me,as a bit expensive. They promptly reduced the charge to B50 a time!

Sure, and I also had a wound explored and dressed and given three tetanus shots, at the local government hospital, it cost me about 210 baht.

[Mike Lister]

2 hours ago, Keeps said:

This topic has nothing to do with the comparable price for the same treatment between Thailand and USA. It has everything to do with the 20% load being applied for the same treatment between a Thai national and a foreigner.

The dual pricing rules for health care vary from location to location, they are more likely to be enforced in tourist areas rather than elsewhere. My local government hospital doesn't apply them and charges me the same as anyone else. The private wing of the university hospital also charges me the same as locals. I recently had surgery there and the bill was 170k, it would have been the same price for a Thai person, I thought it was extremely good value given the facilities, the care and the fact my surgeon was a professor at CMU. 

[alex8912]

5 hours ago, Tom Parkinson said:

I appreciate your point. But if you think that “the concept of principles” exists in Thailand, you must be fresh off the boat. 

The OP should definitely not go to a gym for a day pass when on a holiday somewhere here especially with a Thai friend. They will very openly charge each of you different prices. 

[Keeps]

3 minutes ago, Mike Lister said:

The dual pricing rules for health care vary from location to location, they are more likely to be enforced in tourist areas rather than elsewhere. My local government hospital doesn't apply them and charges me the same as anyone else. The private wing of the university hospital also charges me the same as locals. I recently had surgery there and the bill was 170k, it would have been the same price for a Thai person, I thought it was extremely good value given the facilities, the care and the fact my surgeon was a professor at CMU. 

Your recent experience is how it should be and differs from the experience of the original OP. Neither here nor there regarding the "good value", it's about the price differential. Probably why he started the thread in the first place. 

 

By the way, I'm glad your experience was positive and hope you are well on the way to recovery from your surgery.

[alex8912]

1 hour ago, BangkokHank said:

While the receptionist is obviously not responsible for the clinic's pricing policy, a receptionist is generally the first point of interaction between a business and its customers. In a properly run business, he should report to his manager that the policy of charging foreigners more was getting some pushback from foreigners. Then the manager can either change the policy (which they won't do), or just tell him not to tell foreigners that they are paying more (which would be the sensible thing to do). If he hadn't told me, I wouldn't have known. The fact that he told me suggests that didn't think there was anything wrong with charging foreigners more. Maybe he's used to dealing with foreigners like you who prefer to say nothing and pay more.

 

I will visit the mall management tomorrow and point out this dual pricing that is taking place in their mall. They probably won't/can't do anything about it, but they should at least know that one of their biggest tenants has a policy of charging foreigners more.

Really??!!  Because one cheap foreign cry baby complained!  How much do you think that receptionist makes here?  How much in your home country?  It's all relative and foreigners often are charged more here just like other places too. How this topic keeps coming up with a different " product " is a riot. And the usuals come out. Why should they lie?  To make YOU feel better?  Go to another place that's less convenient, takes more time etc...  Will you save a lot? 

[Sluglord]

Did one of the posters get this correct by stating the difference b70? Seriously? 

[swm59nj]

That’s unfortunately the way it is fair or not. I know that extra 70 baht would break the bank for some people.  If people had health insurance that 70 baht would be taken care of lol. 

[mstevens]

10 hours ago, gomangosteen said:

You mean like New Zealand?

Quoting from Manukau (Auckland) City Medical Centre: Enrolled patient 18-64 $18.00; Non-resident $80.00.

 

Fail to see why a country  should subsidise medical expenses for foreigners.

 

This pricing you allude to is correct. It's not quite comparing apples with applies though. Be aware that the NZ national is subsidised at that clinic by the government. NZ's healthcare system is a bit odd and while New Zealanders pay to visit a General Practitioner, the fee is subsidised (by the government / through taxes) as GPs are essentially an extension of the public health system. If a New Zealander or a foreign national made an appointment directly with a specialist, they would both pay the same price as that is not subsidised by the govt.

[mikeymike100]

13 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

 

I think having an attitude like that is just an invitation for aggravation, you can play the victim if you want, but I would rather pay a price that's 2% of what I would pay back in the US, than worry myself over a small premium that they're charging for a foreigner.

 

It just doesn't make a difference. Water off a duck's back. 

I don't think anyone is trying to 'play the victim' here?

What you say in general is true, that is you get pretty good, fast service for a reasonable price, certainly compared to the US.

However the fact there are two separate price lists, quite legally, for medical services seems unfair at best and xenophobic at worst!

[Mike Lister]

13 hours ago, BangkokHank said:

Resident and non-resident is not the same as foreigner/local. I am a resident of Thailand, but I still have to pay the "non-resident" price.

 

I don't think the Thai government is subsidizing a private clinic in a shopping mall.

You are a long stay visitor, you do not have residency ergo you are not resident.

 

My best advice is that you say nothing to the people at the clinic, do you really think they don't know they have two price lists? Almost every business in Thailand would have two price list if they could, many already do but you don't realise it. Go with the flow and accept the things you cannot change, you'll live longer.

[brianthainess]

Apart from just the 70b difference, using private clinics (where many have been outed for not having any qualifications) or private hospitals, then you pay private price 'tis up you init. 

[fondue zoo]

20 hours ago, fittobethaied said:

None of the government hospitals charge a nurse's fee to take weight, height and blood pressure, but all of the private hospitals do. It's their "cash cow" and a total rip off.

 

They tried this on with me every visit to an ophthalmologist, white coat syndrome had my blood gushing out of every orifice according to their test(s). They got me to lie down for 20 minutes it somehow went higher. The looks on their faces, how can you still be conscious?  can you see through the red mist?  I got out of bed and did 3 star jumps (no lie), nope I'm good.  I was feeling extra saucy that day. They then insisted on a wheelchair, which I took because it looked like fun, knowing that every little thing was going to be on my bill.

 

I then actually paid attention to how they applied the cuff, and as someone who has been on the administering side an age ago realised that some staff do not get much training. 

Not all cuff sizes are the same, even if adjustable. Turns out they had mixed up the kids cuffs with those used for adults resulting in see-saw results. 

 

 

side note:  my lady ophthalmologist was a smoke show, hot dam, Dr Butternut.

 

[Olmate]

14 hours ago, BangkokHank said:

Resident and non-resident is not the same as foreigner/local. I am a resident of Thailand, but I still have to pay the "non-resident" price.

 

I don't think the Thai government is subsidizing a private clinic in a shopping mall.

Still at it Hank, hope you realise your ST bargirl is charging you the 'non resident rate'too! Kick off a new dual pricing tangent now! 

 

 

 

 

[Mike Lister]

It took me a while to realise it but the hospitals were actually charging me for taking my blood pressure, every time I visited. I finally stopped letting them do it and my bill dropped by 125 baht each time. At first they looked at me strange, now they just accept itt. I mean, sure I need to know my blood pressure but since I take it at home every day, I don't need three times daily updates!

[gomangosteen]

Not all negative, here's my recent "Positive Encounter with the Thai Medical Establishment"

 

Friday 1 December I had a trip/fall while trail running, heavy impact jaw and ribs; local government hospital I'd give 10/10 for assessment and treatment.

 

Nothing broken this time fortunately, I'd been there before after a more serious mountainbike accident, jaw and dental that time and left with a nice row of tidily sewn sutures, and dental referral.

 

Latest one, 100b plus 70b for three prescription medications, a week later 40b for repeat medications.

 

No complaints.

 

Edit: and no fee for BP checks!

[Sluglord]

2 hours ago, mikeymike100 said:

I don't think anyone is trying to 'play the victim' here?

What you say in general is true, that is you get pretty good, fast service for a reasonable price, certainly compared to the US.

However the fact there are two separate price lists, quite legally, for medical services seems unfair at best and xenophobic at worst!

 

It's not xenophobic

 

Opportunistic perhaps. 

[mikeymike100]

3 minutes ago, Sluglord said:

 

It's not xenophobic

 

Opportunistic perhaps. 

I think its both! If they loved foreigners would they charge them 'extra' for being a foreigner?

They only love the money foreigners bring in, that's where it seems to end!

It could even be called 'racist' because they think Thai's are superior to all foreigners, so we can charge them  a lower amount?

[spidermike007]

17 hours ago, Keeps said:

This topic has nothing to do with the comparable price for the same treatment between Thailand and USA. It has everything to do with the 20% load being applied for the same treatment between a Thai national and a foreigner.

 

And it has everything to do with victim culture. We can choose to be grateful for the low medical costs here, or we can be put upon, ungracious, unhappy, and moan and groan all day long. There is some water in that glass, after all. And the price difference is very minimal, so is the difference representative of gouging foreigners, or giving the local people a break?