Cost of tonsillectomy in Chiang Mai

[urbestbud]

I just got my tonsils removed at Sriphat Hospital. For those of you not familiar with Sriphat, it's a government hospital. I'm a foreigner and I didn't have medical insurance. The surgery and one nights stay at the hospital cost me a little less than 29,000 Baht. From all the research i've done, this is one of the best prices in Thailand and the care was pretty good too. My doctor/surgeon was Dr. Rat. A very skill ENT doctor who speaks fluent English. He has a clinic. If you think you need to take out your tonsils I recommend seeing him at his clinic first (cause its cheaper).

81 Chang Puak Road.
053-213-003

Monday-Friday 5:30PM-8PM
Saturday 9AM-12PM

Dr. Rat had quoted me an estimated price of 25,000 for the surgery and all, but when the hospital called to confirm the surgery, they quoted me around 40,000 which was a huge difference. So, naturally i was expecting probably 45,000-50,000 but to my surprise it was less than 29,000 and that's after i paid some extra stuff to make me more comfortable in my hospital room.

Also on a different surgery subject. In July 2012 I also had a miniscopy at Rajavej Hospital for around 60,000-65,000 if anyone wants to know.

[Issangeorge]

I had a cancerous tumor removed from my leg at the Government Hospital in Kuchinarai, Kalasin. I paid the doctor ฿1,500 baht at his clinic the night before and he said the hospital costs would be about ฿20,000. As it turned out with one night stay the hospital costs were ฿4,790. Previously I had a bad motorcycle accident, my left shoulder was broken, my left leg was broken in two places and my right big toe was just hanging there. The total cost for three operations and 8 nights in the hospital was ฿37,500. This was in a ward, because the private rooms in this hospital need to be refurbished, but the ward has been refurbished and is very nice.

Sent from my i-mobile IQ 6 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[elektrified]

Sriphat is not a government hospital. It is the private section of the large CMU campus.

Dr. Rat at Sriphat is my ENT doctor too. I recommended him for the pinned list but for some reason he was removed. I really like him too. I make my living with my ears so am very picky about ENT doctors. Went to see a couple before going to him. He, like you said, does not try and gouge the patient. He won't do something if it is not necessary. He only charges something like 250-350 Baht for an appointment at his clinic. He has previously practiced in the USA.

[elektrified]

I would recommend the OP purchase health insurance (cheap as chips). The next time you may not get off as cheap.

[AnotherOneAmerican]

Sounds very expensive to me.

5-10k in a government hospital (including a private room).

[chiang mai]

Sounds very expensive to me.

5-10k in a government hospital (including a private room).

Whatever prices other posters pay for their medical care will certainly always by at least three times more than you would expect to pay, it's almost troll like behaviour.

[circusman]

I would recommend the OP purchase health insurance (cheap as chips). The next time you may not get off as cheap.

Someone over 70 years old is going to pay much more than a bag of chips for coverage IF he can even get it. I think your very wrong.

[AnotherOneAmerican]

Sounds very expensive to me.

5-10k in a government hospital (including a private room).

Whatever prices other posters pay for their medical care will certainly always by at least three times more than you would expect to pay, it's almost troll like behaviour.

I would say it's almost like private hospitals are acting like thieves because they know foreigners are scared silly of dealing with Thai speakers or alternatively knowing foreigners are silly with their money.

Anyway If you would like to see my last bill for stitches costing 245bht including meds and a photo of the injury, LMK

(another poster claimed to pay 4,500 for the same treatment at CMR hospital, that's more that 15x my cost)

[jingjoke]

^ "Someone over 70 years old is going to...'have to think about medical insurance long before they turn 70; the latest is all confirmation medicals and insurance issued before someone actually turns 65.

This topic has been gone over time and time again and those over 65 w/o coverage were probably trying to outwit the odds; thus, little to no empathy. So sad

[elektrified]

Sounds very expensive to me.

5-10k in a government hospital (including a private room).

Whatever prices other posters pay for their medical care will certainly always by at least three times more than you would expect to pay, it's almost troll like behaviour.

+1

[elektrified]

Sounds very expensive to me.

5-10k in a government hospital (including a private room).

Whatever prices other posters pay for their medical care will certainly always by at least three times more than you would expect to pay, it's almost troll like behaviour.

I would say it's almost like private hospitals are acting like thieves because they know foreigners are scared silly of dealing with Thai speakers or alternatively knowing foreigners are silly with their money.

That's ridiculous. 90-95% of the patients at private hospitals are Thais. I seldom ever see a foreigner when I have occasion to visit hospitals (public or private) in Thailand.

[AnotherOneAmerican]

Sounds very expensive to me.

5-10k in a government hospital (including a private room).

Whatever prices other posters pay for their medical care will certainly always by at least three times more than you would expect to pay, it's almost troll like behaviour.

I would say it's almost like private hospitals are acting like thieves because they know foreigners are scared silly of dealing with Thai speakers or alternatively knowing foreigners are silly with their money.

That's ridiculous. 90-95% of the patients at private hospitals are Thais. I seldom ever see a foreigner when I have occasion to visit hospitals (public or private) in Thailand.

I'm thinking the Thai price and the foreigner price are quite different.

Still if you're happy paying more than Thais, who am I to argue.

[onthedarkside]

^ "Someone over 70 years old is going to...'have to think about medical insurance long before they turn 70; the latest is all confirmation medicals and insurance issued before someone actually turns 65.

This topic has been gone over time and time again and those over 65 w/o coverage were probably trying to outwit the odds; thus, little to no empathy. So sad

As far as i know you have to sign up with BUPA before age 60 to be able to have health care insurance after 65.

[Tywais]

^ "Someone over 70 years old is going to...'have to think about medical insurance long before they turn 70; the latest is all confirmation medicals and insurance issued before someone actually turns 65.

This topic has been gone over time and time again and those over 65 w/o coverage were probably trying to outwit the odds; thus, little to no empathy. So sad

As far as i know you have to sign up with BUPA before age 60 to be able to have health care insurance after 65.

Correct. Once you are in before 60 you are in for life if you keep the payments unbroken.

[chiang mai]

Whatever prices other posters pay for their medical care will certainly always by at least three times more than you would expect to pay, it's almost troll like behaviour.

I would say it's almost like private hospitals are acting like thieves because they know foreigners are scared silly of dealing with Thai speakers or alternatively knowing foreigners are silly with their money.

That's ridiculous. 90-95% of the patients at private hospitals are Thais. I seldom ever see a foreigner when I have occasion to visit hospitals (public or private) in Thailand.

I'm thinking the Thai price and the foreigner price are quite different.

Still if you're happy paying more than Thais, who am I to argue.

We've already been through this, there is no difference between the ammounts a foriegner and a local person are charged at RAM and I doubt there is at Sriphat either. And that was me who was paid 4,500 for emergency treatment and had eight stitches in my face, excellent value at $150 by anyones standards except yours and probably the penney pinching Tommo the Physicist, a poster from Chiang Mai with whom you have much in common. He used to reckon that he could get by on THB 10k a month and that anyone who spent more was getting ripped off! The point is that people pay for the level of service and care they both want and can afford, in my case of the eight stitches it was

RAM and I would do the same over again. In the case of the OP it was Sriphat and a cost of 29K with which he's very happy, the fact that it's possible to do these things cheaper is totally irrelevant and nobody is in a position to ciriticise those choices.

[Dean1953]

I just turned 60 April 1. Although living in the U.S. for 5 years and probably another 5 years (so my wife's 3 kids get through High school and the 5 year old gets through 4th-5th grade in the U.S.), I considered buying health insurance in LOS because I had heard the same things about acquiring insurance before age 60. However, I had also heard that, while BUPA won't drop you, the rates can get high enough that you can't afford to keep the insurance, particularly after age 70-75. When my son was born at the hospital near Tesco on Hong Dong, he was keen on selling me a term policy for my son, and even one for my wife, who was 34 at the time. I asked him about me (age 54 at the time) and he wasn't very keen on that. I've got 5-7 years before moving back, and will institute medicare when I turn 65. More than likely, my health insurance will be a combo of medicare and thai accident insurance, and hoping for the best.

[elektrified]

That's ridiculous. 90-95% of the patients at private hospitals are Thais. I seldom ever see a foreigner when I have occasion to visit hospitals (public or private) in Thailand.

I'm thinking the Thai price and the foreigner price are quite different.

Still if you're happy paying more than Thais, who am I to argue.

No that is incorrect. Everyone pays the same. A number of us have friends/wives/girlfriends working in the private hospitals who have confirmed this. The majority of inpatients at private hospitals have insurance and insurance companies would not go along with that either.

I don't understand where you get some of your information.

[Tywais]

Posts with messed up quotes and reply removed.

[AnotherOneAmerican]

We've already been through this, there is no difference between the ammounts a foriegner and a local person are charged at RAM and I doubt there is at Sriphat either. And that was me who was paid 4,500 for emergency treatment and had eight stitches in my face, excellent value at $150 by anyones standards except yours and probably the penney pinching Tommo the Physicist, a poster from Chiang Mai with whom you have much in common. He used to reckon that he could get by on THB 10k a month and that anyone who spent more was getting ripped off! The point is that people pay for the level of service and care they both want and can afford, in my case of the eight stitches it was

RAM and I would do the same over again. In the case of the OP it was Sriphat and a cost of 29K with which he's very happy, the fact that it's possible to do these things cheaper is totally irrelevant and nobody is in a position to ciriticise those choices.

I usually spend 45k a month, but that does include my 15k home loan.

I am also very happy with my $10 stitches, doctor did a good job and lined everything up very nicely.

As for the OP, claimed 29k was best price in Thailand, well it wasn't.

[uptheos]

Sriphat is not a government hospital. It is the private section of the large CMU campus.

Dr. Rat at Sriphat is my ENT doctor too. I recommended him for the pinned list but for some reason he was removed. I really like him too. I make my living with my ears so am very picky about ENT doctors. Went to see a couple before going to him. He, like you said, does not try and gouge the patient. He won't do something if it is not necessary. He only charges something like 250-350 Baht for an appointment at his clinic. He has previously practiced in the USA.

'I believe D Rat comes highly recommended by Orang37 too (I think). In which case with yours and his recommendations he should be on the list.

[chiang mai]

We've already been through this, there is no difference between the ammounts a foriegner and a local person are charged at RAM and I doubt there is at Sriphat either. And that was me who was paid 4,500 for emergency treatment and had eight stitches in my face, excellent value at $150 by anyones standards except yours and probably the penney pinching Tommo the Physicist, a poster from Chiang Mai with whom you have much in common. He used to reckon that he could get by on THB 10k a month and that anyone who spent more was getting ripped off! The point is that people pay for the level of service and care they both want and can afford, in my case of the eight stitches it was

RAM and I would do the same over again. In the case of the OP it was Sriphat and a cost of 29K with which he's very happy, the fact that it's possible to do these things cheaper is totally irrelevant and nobody is in a position to ciriticise those choices.

As for the OP, claimed 29k was best price in Thailand, well it wasn't.

The OP stated his was "one of the best prices in Thailand", not the best!

[AnotherOneAmerican]

The OP stated his was "one of the best prices in Thailand", not the best!

A Tonsillectomy is a very simple and basic operation.

Cutting out two small 'lymph glands' at the back of the throat, and a stitch in each side.

About 10 minutes work and an afternoon recovery for the patient.

Essentially about the same amount of work as the stitches you had in your chin, and they shouldn't charge much more either.

[chiang mai]

The OP stated his was "one of the best prices in Thailand", not the best!

A Tonsillectomy is a very simple and basic operation.

Cutting out two small 'lymph glands' at the back of the throat, and a stitch in each side.

About 10 minutes work and an afternoon recovery for the patient.

Essentially about the same amount of work as the stitches you had in your chin, and they shouldn't charge much more either.

If you're going to try and argue that the cost of a tonsilectomy should be the same as the cost of having having eight stitches in the chin, because a tonsilectomy requires fewer stitches and both procedures take the same amount of time, well, the mind boggles, it really does.

[market trader]

^ "Someone over 70 years old is going to...'have to think about medical insurance long before they turn 70; the latest is all confirmation medicals and insurance issued before someone actually turns 65.

This topic has been gone over time and time again and those over 65 w/o coverage were probably trying to outwit the odds; thus, little to no empathy. So sad

As far as i know you have to sign up with BUPA before age 60 to be able to have health care insurance after 65.

Correct. Once you are in before 60 you are in for life if you keep the payments unbroken.

It appears if most posters have not had serious dealings with insurance companies. As Tywais says get in before age 60 and you are in for life. But once you come down with a serious illness like cancer or heart failure watch your insurance company do a 360 on your annual fees. In my case back in 2008 the insurance company I used in Canada for health insurance while out of the country for 6 months a year charged me $270 annual premium with a $500 deductible. Canada has free health care for residents. So if I became sick while out of the country the insurance company would be able to make a claim on the government and receive a portion of what they had to pay back. In 2009 I was diagnosed and treated for cancer in Canada so did not leave the country that year. In 2010 I was well enough to travel again so I called the insurance company for a quote on 6 months a year out of the country. On the questionnaire I was honest and told them about the cancer diagnosis in 2009. (Never lie to the insurance company about previous health problems because if you do they will not pay for even the most simple problem) Now the premium instead of being $270 annual became $7,831.

Now you have to weigh the odds. The most expensive part of health care in Thailand is being diagnosed with cancer and having to pay for the chemotherapy drugs. But 99% of the time a cancer diagnosis would give me enough time to book a flight and return to Canada for treatment.

Heart attack in Thailand with say 7 - 10 days in hospital and in a private room not really that expensive.

2 months ago while at Chiang Mai Ram my wife and I met a nice lady from Mae Tang who owned an elephant camp. She had very serious heart problems and had been an in patient at the Ram for 1 year and during that time had a heart operation with the surgeon being flown up from Bangkok to do the operation. She said that her total bill to date was a little over 2 million bahts. For one year in hospital I consider that cheap. In the USA 2 million bahts would give you no more than 2 or 3 days.

So back in 2010 my wife and I had to sit down and seriously consider if we should pay the $7831 or self insure.

The first question we had to answer was how much could we self insure for.

After taking everything into consideration and bearing in mind that if I became ill in Thailand and made a claim on the insurance company that next years annual premium could very well be $20,000 or more. We decided to self insure.