My wife recently had a 3 day stay in the local hospital for removal of an abscess. The room ( VIP ) was 3,000 odd baht a day, and the cost altogether was over 50,000 baht. Other than twice daily dressings and meds, including IV, the nurses did virtually nothing for her.

Is this a reasonable cost for a simple surgical procedure at a local ( for Thais, not farangs ) hospital in a provincial city?

Seems too much to me, but I have no prior experience of such.

Just the room costing over twice what an equivalent hotel room would cost seems a bit of a rip off in itself.

Room price seems high for me for a government hospital. Was it a government hopsital or a local private hospital?

Government hospital. I don't have the room price list with me, but it is a published price list. Obviously, a 4 bedded room would have been cheaper than the VIP one she stayed in ( thanks to insurance company ).

Seems very out of the norm for a government hospital. Did you receive an itemized bill? I would scrutinize it. No way would what you describe reach 50,000 in a government hospital even with private VIP room.

It does seem high but a VIP room (private room) at a good government hospital (Chula) did cost us about the same price as the Dusit Thani across the street I recall from stays of wife 8-10 years ago. Am sure with insurance it would be the full rate just as our payment was as based on patient family income. But unless there were expensive tests involved (such are MRI) can not see a bill of 50k as surgery is almost free and doctor fees very low. But again there is an option for private priced treatment at some government facilities which would allow selection of doctor and private payments at a higher rate.

Thanks for replies.

As all was paid by insurance, I don't want to be rocking any boats, but I will ask her if she has the itemised bill and investigate further.

some recent experience at Rama 2 private hospitals. Birth by c section 74k, tonsils removed for 2 year old 52k baby with the shits put on a drip for a couple of days 22k. Rooms were about 4k-5 a night but then you get adds ons, nurses fees etc. Not as cheap as I thought, cheap to see the Doc but that's where it ends. Hospitals are a business not a social service.

However the OP is discussing care at a govt hospital.

I recently spent 14 days in a government hospital to receive intravenous to clear an infection. I was in a 28 bed ward and the cost was ฿42,000. I think a lot of that was for the medicine, but I felt it was high. The medical card for foreigners came out while I was in the hospital. I didn't know about it buy got one right after I got out.

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

What is this medical card for foreigners? Is it like insurance and how much does it cost please?

A very complicated story, see http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/671391-affordable-health-insurance/

Thanks for replying to my question.