Hospital Bill

[doontp]

A friend of mine had surgery accumulating a bill in excess of B150,000. The insurance company paid most of it, but my friend had to pay B25,000. They requested the B25,000 upon check-out, but he didn't have it on him and offered to return shortly with the money. Six nurses, immediately, surrounded him, blocked the elevator and wouldn't let him leave until the bill was paid in-full, despite them already having a photocopy of his US Passport and work-permit and being very familiar with his employer. At that moment, he telephoned his employer and advised them of the situation. The boss immediately drove to the hospital and paid the B25,000. Afterwards, he was allowed to leave. Prior to, they wouldn't even let me load his personal possessions into my car. It took the boss about 20 minutes to arrive at the hospital. During this time, the nurses continued standing and surrounding my friend, while blocking the elevator. It was a very quiet and uncomfortable 20 minutes. It felt like a hostage situation.

This leads to my question, for future reference: Can hospitals restrict a patient from leaving until the bill is paid-in-full?

[Hooters]

No doubt many people have done a runner in the past. 25,000bht is a lot of money here

Why was your friend unable to pay it? thats enough to set off alarm bells, everyone carries ATM/credit cards

[doontp]

My friend had me take all of his important personal possessions back to his place, i.e. cell phone, wallet, US passport and work permit. He was afraid some of the hospital staff would go through his wallet while he was being operated on. There was no place in the hospital room to keep anything safely locked up.

[doontp]

Also, I forgot to get his wallet before returning to the hospital to get him. I, personally, don't carry an ATM/credit card. I only carry cash. I don't feel the need to do so. Am I crazy?

[Theboy]

Also, I forgot to get his wallet before returning to the hospital to get him. I, personally, don't carry an ATM/credit card. I only carry cash. I don't feel the need to do so. Am I crazy?

By all means carry a little cash for odds and sods but would not suggest a large amount - better to carry an ATM should you be caught out and need money (as in this case). If you lose cash then bye bye - lose an ATM just report/cancel and get new one.

[Langsuan Man]

I only carry cash. I don't feel the need to do so. Am I crazy?

I don't think you are crazy but I would never leave home without an ATM card, you just don't know what is going to happen to you in this country and you never can tell when the need for some serious cash may arrive, especially when dealing with Thai authorities

[NancyL]

This leads to my question, for future reference: Can hospitals restrict a patient from leaving until the bill is paid-in-full?

The simple answer is "yes", especially for a private hospital. Your friend is lucky they didn't call the police or the consulate.

[slapout]

This leads to my question, for future reference: Can hospitals restrict a patient from leaving until the bill is paid-in-full?

The simple answer is "yes", especially for a private hospital. Your friend is lucky they didn't call the police or the consulate.

Doubt of either (police/consulate would be interested in this type of a situation. Its between the insurance, employer, patient, hospital.

[Sateev]

Don't think they can keep you against your will, but they can try, which is what it sounds like happened. I don't think it's quite the same as 'defrauding an innkeeper', where you skip out on a hotel bill. Most hospitals require a sizable deposit in advance. If they don't get one, it's their own fault, and they probably realized it.

I have noticed a sea-change, however, in attitudes toward foreigners, a sort of suspicion of dishonesty.

Six years ago, I had a procedure which was mostly covered by the Thai Social Insurance Scheme, but had an outstanding bill of some 35K baht. I went to the business office and told then I could pay 5K that day, and 10K a month (I was working for a Thai company, and not making very much), and they smiled and said, "No problem". I paid on-time for the next three months, and never got so much as a phone call from them.

I somehow don't see that happening in today's climate.

[lopburi3]

I believe it can and does happen today also. I have been able to pay but believe most would accept a down payment and arrange terms if needed. But they want some agreement in place. In my case I had a 300k procedure without making any advance payment and pointing out ATM card only allowed 50k per day withdrawals (so can only assume they would have accepted that if had not used a credit card).

[pomchop]

I do not blame a thai hospital for wanting to make sure they get paid. I would assume your friend must have known that he planned to check out on that day so I believe the normal thing to do would be to ask how much the total bill would be on that day and then PLAN accordingly. ESPECIALLY when you are in a foreign hospital it would just be basic common sense to expect to pay before departure. Every Thai hospital i have used also accepts visa and mastercard ...can't imagine too many farangs of any means who don't at least have a credit card with a credit line of 25,000 baht??

There are a lot of lying dodgy farangs in Thailand and perhaps the hospital got burned already and instituted a no exceptions policy?.....i see NOTHING wrong with the hospital demanding payment. I would do the same thing if i were in charge.

[Pib]

This leads to my question, for future reference: Can hospitals restrict a patient from leaving until the bill is paid-in-full?

The simple answer is "yes", especially for a private hospital. Your friend is lucky they didn't call the police or the consulate.

It's kinda like trying to walk outside a store without paying for goods except in this case the patient was trying to leave without paying in full for a service rendered. I expect in Thailand it has happened and is still attempted all too often, especially with all the medical tourism that goes on. They are probably thinking farangs carry a much higher risk of just jumping on a plane shortly after hospital release to go back to the home country with a promise to pay the balance due....they probably think this whether the patient lives in Thailand or just came over for some specific health care.

Yeap, unless there is a pre-arranged/hospital-approved plan for later payment, hospitals want (required/demand) patient cost share payment in full upon final receipt of the health care goods/services. And if it's one of those situations where the person applies for insurance reimbursement after receiving the health care versus the health care provider getting partially paid by the insurance company, then the person is on the hook for 100% of the payment due (100%) upon hospital checkout...not the next day but before trying to walk out the front door. Pay me now or pay me now is pretty much a Thai hospital's payment policy.

And some won't even accept a debit or credit card payment; this happened to us (the Thai wife and I) when trying to pay for the wife's mom hospital stay...the amount due was only 8,400 baht but the govt hospital in a nearby province would not take a Thai bank debit card nor any type of debit/credit card...they wanted cash...expect then didn't want to be charged a small fee by the Visa/Mastercard for processing the payment.