Report Thailand Bets on Medical Tourism to Revive Economy

[impulse]

My bypass surgery cost my insurance company about 2 million baht at Bumrungrad, plus another couple of hundred thousand over the next 6 months for follow ups.  Less than $75K USD, all in.   That year, there was a story about a guy in the USA that got charged $900K for the same procedure.  My brother's insurance paid over $500K USD for his bypass, in Houston.

 

About the only people who seem to think Thailand health care is expensive are those from countries where they get it for free and don't know what the market cost is.

 

BTW, I know I got charged a premium at Bumrungrad over a public hospital.  But I was covered 100% by employer insurance, so I didn't care.

[whiteman]

sure, thing double pricing

[whiteman]

But I was covered 100% by employer insurance, so I didn't care. You would not be crowing if you had to pay for it

[Stargeezr]

I know that at least the private hospitals have very good staff working there, at least the Saint Louis Hospital.

  I had heart surgury there and even though the cost was quite a lot, I am still alive to talk about it.

 

[Will B Good]

Just now, Stargeezr said:

I know that at least the private hospitals have very good staff working there, at least the Saint Louis Hospital.

  I had heart surgury there and even though the cost was quite a lot, I am still ali..................

 

 

That would have been better.

[Negita43]

On 7/23/2025 at 3:14 AM, oxo1947 said:

A lot depends on where you have treatment done in Thailand --- I just wanted to check on my PSA last week, took some other tests with it---but the PSA blood test at the Udon Thani  hospital....was 240 baht. 

Marahat - Korat government hospital PSA 400 Baht Enantone Hormone Depot shot 8000 Baht.

[Lorry]

On 7/24/2025 at 3:13 PM, impulse said:

About the only people who seem to think Thailand health care is expensive are those from countries where they get it for free and don't know what the market cost is.

About the only people who seem to think Thailand health care is cheap are Americans who are used to vastly inflated prices and don't know what the market cost is.

 

For example, bypass surgery in Switzerland costs about 40,000 USD, in Germany half of this (this is if you pay out of pocket). 

You may have to add surcharges,  e.g. 100 USD/night for a single room (which you had in Bumrungrad) - but Bumrungrad is considerably more expensive than Western Europe (if paid out of pocket).

 

I was quoted 1200 EUR out of pocket for repair of an inguinal repair.

Try to get this price in Thailand. 

 

 

[impulse]

4 hours ago, Lorry said:

About the only people who seem to think Thailand health care is cheap are Americans who are used to vastly inflated prices and don't know what the market cost is.

 

For example, bypass surgery in Switzerland costs about 40,000 USD, in Germany half of this (this is if you pay out of pocket). 

You may have to add surcharges,  e.g. 100 USD/night for a single room (which you had in Bumrungrad) - but Bumrungrad is considerably more expensive than Western Europe (if paid out of pocket).

 

I was quoted 1200 EUR out of pocket for repair of an inguinal repair.

Try to get this price in Thailand. 

 

Is that $40,000 USD a gub'ment subsidized rate, or could an American (for example) hop on a plane to Germany and get a bypass for that price?   

 

 

 

[Lorry]

10 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

Is that $40,000 USD a gub'ment subsidized rate, or could an American (for example) hop on a plane to Germany and get a bypass for that price?   

 

 

 

I am a bit of a loss here.

Doesn't  "you pay out of pocket" mean,  you pay yourself,  with your own money?  No subsidies.

An American cannot easily travel to Europe for a cardiac bypass, too far, but Arabs and Russians do go there as medical tourists all of the time (Russians less, these days, obviously).

 

NB subsidized fees for a cardiac bypass are much less than 1000 USD in many European countries. 

[impulse]

22 minutes ago, Lorry said:

Doesn't  "you pay out of pocket" mean,  you pay yourself,  with your own money?  No subsidies.

 

I was looking for clarification.   The term "out of pocket" can have different meanings.  Perfect example is the new proposed 20 baht BTS fee.  It's out of pocket, but available only to Thai citizens.  Meaning, of course, that it is subsidized.

 

My brother's been told he'll eventually need a bypass.  Depending on his insurance status in the USA, that could cost him up to (or over) $500K.  If he can get it done in Germany for $40K, that seems like a good thing to plan for.

 

Edit:  On an aside, the wingnut in me suspects his insurance company is putting off the inevitable in hopes he'll keel over in the meantime and save them the money.  But I'm cynical that way about insurance companies.

 

[Celsius]

Some posters still live in the past.

 

When they say medical tourism they dont mean brits aussies and Canadians. They mean Arabs and Chinese 

[Lorry]

5 hours ago, impulse said:

My brother's been told he'll eventually need a bypass.  Depending on his insurance status in the USA, that could cost him up to (or over) $500K.  If he can get it done in Germany for $40K, that seems like a good thing to plan for.

He may not be fit to fly.

And planning for post-surgery is difficult,  too many unforeseen possibilities. 

 

But before paying 500,000 USD of my own money,  I would definitely explore possibilities in Europe.

[CCesar]

On 7/23/2025 at 4:49 AM, Lingba said:

another dream

yep, another dream of taking advantage and discriminate against foreigner by dual pricing!

[watchcat]

On 7/23/2025 at 2:36 AM, hanbla said:

Thailand is not a third world country 

 

Since when?

[hanbla]

5 hours ago, watchcat said:

 

Since when?