In discussion with my insurance carrier, Pacific Cross, I suggested that they make an effort to enroll selected public hospitals in their direct pay program to control the out of control rent seeking by Bangkok Hospital. They said they were adding additional public hospitals - I note that one of our options for treatment at a public hospital in Korat (Suranaree University of Technology Hospital) is now accepted into their network for direct pay . As I understand it public hospitals typically charge foreigners the cost of care which is entirely reasonable, e.g. my colonoscopy last year was ThB 24,000 all in including lab fees to examine one polyp and two nights in a private room with all the boiled rice I could tolerate. Their the bill was inflated by requiring inpatient care when in the U.S. this is typically outpatient (drink their nasty tasting drink, toilet at home, and get transported with an accompanying driver because of the anesthetic). Here it appears they don't trust their patients to follow instructions for pre-op routines and to show up on time so they treat us like children. Until insurance companies offer some pushback to Bangkok Hospital pricing by covering other hospitals they will never give up their quasi monopoly in many provinces/regions. If you have an acceptable public hospital near to you that you have used you might request that your insurance company consider adding them to their network.
