I rarely have needed hospital treatment for anything in Thailand but this time I needed a troublesome toe nail cut and cleaned up as it was causing skin irritation blistering, puss and some bleeding. In all it took the doctor about 10-15 minutes to get it sorted with some minor clipping, poking around and application of antibiotic cream on the wound and a bandage so I walked away pain free. Good so far for 15 minutes of his time and services.

But then at the cashier I was given two bills both in English mostly - each bill with a unique bill number on it:

BILL#1

1. General Medical Equipment 100.00

2. Service OPD Charge 280.00

3. Physician Procedures 500.00

Total 800.00

BILL#2

1. General Medical Equipment 700.00

2. Service OPD Charge 280.00

3. Physician Procedures 800.00

4. Medical Supplies 1 13.00

Total 1793.00

FULL Amount Charged 2673.00

The cost isn't an issue for me as I was mostly relieved to walk away pain free and the cashiers English skills limited, so I asked ChatGPT later why TWO bills listing the same things and different prices? It answered its normal as one covers consultation and the other service and as this was a largish private hospital in Bangkok that would be normal and auditable! I asked another AI and it said two bills is a red flag.

Anyway in all my very few hospital visits I have not seen billing like that before.

 

8 minutes ago, Digitalbanana said:

I rarely have needed hospital treatment for anything in Thailand but this time I needed a troublesome toe nail cut and cleaned up as it was causing skin irritation blistering, puss and some bleeding. In all it took the doctor about 10-15 minutes to get it sorted with some minor clipping, poking around and application of antibiotic cream on the wound and a bandage so I walked away pain free. Good so far for 15 minutes of his time and services.

But then at the cashier I was given two bills both in English mostly - each bill with a unique bill number on it:

BILL#1

1. General Medical Equipment 100.00

2. Service OPD Charge 280.00

3. Physician Procedures 500.00

Total 800.00

BILL#2

1. General Medical Equipment 700.00

2. Service OPD Charge 280.00

3. Physician Procedures 800.00

4. Medical Supplies 1 13.00

Total 1793.00

FULL Amount Charged 2673.00

The cost isn't an issue for me as I was mostly relieved to walk away pain free and the cashiers English skills limited, so I asked ChatGPT later why TWO bills listing the same things and different prices? It answered its normal as one covers consultation and the other service and as this was a largish private hospital in Bangkok that would be normal and auditable! I asked another AI and it said two bills is a red flag.

Anyway in all my very few hospital visits I have not seen billing like that before.

 

Why ask ChatGPT.            Ask the Director of the hospital before paying.

10 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

Why ask ChatGPT.            Ask the Director of the hospital before paying.

Because the hospital is 90 minutes away and ChatGPT at my fingertips.

13 minutes ago, Digitalbanana said:

Because the hospital is 90 minutes away and ChatGPT at my fingertips.

I meant ask at the Hospital there and then, before paying anything. Too late now though.

Chat GPT is not a reliable source for this.

 

I have never seen what you describe here. You would certainly not pay the OPD service  charge twice for a single visit. Suggest you contact the hospital.

 

It is vocommon to get one summatized bill and one detailed (itemized) one but ylthat is not what you describe.

 

Before calling check the name and hospital number 9n both bills. 

 

 

Looks like they combined two peoples bills, strange that people don't query in advance and once the bill arrives

45 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

Chat GPT is not a reliable source for this.

 

I have never seen what you describe here. You would certainly not pay the OPD service  charge twice for a single visit. Suggest you contact the hospital.

 

It is vocommon to get one summatized bill and one detailed (itemized) one but ylthat is not what you describe.

 

Before calling check the name and hospital number 9n both bills. 

 

Thanks @Sheryl much appreciated. I phoned them and asked and they were very helpful and had all the TWO bills info on record to refer back to saying one was the doctors fee 800THB and the other the procedural fees 1793THB which weirdly kindly aligns with what ChatGPT is saying!  I suppose the English wording on the TWO bills like I posted on the op makes it hard to understand without asking the hospital in person.

So overall all good and an excellent doctor so I am walking away happy.

And why is there an OPD service chatge on both bills? 

2 hours ago, Sheryl said:

And why is there an OPD service chatge on both bills? 

OK thanks, I will ask them in person about that when I need to see them again, as I don't understand all 3 bill items repeated in English with no Thai written at all and put it down to translation issues, but on phone they kept said TWO bills was legitimate so will see next visit to be sure. Appreciate the feedback.

There are countries that bill like this. 

In Thailand,  I have never seen this. 

The OPD charge on both bills is obviously not ok.

Did you see one doctor or two?

7 minutes ago, Dante99 said:

Did you see one doctor or two?

One doctor.

For some more context I went to the same hospital about 6 weeks earlier for the same treatment and I then got this recent recurrence. On the first visit the billing was different and signed by a different cashier:

 

BILL#1
Outpatient Medication  410
General Medical Equipment 700
Service OPD Charge  280
Outpatient Care     1300
Physician Procedures  1000
Outpatient Medication 330
Medical Supplies    389
Total 4409

It was more serious on my first visit so the higher fee is warranted, I needed anesthetic first time, second time not so. I put it down to a cashier creating bills not in their native Thai so lacking on details and difficult for the patient to understand but overall I feel I got value for money each visit. 

On 10/1/2025 at 9:12 AM, Digitalbanana said:

...largish private hospital in Bangkok that would be normal and auditable! I asked another AI and it said two bills is a red flag.

Anyway in all my very few hospital visits I have not seen billing like that before.

 

I get that all the time at Bumrungrad. Though it's all on one page, the charges do look like duplicates.

 

I just figured it was because the doctors are independent contractors that work in several hospitals, and one charge was for the hospital staff and the other was for the doctor.  So they have to be billed separately.

Post back if you find the real answer...

 

18 minutes ago, impulse said:

.....

 

I just figured it was because the doctors are independent contractors that work in several hospitals, and one charge was for the hospital staff and the other was for the doctor.  So they have to be billed separately

 

In which case physician fee would not be listed twice.

 

Non-physician hospital staff and general facility costs are subsumed unfer something that may be called "nursing charge" or "hospital fee" or "OPD charge" etc. Would not be listed as doctor or physician charge. 

 

 

1 hour ago, Sheryl said:

In which case physician fee would not be listed twice.

 

Non-physician hospital staff and general facility costs are subsumed unfer something that may be called "nursing charge" or "hospital fee" or "OPD charge" etc. Would not be listed as doctor or physician charge. 

 

A lot of visits. I see 2 or more physicians.  Like the skin clinic where one doctor zapped the lesions on my bald head, but then called in another team to cut out and biopsy another one.  And the dental clinic where one dentist did the initial examination and x-rays, but called in a specialist to do the root canal.  (Then still another the next day to do a temporary filling).  And another visit last week where one doctor did my EKG and ECG, but referred me to a specialist for a CAT and the interpretation.  And then I got sent to the guy that did my CABG 10 years ago, who evaluated all the tests in the context of my history.  I was surprised he's still there.  It's been a while.  That was a spendy day in the Thai scheme of things.

 

As I stated, I just assumed that I was paying separate charges for each of the doctors and their attendant nurses.  But I hope the OP posts back if he/she finds the real answer.

12 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

A lot of visits. I see 2 or more physicians.  Like the skin clinic where one doctor zapped the lesions on my bald head, but then called in another team to cut out and biopsy another one.  And the dental clinic where one dentist did the initial examination and x-rays, but called in a specialist to do the root canal.  (Then still another the next day to do a temporary filling).  And another visit last week where one doctor did my EKG and ECG, but referred me to a specialist for a CAT and the interpretation.  And then I got sent to the guy that did my CABG 10 years ago, who evaluated all the tests in the context of my history.  I was surprised he's still there.  It's been a while.  That was a spendy day in the Thai scheme of things.

 

As I stated, I just assumed that I was paying separate charges for each of the doctors and their attendant nurses.  But I hope the OP posts back if he/she finds the real answer.

Bumrungrad once charged me hospital and nursing fees twice, after I had seen a skin doctor and a doctor in another department, for unrelated reasons.

I complained to the cashier,  they apologized and removed it from one of the 2 bills.

They never did this again. 

On 10/2/2025 at 12:03 PM, impulse said:

 

A lot of visits. I see 2 or more physicians.  Like the skin clinic where one doctor zapped the lesions on my bald head, but then called in another team to cut out and biopsy another one.  And the dental clinic where one dentist did the initial examination and x-rays, but called in a specialist to do the root canal.  (Then still another the next day to do a temporary filling).  And another visit last week where one doctor did my EKG and ECG, but referred me to a specialist for a CAT and the interpretation.  And then I got sent to the guy that did my CABG 10 years ago, who evaluated all the tests in the context of my history.  I was surprised he's still there.  It's been a while.  That was a spendy day in the Thai scheme of things.

 

As I stated, I just assumed that I was paying separate charges for each of the doctors and their attendant nurses.  But I hope the OP posts back if he/she finds the real answer.

If you are treated by more than one doctor you will of course pay more than one doctor fee. OP however saw only one doctor.

 

Nursing time is not charged the way doctors are. They are hospital employees. The OPD fee (AKA hospital fee, nursing fee) is intended to cover facility costs including nursing staff etc. It should be charged once per visit only. 

On 10/2/2025 at 1:19 PM, Lorry said:

Bumrungrad once charged me hospital and nursing fees twice, after I had seen a skin doctor and a doctor in another department, for unrelated reasons.

I complained to the cashier,  they apologized and removed it from one of the 2 bills.

They never did this again. 

 

1 hour ago, Sheryl said:

If you are treated by more than one doctor you will of course pay more than one doctor fee. OP however saw only one doctor.

 

Nursing time is not charged the way doctors are. They are hospital employees. The OPD fee (AKA hospital fee, nursing fee) is intended to cover facility costs including nursing staff etc. It should be charged once per visit only. 

 

Thanks!  Good info.  Next time, I'll quiz them about it. 

 

Later this month, I'm due for a skin cancer checkup and I'll be asking them to lop off a mole above my upper lip that bleeds a lot if I use a real razor.  It's no problem with the electric shaver, but I hate carrying it nowadays when battery powered devices can't be carried in checked bags.

 

Edit:  I'd add that I am averse to conflict with the cashiers.  That's my bad..  And I'm accustomed to dealing with the US system where bills roll in for weeks, even months after the work has been done.  I like the "pay before you leave the hospital" system.  Even having to put a deposit down before more expensive procedures is good for me.  No surprises that way.