Prescription; Government Hospital vs. Private Hospital cost

[kingstonkid]

Not sure how anyone but you can answer that without further information.

How about somebody that has gotten prescriptions from a government hospital and a private hospital, duh.

OP

I have been on meds and gotten them from both hospitals the government hospitals are cheaper.

As to is it worth it with the wait and hassle?

That my friend is something only you can answer.

A rule of thumb to consider though. If you are on meds like that you will need a doctor to keep tabs on you and refill your prescription.

As to wait time i use Rangsit general and BNH I can tell you that i spend about the same amount of time in either.

One other thing to consider is that NO DOCTOR in this country is just going to give you your prescription.

They will want to run tests and do a medical evaluation of what your ailment is to ensure that you are getting the correct meds. I was told that that is the law when it comes to these meds.

The follow up is just a how are you doing. Rangsit is definitely cheaper and less time consuming but for somethings I go to the best in the field which means paying more.

As an aside when I went for the refill they told me they fond out that unlike what i had been told back home my condition was surgically correctable I now do not take any of those nasty meds.

[khundon]

Getting prescription drugs in private hospitals is highly educational, you will come out with the drugs in one pocket and no money left in your other pocket, muttering to yourself, well, that taught me a bloody lesson!!!

Shop around and you will save a lot of money on prescription drugs here in Thailand.

[BKKdreaming]

you need to find a pharmacy that keeps the Meds at the proper temperature , I am sure that on the box it says 10c-30c or so....

Hard to keep that on an open shelve with open doors and its 40C outside !

[Eneukman]

Not sure how anyone but you can answer that without further information.

How about somebody that has gotten prescriptions from a government hospital and a private hospital, duh.

BeStatin 20 mg from Bangkok Pattaya Hospital - 900 baht compared to 90 baht from the government hospital in Sri Racha. A larger number of pills was obtained from Bangkok Pattaya Hospital but even after allowing for that they were still at least 5 - 6 more times expensive than the hospital in Sri Racha. In fact, I doubt you could buy them from a pharmacy for that price.

Alan

[Whitson]

I recently underwent hip replacement at Sattahip (Military) Hospital. Pre-op, during my stay and post-op I had to take many meds. They were all very reasonably priced. There was a small dispensing charge of 100 baht.

It costs 200 baht to see a doctor. But yes, if you dont get there early you do have to wait around.

There are coffee shops a restuarant and a seven eleven on site (no booze).

When the doctor I used told me I needed meds, I just asked him to write down the name and I sourced the drugs outside myself.

I would highly recommend this hospital in terms of quality of care and cost. However, one downer was that the food was not to my liking.....

[lossiemouth]

Government hospitals usually supply cheaper medication that private hospitals. But, you must take into account that you cannot just walk into a Government hospital, if a farang, (not sure if a Thai can) and get medication from the pharmacy. You would need to see a Doctor, who will then prescribe the medication and then you will be able to be supplied with the medication. This is still cheaper than medication in a private hospital.

[hhfarang]

Why do you guys get these things from hospitals. Most of the drugs mentioned in this thread can be purchased over the counter in many pharmacies at a much lower cost than a hospital charges.

I've bought lorazapam otc in two different pharmacies in Hua Hin as well as Bestatin. If you go to Bangkok once in a while the cheapest (wholesale) pharmacy in the country is South East Pharmacy located on Sukhumvit Road a few steps west of Soi 15. They pretty much have everything that is legal to sell in Thailand and at the lowest prices as they are the importer/wholesale pharmacy that supplies most other pharmacies in the country. I take a lot of expensive meds for asthma and to control my blood pressure so I just go to Bangkok every 3 or 4 months and buy a 4 month supply. Saves me a bundle. They are 30% cheaper there than Hua Hin pharmacies and around 300% cheaper than most hospital pharmacies.

[Greg Nixon]

I was shocked by the low cost of medicines here in Thailand. In comparison to my fathers medications in North America drugs here a a true bargain. In my experience and the experience of one of my cost conscious very experienced foreign friend the public hospital is less expensive in most respects. If the drug is so controlled by a large drug company it is possible there is no difference but the cost difference should be investigated by you.

For extended stays I can tell you that 8 days cost me 54000 baht in the private hospital with injections only ( the food was disgusting) for bursitis.

In the public hospital I had an operation with 6 hospital personnel in the operating room and I stayed in a VIP room for 4 days - cost 14000 Baht including drugs for treating my bursitis.

Even my doctor who has privileges at both hospitals recommended the cost savings at the public hospital. The new public hospital here has facilities superior to the private hospital.

[Tracyb]

I have been Ram. Meds: Crestor, previcid, ambian, lamictal, cymbalta, celebrex. Ram hospital cost of Dr & meds 16000b. Twice what I pay out of pocket with ins. Most of them are now generic but the cost is still the same as the original.

Then I went to CMU TEACHING hospital/gov. The Gov side is Sriphat. It was only 12000b, but was minus one med. A nd the ambian is dispensed 10 pills at a time even though I brought every medical file and a Cvs list of meds for the last 4 yrs. My meds were prescribed 90 at the time. Thailand refused.to continue the practice. I hope when I get all these back home BCBS will reimburse me. So every month I payout almost $500. So far all I've really saved is 1/2 cost on rent. I think the LIVE HERE FOR $1200 AND LIVE BIG is a stretch.

.

If you have BCBS in usa, perhaps you can use Express scripts to mail them to a friend there....then he can forward to you here via mail... That's what I do.... A bit of a delay but it saves money!

Sent from my SM-N900T using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[inbangkok]

Why do you guys get these things from hospitals. Most of the drugs mentioned in this thread can be purchased over the counter in many pharmacies at a much lower cost than a hospital charges.

I've bought lorazapam otc in two different pharmacies in Hua Hin as well as Bestatin. If you go to Bangkok once in a while the cheapest (wholesale) pharmacy in the country is South East Pharmacy located on Sukhumvit Road a few steps west of Soi 15. They pretty much have everything that is legal to sell in Thailand and at the lowest prices as they are the importer/wholesale pharmacy that supplies most other pharmacies in the country. I take a lot of expensive meds for asthma and to control my blood pressure so I just go to Bangkok every 3 or 4 months and buy a 4 month supply. Saves me a bundle. They are 30% cheaper there than Hua Hin pharmacies and around 300% cheaper than most hospital pharmacies.

I am pretty sure lorazapam has been removed from "most" pharmacies in Bangkok. I have heard a few near Khoa San road still have it and sell it at super inflated prices to the backpackers and tourists.

[inbangkok]

Not sure how anyone but you can answer that without further information.

How about somebody that has gotten prescriptions from a government hospital and a private hospital, duh.

One other thing to consider is that NO DOCTOR in this country is just going to give you your prescription.

They will want to run tests and do a medical evaluation of what your ailment is to ensure that you are getting the correct meds. I was told that that is the law when it comes to these meds.

That is simply not true. It might be the law (i have never heard of it though)........but in reality.....it is simply not true.

[Sheryl]

Lorazapm and all other benzos are strictly controlled substances and purchase without a prescription is illegal. Penalties can be serious.

[inbangkok]

Lorazapm and all other benzos are strictly controlled substances and purchase without a prescription is illegal. Penalties can be serious.

I remember reading a while ago some 18 or 19 year old form New Zealand bought some Valium from a pharmacy in Phuket........he was pulled over at a random roadblock and arrested. Spend 2 nights in jail. The absurdity of this is that a Phuket public health official admits they allow pharmacies to sell them even though they are illegal under Thai law. The reason ...."t is illegal to possess these drugs without a prescription, but in Phuket we're not very strict as this is a tourist destination."

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10621178

[DoDoey]

Why do you guys get these things from hospitals. Most of the drugs mentioned in this thread can be purchased over the counter in many pharmacies at a much lower cost than a hospital charges.

I've bought lorazapam otc in two different pharmacies in Hua Hin as well as Bestatin. If you go to Bangkok once in a while the cheapest (wholesale) pharmacy in the country is South East Pharmacy located on Sukhumvit Road a few steps west of Soi 15. They pretty much have everything that is legal to sell in Thailand and at the lowest prices as they are the importer/wholesale pharmacy that supplies most other pharmacies in the country. I take a lot of expensive meds for asthma and to control my blood pressure so I just go to Bangkok every 3 or 4 months and buy a 4 month supply. Saves me a bundle. They are 30% cheaper there than Hua Hin pharmacies and around 300% cheaper than most hospital pharmacies.

hhfarang, how long ago did you get the lorazapam in BKK?

[KhnomKhnom]

Advise your wife to do what mine did on her own........... Take a list of your medications by name and color photograph of the pills to a PHARMACY and get a quote. Try several pharmacies.

Mine found half price overall.

[KhnomKhnom]

Advise your wife to do what mine did on her own........... Take a list of your medications by name and color photograph of the pills to a PHARMACY and get a quote. Try several pharmacies.

Mine found half price overall.

Compared to Bumrungrad.

[inbangkok]

Advise your wife to do what mine did on her own........... Take a list of your medications by name and color photograph of the pills to a PHARMACY and get a quote. Try several pharmacies.

Mine found half price overall.

Compared to Bumrungrad.

One of the reasons for that is Bumrungrad rarely prescribes generic medication. Almost always brand name (even if generics are available)

[DoDoey]

Not sure how anyone but you can answer that without further information.

How about somebody that has gotten prescriptions from a government hospital and a private hospital, duh.

BeStatin 20 mg from Bangkok Pattaya Hospital - 900 baht compared to 90 baht from the government hospital in Sri Racha. A larger number of pills was obtained from Bangkok Pattaya Hospital but even after allowing for that they were still at least 5 - 6 more times expensive than the hospital in Sri Racha. In fact, I doubt you could buy them from a pharmacy for that price.

Alan

Very helpful, exactly the type of info I'm looking for. Thank you.

[BKKdreaming]

and how do we know if the Brand name or the generic has any "medicine" in the pills and its not just sugar ?

This is a very big problem worldwide , so in the Land of Scams I am sure its also a problem ,

and not just the phony Viagra sellers but big Hospitals have been scammed

BEWARE

[KittenKong]

BeStatin 20 mg from Bangkok Pattaya Hospital - 900 baht compared to 90 baht from the government hospital in Sri Racha. ...... I doubt you could buy them from a pharmacy for that price.

But how many tablets for 90B? Mine come in strips of 10 with 10 strips to a box.

[debrakfurlow]

Hhfarang. I got them at the hospital because I'm new here. That's why I was asking questions. I have no idea if the hospitals listed are in Chaing Mai, or somewhere else.

[DoDoey]

Why do you guys get these things from hospitals. Most of the drugs mentioned in this thread can be purchased over the counter in many pharmacies at a much lower cost than a hospital charges.

I've bought lorazapam otc in two different pharmacies in Hua Hin as well as Bestatin. If you go to Bangkok once in a while the cheapest (wholesale) pharmacy in the country is South East Pharmacy located on Sukhumvit Road a few steps west of Soi 15. They pretty much have everything that is legal to sell in Thailand and at the lowest prices as they are the importer/wholesale pharmacy that supplies most other pharmacies in the country. I take a lot of expensive meds for asthma and to control my blood pressure so I just go to Bangkok every 3 or 4 months and buy a 4 month supply. Saves me a bundle. They are 30% cheaper there than Hua Hin pharmacies and around 300% cheaper than most hospital pharmacies.

Update: I went to South East Pharmacy on Suk Rd. today. No lorazapam. Checked a few others to be sure, confirmed.

[BKKdreaming]

"Update: I went to South East Pharmacy on Suk Rd. today. No lorazapam. Checked a few others to be sure, confirmed." .......

How was it ?

Air Conditioned , medicine in a cool place ?

Pharmacist that looked like they knew what they were doing ?

thanks

[DoDoey]

"Update: I went to South East Pharmacy on Suk Rd. today. No lorazapam. Checked a few others to be sure, confirmed." .......

How was it ?

Air Conditioned , medicine in a cool place ?

Pharmacist that looked like they knew what they were doing ?

thanks

It was fine. Air conditioned, staff spoke good English, they knew exactly what I was looking for.

[hhfarang]

Update: I went to South East Pharmacy on Suk Rd. today. No lorazapam. Checked a few others to be sure, confirmed.

OK, you can get it in Hua Hin at several pharmacies, including the G supermarket pharmacy on the part of Soi 88 that connects to soi 94. I got some there last week for my wife.

[kingstonkid]

Doctors at BNH know that they are expensive and will give you a script to take to a pharmacist. Drugs are definitely lower priced at lower tiered hospitals as they do not have the overhead to pay for.

I still believe that it is safer to buy the drugs form a hospital than to get "illegal" drugs from a store not matter what the store is.

This is after all the land of copy.

[inbangkok]

and how do we know if the Brand name or the generic has any "medicine" in the pills and its not just sugar ?

This is a very big problem worldwide , so in the Land of Scams I am sure its also a problem ,

and not just the phony Viagra sellers but big Hospitals have been scammed

BEWARE

Which big hospitals have been scammed? I would love to see this info.........if it actually exists.

[BKKdreaming]

and how do we know if the Brand name or the generic has any "medicine" in the pills and its not just sugar ?

This is a very big problem worldwide , so in the Land of Scams I am sure its also a problem ,

and not just the phony Viagra sellers but big Hospitals have been scammed

BEWARE

Which big hospitals have been scammed? I would love to see this info.........if it actually exists.

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/the-difficult-fight-against-counterfeit-drugs/

[meatboy]

prescription medications, or is that a prescription medications in your home Country ? [with a Brand name]

​Most medication can be bought over the counter, = same but a different name made locally.. have you gone to a proper Thai Pharmacy ? [NOT some drug store or drug store supermarket where some girl will look and say No have] take your meds and ask the Pharmacist in a proper Thai Pharmacy for the Thai version.

Maybe worth a try + if you can buy would be a fraction of the imported brand named ones

Myself have to take 'prescription medication' for rest of my life.... 11 years ago when I came here 14 days supply at a Hospital was 1,600 baht, found a Thai Pharmacy that sold the same [imported from Switzerland] cost 960 baht, asking after a few months about a Thai Version simple yes have that, No problem with the Thai Version in 10 years, bought another 5 x 14 day supply only last week cost 235 baht per pack.... at that time the Thai Pharmacy was open only in the evenings, both the older husband and wife were both Drs working at hospitals in the day.......

The Thai Pharmacy I have used for a number of years now [open in the day time = easier for me] the older Lady is a retired Dr, her son in his 40's runs the Pharmacy well up on everything.......... Same as my Dr here for years is only open in the evenings as works at a big Hospital in the day + cost a fraction of the price than seeing the same Dr at the Hospital.

Thanks for all the helpful replies. Again, these are medicines that can only be dispensed from a hospital pharmacy, legally that is. My question, as stated in the OP and subject line is "Are government hospitals less expensive than private hospitals, regarding prescriptions". No need to know the name of the medicine, no need to talk about pharmacies. Just a general question..Thank you.

where do you think these hospitals get their supplies from,wholesale pharmacy's,i get many from them all are legal,and are generic 4 of them which without i would be dead.one of which is warfarin so the dose must be spot on.

Edited September 12, 2014 by Sheryl
civility

[DoDoey]

prescription medications, or is that a prescription medications in your home Country ? [with a Brand name]

​Most medication can be bought over the counter, = same but a different name made locally.. have you gone to a proper Thai Pharmacy ? [NOT some drug store or drug store supermarket where some girl will look and say No have] take your meds and ask the Pharmacist in a proper Thai Pharmacy for the Thai version.

Maybe worth a try + if you can buy would be a fraction of the imported brand named ones

Myself have to take 'prescription medication' for rest of my life.... 11 years ago when I came here 14 days supply at a Hospital was 1,600 baht, found a Thai Pharmacy that sold the same [imported from Switzerland] cost 960 baht, asking after a few months about a Thai Version simple yes have that, No problem with the Thai Version in 10 years, bought another 5 x 14 day supply only last week cost 235 baht per pack.... at that time the Thai Pharmacy was open only in the evenings, both the older husband and wife were both Drs working at hospitals in the day.......

The Thai Pharmacy I have used for a number of years now [open in the day time = easier for me] the older Lady is a retired Dr, her son in his 40's runs the Pharmacy well up on everything.......... Same as my Dr here for years is only open in the evenings as works at a big Hospital in the day + cost a fraction of the price than seeing the same Dr at the Hospital.

Thanks for all the helpful replies. Again, these are medicines that can only be dispensed from a hospital pharmacy, legally that is. My question, as stated in the OP and subject line is "Are government hospitals less expensive than private hospitals, regarding prescriptions". No need to know the name of the medicine, no need to talk about pharmacies. Just a general question..Thank you.

where do you think these hospitals get their supplies from,wholesale pharmacy's,i get many from them all are legal,and are generic 4 of them which without i would be dead.one of which is warfarin so the dose must be spot on.

This post has gotten way off topic. Again, it is not about which drugs/medicines are available at pharmacies, or how expensive they are. It is about the cost difference between government and private hospitals, particularly the medicines they dispense themselves. Please make the following assumptions when replying, or create your own topic for discussion. This post may actually help someone in the future, if it doesn't get muted into oblivion by off topic posts.

1. The medicines in question are only available from hospitals, not private non-hospital pharmacies, because they contain controlled substances. This is a REAL government imposed restriction for some medicines, xanax being one example. If you want to debate this fact, please start another thread.
2. Please do not bring medicines that are available OTC into the discussion. Prevacid, for example.
3. A doctor at a hospital CANNOT give you a script to take to a pharmacy outside the hospital for these controlled medicines.

Thank you.