Any Vietnam Veterans Here In Cr?

[svenivan]

A very good friend is now in hospital here in Chiang Rai. He is an American and he did more than 2 year and 6 months in Vietnam.

Now he is in bad condition, he has infections in his lungs, bronkitis and more. The problem is the cost for hospital that after a week is over 100 000 baht. 80% of it is for medicine.

I met another American recently and he told me that he got free medical care at the Military hospital here in Chiang Rai. I cannot remember this guys name so I cannot contact him.

Is there anyone else out here that knows anything about this matter? If Vietnam veterans have some special rate in that hospital or any information that will help in this matter.

I appreciate all good information you can give! Please leave all bashing and stupid commentares in another thread! Thanks!

[harrry]

There is an American Legion branch in Chiangmai. It could be well worth contacting them. They have several members active in the ChiangMai Forum so it could be worth reposting there or giving Gonzo a PM as he seems to know who is what there. I think the correct name is Veterans of Foreign Wars.

Edited May 12, 2011 by harrry

[rijb]

Maybe the American Consulate, in CM, could help.

[retiredusn]

Is he retired or just a VM vet? It makes a differance on Tricare help or if he is VA disabled......

[svenivan]

Is he retired or just a VM vet? It makes a differance on Tricare help or if he is VA disabled......

I will check it up tomorrow. I do not think he is VA disabled, he is 62 years this year and he got some type of pension.

But I will come back with more details tomorrow!

Thanks for answering!

:jap:

[bahnhof]

Is he retired or just a VM vet? It makes a differance on Tricare help or if he is VA disabled......

I will check it up tomorrow. I do not think he is VA disabled, he is 62 years this year and he got some type of pension.

But I will come back with more details tomorrow!

Thanks for answering!

:jap:

Sven: As Harry mentioned, the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) has case officers that are typically the most capable source of navigating benefits. They have several branches in posts in Thailand. If he is a VN veteran, and especially if he's retired (having worked a full career) or service-connected disabled, he should qualify. Having helped others this is usually the best single source. I'm not in country at the moment so cannot provide additional help. I wish him well and thanks to you for helping him. Bahnhof

[ginooooo]

Being retired Air Force and Vietnam Vet, when I was there in March, there is only 1 office in Thailand that deals with these matters, including benefits for retiees or if he is getting a pension from the VA, then they can eith help to answer questions or point to the right people. Ofiice is in Bangkok called JUSMAG-THAI run by 2 nurses that speak English. Here is the website. http://jusmagthai.com/medical.html

Or email them.

nursetida.th(at)san.osd.mil or nursepranee.ctr.th(at)san.osd.mil

Hope they can help a fellow vet in need.

Edited May 12, 2011 by sbk
no emails in posts-please do not feed the spammers

[sbk]

Good luck to your friend Svenivan

Here is the link for the VFW branch in Chiang Mai

http://www.vfw-chiangmai.org/

My brother in law is in a very active VFW in the US, so I hope these guys can help

[bahnhof]

Being retired Air Force and Vietnam Vet, when I was there in March, there is only 1 office in Thailand that deals with these matters, including benefits for retiees or if he is getting a pension from the VA, then they can eith help to answer questions or point to the right people. Ofiice is in Bangkok called JUSMAG-THAI run by 2 nurses that speak English. Here is the website. http://jusmagthai.com/medical.html

Or email them.

nursetida.th(at)san.osd.mil or nursepranee.ctr.th(at)san.osd.mil

Hope they can help a fellow vet in need.

Gino..., Nice contribution with those specific contacts. Bahnhof

[trisailer]

I agree that the VFW is probably his best hope. If he has a service connected disability over 30% (I think) he should be able to be reimbursed for medical expense outside the VA system. All the information he needs is on the VA website. There is a form to request it which the VFW will help him with.

Good luck and let me add my commendation to you for helping a fellow Vet.

[retiredusn]

Thank you for trying too help. Another source that may help if is is retired ect. is : tricare-overseas.com [/color] they have list's of hospitals available here in thailand .........

[svenivan]

Thank you all guys for helping.

When I came to visit my friend Pat today he had just left the hospital. He could not afford staying there any longer. The bill was already 200 000 baht.

But I talked to him in his home and he was wounded in Vietnam and get a pension for 100% disability.

I have checked the websites you have given and will try to get in contact with VfW in Chiang Mai. Last night I sent an email to VFW in US trying to explain the situation and we will see if they respond.

In the bill medicines are around 80% of the total cost and we have checked up what they charge. For a pill that is 1000 USD for 50 pills (the most expensive medicine) they charge 2345 baht! That is almost four times the cost of the pill! This is the so called christian hospital here in Chiang Rai!

And the bad news is that they have diagnosed him with lungcancer.

But Pat was happy to be home and we were 5 friends there visiting him already within an hour after he came home.

And again, thanks guys for helping with information!

[KimoMax]

Hospital costs seem to vary greatly in Chiang Rai.

I have delt primarliy with the clinics and in-patient hospital near the bowling alley.

Prescription prices were very reasonable both clinic and in-patient.

They also have a member discount of I think 10%. The card is only a few hundred baht.

Two seperate in-patient bills were only 38,000 (half that was for a very high price medicine, but still less than 25% of the cost in the USA) 3 days 2 nites ICU.

And a week long stay in VIP room, blood, medicines, surgery docotrs fees etc was only 90,000.

Not sure of details of Tri Care, but if friend is eligable, not sure if coverage can be retro active.

Think Tri Care is the only Veteran care availabel outside the US for Vets eligable for that insurance.

Otherwise have to go to a VA hospital in the US or the Philippines

[svenivan]

Hospital costs seem to vary greatly in Chiang Rai.

I have delt primarliy with the clinics and in-patient hospital near the bowling alley.

Prescription prices were very reasonable both clinic and in-patient.

They also have a member discount of I think 10%. The card is only a few hundred baht.

Two seperate in-patient bills were only 38,000 (half that was for a very high price medicine, but still less than 25% of the cost in the USA) 3 days 2 nites ICU.

And a week long stay in VIP room, blood, medicines, surgery docotrs fees etc was only 90,000.

Not sure of details of Tri Care, but if friend is eligable, not sure if coverage can be retro active.

Think Tri Care is the only Veteran care availabel outside the US for Vets eligable for that insurance.

Otherwise have to go to a VA hospital in the US or the Philippines

If we shall compare then if you are in Sweden and pay tax in Sweden you pay around 30 USD aday for any treatment.

Back to Pat, I got in touch with a very nice guy in Chiang Mai that is in Veterans of Foreign Wars. He will get in touch with Pat probably tomorrow.

So we hope for the best!

[BarnicaleBob]

If you can get him in touch with the Service Officer with the Chiang Mai VFW Post, he should be able to get him treatment at a hospital in Chiang Mai that accepts persons who are VA disabled if the illness is duty related. Being you said lung cancer and he has had boots on the ground in VN he may be covered as an Agent Orange victim. Again, the VFW Chiang Mai service officer should be able to find out all this for him.

[BarnicaleBob]

If you can get him in touch with the Service Officer with the Chiang Mai VFW Post, he should be able to get him treatment at a hospital in Chiang Mai that accepts persons who are VA disabled if the illness is duty related. Being you said lung cancer and he has had boots on the ground in VN he may be covered as an Agent Orange victim. Again, the VFW Chiang Mai service officer should be able to find out all this for him.

Good news, I just checked and the Chiang Mai VFW Post Commander is on his way up to Chiang Rai now as I write this message. I hope he can get taken care of and get the proper treatment soon.

[svenivan]

If you can get him in touch with the Service Officer with the Chiang Mai VFW Post, he should be able to get him treatment at a hospital in Chiang Mai that accepts persons who are VA disabled if the illness is duty related. Being you said lung cancer and he has had boots on the ground in VN he may be covered as an Agent Orange victim. Again, the VFW Chiang Mai service officer should be able to find out all this for him.

Good news, I just checked and the Chiang Mai VFW Post Commander is on his way up to Chiang Rai now as I write this message. I hope he can get taken care of and get the proper treatment soon.

Yes, I talked to Michael from VFW Saturday morning and he asked where we could meet. Then I understood he thought we were in Chiang Mai. He immediately said "I come over to Chiang Rai" and then we talked some more abour my friends condition etc. I asked him when he was coming, Sunday, next week or?

"I am on my way now, will be there 2-3 hours from now!"

And we met in Chiang Rai, went to Pat's house and Michael talked to Pat for a couple of hours, explained what the VFW are for, what they could do for Pat and what options he had.

After that we went to the hospital to try talk to the doctor responsible for Pat but he was not available. We needed a specific medical report which Michael explained for me. Next day I talked to the doctor and then I could pick up the report that was needed.

Michael drove back home late Saturday afternoon and I was impressed how quick he and Chiang Mai VFW reacted. I am also impressed about the knowledge and the compassion to help!

So thank you VFW in Chiang Mai and especially Michael Glatz, the Commander of the the post in Chiang Mai.

Michael told me that so many old American soldiers here in Thailand not know what rights they have. He told me about widows with children from American soldiers that got no help from US embassy, how they been struggling to survive and then VFW has got the information about them and VFW has helped them so the mother and children got the pension they were entitled to so they could have a reasonable good life.

[harrry]

Much as I disagree with many of the actions pursued under american military policies they really do a great job of looking after their veterans.

Glad to hear things are underway.

Edited May 16, 2011 by harrry

[scorpio1945]

BRAVO

[AjarnP]

Svenivan,

I always knew you were a bloody good bloke. Well done. Something about a friend in need being a friend indeed comes to mind.

I'm proud to call you friend. :jap: :jap: :jap: :jap: :jap:

[Lizard2010]

Svenivan,

Glad you were able to help the veteran

It is people like you that make the world the way it is. :jap:

[bahnhof]

:jap:

[jubby]

Svenivan is indeed a nice Guy.

I'm impressed how quickly this was dealt with. probably wouldn't have be so quick without this forum.

[SteeleJoe]

Get hold of JUSMAGTHAI.

In my experience they are extremely helpful.

JUSMAG

[SteeleJoe]

D'oh!

Guess I should have read the whole thread before posting.

Kudos to Svenivan. Very admirable effort.

Edited May 16, 2011 by SteeleJoe

[svenivan]

First I must say I am not the only guy that has tried to help Pat, there are many of his friends that has done that without writing on TV.

Then I also must say that I am very impressed how VFW in Chiang Mai and Michael Glatz immediately went to Chiang Rai to see what help they could give. These are guys that never met Pat before.

And I also must thank the members of TV that helped me to get in touch with the right people!

Another example how important it is for us to have a popular forum with many members where we can ask for information and give information.

:jap: :jap:

Edited May 16, 2011 by svenivan

[mouse]

Thanks for your kind words Sven. Any U.S. Veteran whether a member of our VFW Post or not, can ask and receive help from us. If you live in Chiang Mai great, if not go to http://www.vfwdistrict5.org/welcome.html where you will find the 6 VFW Posts in Thailand and Cambodia. The Chiang Mai Post website is located at http://www.vfw-chiangmai.org/ We are over 100 strong locally and do the best we can to make life a little bit more meaningful for all our Veterans.

[OneeyedJohn]

Only want to add my appreciation to the efforts of all those involved in helping Pat.

He is a great great guy I met only recently and deserves any and all the help we can give him.

Please may it turn out good for Pat.

[mouse]

That link to all other sites in Thailand, outside of the Chiang Mai area, should be http://www.vfwdistrict5.com/

The VFW Post In Chiang Mai can be found at http://www.vfw-chiangmai.org/