Hospitalization And Operation

[nakhonsawan]

Now, there's been some time since surgery on this knee. Yes I have also had both eyes operated for cataract in the meantime. I have also inserted these RESTORE LENSES in each eye.

It's been hard, yes, not to say it's been very hard.

Without insurance, there's only one way, and it is, that you pay your self.

As I have told elsewhere, I have the last 5 years added 120,000 .-baht per year, as an insurance company demanded per year covering anold man like me, with all this bad things. My knee would not have been coveredanyway, and the eyes the same.

The simple math is, that I am now out of the above money. I have spent 82,000 .-baht on one new knee and 106,000 .- baht for both eyes for cataract and insertion of the very expensive RESTORE LENSES.

Still money back for small things ..

I was on the golf course first time here 14 days ago ... My Handicap in golf is probably changed a little now, because I could not forget the new knee ... Things will change quickly ... For I have not played golf like that since my start hehe.

What I am really wanted tosay to all of you are…. LOOK before making any decision. That is important.. Ihave found out… That many private hospitals have the same goal.. Making bigmoney, especially when it is Farangs, because they know, that any price loverthan your country price is a good price …

My concern is also, thatthis private hospitals is using the same doctors as I got in the hospitals,where I had my operations..

The prices I have is just more than half…….price....

Edited February 14, 2011 by nakhonsawan

[nakhonsawan]

My problem is many times that. I've found that there are several people with long experience into the medical. They do not believe there is a world outside of Bangkok, Pattaya, Phuket and other famous places.

Just want to emphasize that it is, just look at my little success story. The evidence ... There is also life outside those places.

Other places in Thailand do also have professional doctors. Therefore absolutely no doubt... God doctors can be found every where, but I've found out, that the doctors outside the places mentioned. They can succeed to.

Some will say luck hehe. I am lucky..

Have a good day

Edited February 14, 2011 by nakhonsawan

[nakhonsawan]

I'm just so upset right now because thehospital's prices are unthinkable. It's just too much.now because the hospital's prices are unthinkable. It's just too much.

I have a friend who unfortunately has been diagnosed with prostate cancer. He has long been through all these hospitals. We can do and we can do really well.

Prices ... and it's not even lie ... They have been from 160,000 .- baht and up too 450,000 .- Baht.

I'm not saying who and why, but there's now found a professional team who will make the operation for 65,000 .- Baht. This team was sent X-rays and other things as everyone else got.

Takecare of yourselves out here in Thailand.

[Sheryl]

Yes, the costs of medical care in Thailand have risen sharply and are likely to keep doing so.

Add the rise in cost in baht to what for many of us is an unfavorable exchange rate, and it is pricey indeed.

No-on should be here without health insurance of some type. Either a policy or a reserve cash account of not less than 1 million baht.

Even if one has the option of free health care in one's home country, need to plan on emergency care and the costs of medical evacuation.

Those in good health should especially take heed -- that is exactly when you should take out insurance. If you wait you'll run into problems of exclusion for pre-existing conditions or difficulty getting a policy at all.

[nakhonsawan]

Yes, the costs of medical care in Thailand have risen sharply and are likely to keep doing so.

Add the rise in cost in baht to what for many of us is an unfavorable exchange rate, and it is pricey indeed.

No-on should be here without health insurance of some type. Either a policy or a reserve cash account of not less than 1 million baht.

Even if one has the option of free health care in one's home country, need to plan on emergency care and the costs of medical evacuation.

Those in good health should especially take heed -- that is exactly when you should take out insurance. If you wait you'll run into problems of exclusion for pre-existing conditions or difficulty getting a policy at all.

I am not sure, what is happening, but I would like to know Sherryl, are you an insurance agent, since the words always is the same.. BUY INSURANCE. I have to pay 120.000.- baht per year. You think that is fair.

I am just a little confused around your always saying insurance...insurance

[Robby nz]

I'm just so upset right now because thehospital's prices are unthinkable. It's just too much.now because the hospital's prices are unthinkable. It's just too much.

I have a friend who unfortunately has been diagnosed with prostate cancer. He has long been through all these hospitals. We can do and we can do really well.

Prices ... and it's not even lie ... They have been from 160,000 .- baht and up too 450,000 .- Baht.

I'm not saying who and why, but there's now found a professional team who will make the operation for 65,000 .- Baht. This team was sent X-rays and other things as everyone else got.

Takecare of yourselves out here in Thailand.

While your knee was a serious and painfull thing for you, unlike any cancer it was not something that could spread to other parts of your body and kill you.

Your friend will have to accept that any cancer is not just a single operation to remove or replace something but will involve things like radiation, chemo, follow up tests, CT scans, blood tests into the future.

And this is without even having a look inside, once he is opened up it could easily be found thet the cancer has already spread.

I very much doubt any doctor or hospital can give you a set price for such an operation and treatment as said treatment could in fact last for a year or more.

I have been and am in a similar situation and know what I am talking about.

He should be budgeting at least a million Baht over a year at a military hospital, if he gets away with under this he will be doing well.

If he goes the private way at least 4 times that.

But do it now because these things can spread very quickly and become untreatable and fatal.

[nakhonsawan]

Will then give you absolutely right Robby, but it's not what we're talking about here. We are talking about that a man has been diagnosed with prostate cancer. We talk about that all studies indicate that it is a closed tumor. We talk about the tumor removal.

From these data and indications, he has now obtained the prices.

What else can happen in your life, we do not even have control over, because we do not know.

[Sheryl]

I am not sure, what is happening, but I would like to know Sherryl, are you an insurance agent, since the words always is the same.. BUY INSURANCE. I have to pay 120.000.- baht per year. You think that is fair.

I am just a little confused around your always saying insurance...insurance

Of course I am not an insurance agent or anything remotely of the sort.

I stress this point because I have seen so many tragic situations unfold among expats living in Thailand who were uninsured.

I don't like how much I have to pay for my insurance, either. But I pay it because I know it is a priority and that the alternatives are much worse.

I am certainly not advocating that the costs of either private insurance or medical care in Thailand are just or reasonable. But they are beyond any of our control and a fact of life to be taken into account when choosing to live here.

Preferrably taken into account and planned for BEFORE serious illness strikes, as once it has, as in the case of your friend, options are very limited.

[nakhonsawan]

My problem is not really, that that you the whole time try to be so opinionated about this with this insurances.

My problem is that nobody reads or just trying to understand what I write.

I have said, and say I that a man or should we call it an individual. This person can not get insurance after the age of 60 years, without requiring him to pay 120,000 .- baht per year.

My health has been, and is of such a constitution that now only the heart is the thing they will insure ..

Where are we in this insurance jungle ... 120,000 .- baht for a cardiac arrest ...

There must something wrong .

Have a nice day….

Edited February 28, 2011 by nakhonsawan

[kimamey]

I had bi-lateral knee replacements two years ago in the US. I am very pleased with the results, no more pain and I'm back mt biking and hiking and other activities.

I was lucky and had full insurance coverage; I don't know what I would have done if I had to pay out of pocket, I'd probably still be somewhat crippled and hurting.

This is something that I would not be looking for the cheapest price, even if I had to borrow the funds. If at all possible, go with the most experienced surgeon that you can find and afford, a specialist who has done hundreds of knee replacements. Experience makes a difference in technique, alignment, choice of materials, and success of the operation. I have a friend who was forced by economic limitations to use a general orthopedic surgeon; he went through all that and then the alignment was off, he was in considerable pain for months, and he has been back under the knife two additional times to try and make it right.

I believe the standard now is computer assisted alignment and cobalt chrome. Titanium reportedly wears out faster. Search it and get all the information you can.

After care is a big deal, get the best nursing that you can. my surgeon was great, but the week in the hospital was agonizing. Find out what pain meds you will have, you'll need some good stuff like Vicodin to sleep at night, ibuprofen just won't do it. The first month is tough, but after that is gets steadily better. Build up your upper body strength and reduce your body weight as much as possible prior to the surgery, because you have to lift yourself and move around in bed, toilet and shower using upper body. Of course I had both done at the same time so this was a big factor. I was happy that I was in relatively good shape physically.

Good luck, I hope you find a good surgeon and it goes well for you. don

I'm not sure if anyone is still reading this thread after so long but I'll reply anyway.

I'm still living in the UK at the moment but plan to move to Isaan to be with my gf. I'm nearly 57 although people say I look much younger. I think they're probably right but I do know my body is getting older and I was involved in a car accident in 1994 which didn't help.

Just recently I've been getting some pain in my left knee when I bend it to kneel down. I may just have twisted it. Not a problem in the UK up to now as I can just go to the doctor to find out the cause and get it fixed under the NHS. It's not a great problem yet so there would be time to try different treatments before going for surgery depending on the eventual cause. The problem is if I go to the doctor then there is then a pre-existing condition for which I can't get insurance when I move to Thailand. I'm already on medication for hypertension and high cholesterol which I'll have to pay for if I move although I already pay for part of that now. Even if I don't go to the doctor here I'm not certain if the insurance company would claim the problem must have been there before I took out the insurance.

That's how I came across this thread as I'm trying to see what my options are if I need an operation in Thailand. Obviously a hospital close to Mahasarakham would be good but BKK would be ok if it's the best option.

Just on the subject of titanium versus cobalt chrome. I'm a dental technician and both are used in dentistry. Cobalt chrome for dental plates and titanium for implants. I'm not sure about relative hardness although this could depend on the composition of the cobalt chrome. Titanium is used for implants as the bone will fuse to it unlike other metals. It is then possible to attach other components to it. They may do this with knee and hip joints.

Not sure if this is mentioned elsewhere in this thread as I haven't had time to read it all yet.

Edited April 24, 2011 by kimamey

[nakhonsawan]

Just a follow up on all this with the yellow card. The new knees .. and Mynew eyes are now inserted after surgery ... Cataract surgery with subsequentinsertion of RESTORE LENSES.

My budget is about to falter for my 5 year savings of insertion of moneyin the bank or spend it on insurance is about to falter hehe.

I have now at 6 years of payments to the bank 1. mill. baht, instead ofthe insurance demand of 220,000 .- baht per year, and had a profit of more than1 mill. baht on the account.

Crazy some will say ... Maybe and maybe not ... Surely it is lotterylike everything else in life.

Instead, I pay everything to the insurer, then the money because of myadvanced age, and because of my many flaws accrue all, to my young wife and notothers.

No insurance will cover me anyway without the above amount deposit. Theywill not cover old injuries and another so, only my heart will be covered for all thesebaht ... 220,000 .-.

The yellow card has been withdrawn just before the election, but perhapsit returns when there is check on what, who and where.

I hope this Yellow Card is comming back to farang, this card has reallyhelped a lot ..

Have nice weekend everyone out there...

[Changoverandout]

Not sure if this topic is still open but I wonder it jirapawat military hospital is still offering knee replacement surgery as I need one and live in Nakhon Sawan. I’m 68 and have osteoarthritis and my knee splays.

i have AIA insurance but won’t cover 82000 baht, at least if will cover a third though so insurance is worthwhile and necessary.

How is your knee after 9 years?

[Sheryl]

The thread is almost 10 years old and OP has not posted on TV recently. You could try PM to him.

No reason to think that hospital does not still do knee replacements. Cost will likely have gone up though.

You have a real problem if your insurance will not cover even under 100k total bill. Are you sure you have read the policy correctly? I have never seen one that low.

In Thailand you need at least 1 million baht cover if you will use only government hospitals and 3-5 million for private.

Note that government hospitals usually will not bill insurance. You usually have to pay yourself and get reimbursed. And it can be very difficult to get the necessary form and details from them for an insurance claim.


Sent from my SM-J701F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[Changoverandout]

On 4/2/2019 at 10:25 AM, Sheryl said:

The thread is almost 10 years old and OP has not posted on TV recently. You could try PM to him.

No reason to think that hospital does not still do knee replacements. Cost will likely have gone up though.

You have a real problem if your insurance will not cover even under 100k total bill. Are you sure you have read the policy correctly? I have never seen one that low.

In Thailand you need at least 1 million baht cover if you will use only government hospitals and 3-5 million for private.

Note that government hospitals usually will not bill insurance. You usually have to pay yourself and get reimbursed. And it can be very difficult to get the necessary form and details from them for an insurance claim.


Sent from my SM-J701F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

Thanks Sheryl

AIA paid for my colon cancer operation 2 years ago which was about 160,000 in Srisawan private hospital and a month recovery in pracherak government hospital after I contracted pneumonia, eboli and bronchitis.

They are only offering about 35,000 for a knee operation though, however I’ll get the surgeon/doctor to speak to them.