I now need an expensive operation - what are my options?

[Sheryl]

Just to clear up the confusion.

I do pay social security and I have a social security card with a number and a registered hospital too.

Apologies.

Post advocating quack cures removed.

As you are covered under the Soc Sec system you can have the surgery, free of charge, at the hospital where you are registered -- or, if they are unable to do it, at a hospital they refer you to.

Not sure what the problem then is, unless for some reason you do not want to use that hospital?

[broadsword]

As an aside, as a former sufferer, nasal polyps have a habit of recurring even after surgery. I had two operations a few years apart. The second was not easy because the tissues had been damaged after the first surgery and there was a lot of post surgery bleeding. My surgeon recommended using a daily nasal spray, Nasonex, after surgery as a preventative. It has worked over 8 years since. Sometimes it works instead of surgery but you have obviously reached past that point. So the key is to continue with the steroid spray to prevent recurrence

[poweratradio]

No insurer will cover pre existing conditions. Go back to UK they cannot refuse you. Gov.

[Bangel72]

As a few others suggested you are not really in a position to be choosy, visit a few of the government hospitals and get a second opinion and a quote.

From experience the government hospitals can be very slow and appointments rarely happen on time but if your Thai is good or you have a good translator the service is actually fine and much cheaper than those tied into the Health Insurance money machine.

Otherwise back to UK though depending on your situation accommodation, flights, waiting etc the overall cost may be more than 300k.

What lessons have you learned from this and how will you mitigate the chances of ending up in the same situation for your next medical emergency?

[louse1953]

Unfortuantely I am not on a pension harrry but thank for the advice. Will no insurers in Thailand help me out? Even if they pay the costs themselves upfront (the insurer) and I pay back per month, I would be fine with that.

Thanks.

ianwuk

Money sharks if your game.Why dont you do some hospital shopping,start at govt hospitals.300K does sound a lot.

[Minnehaha]

You need to go to the doctor or hospital ( maybe more knowledgeable ) with a Thai person who can speak Thai and English and sort out your social insurance and who pays what.

I have found the health care and doctors here to be excellent but I cannot comment on India. Have you investigated hospitals and doctors in Mukdahan ? Are you going to a public or International Hospital ? There is a significant difference in cost but not in care.

I have had extensive experience (unfortunately) with both private and public hospitals in BKK and CNX.

I have seen some of the most famous doctors in Thailand.

They are good at treatment but mediocre or worse at diagnosis. I would even say great at treatment and I have seen some very bright doctors, but they failed to diagnose several things that should have been easier to diagnose. One I figured out, or at least got close enough to tell them where to focus after 6 months of living with a life threatening disease.

[PooMik]

If you have the SSO Thai insurence, your options are here http://www.sso.go.th/wpr/eng/benefit.html

It sounds to me, as you just "cover you ash" and look for a fool to pay for you

[harrry]

If you are on a pension I believe you get covered in the UK if you return (to stay possibly but of course you do not know you have to leave after it because of the cold).

To the OP. I believe you should return to the UK, I just cannot see them turning you away for any reason. Then you come back to Thailand once you are well again. Good luck, and I hope things turn out well for you.

They won't turn him away

What are they going to do let him die or deport him?

They will not turn him away. But he may end up with a bill which may be a problem depending on his circumstances if he has assets there.

[garyinhuahin]

It doesn't sound like going to UK is a good option. Nasal polyps are probably not deemed life-threatening, which will mean a beastly wait. That will cost money, worsen the prognosis, and might well cost him his job here. Could all easily exceed the 300K costs cited.

Thai public system seems to be the way in this case. A bilingual 'medical advocate' would be invaluable here, to make sure things happen smoothly and he gets the right care.

Or maybe India. Key is to get the cost down to something sensible, without compromising the care. If he wants to go private, I'd suggest shopping as many as possible and not being afraid to negotiate. Said bilingual advocate would really help here too, though I'm not sure where to find such a person.

[NoshowJones]

If you are on a pension I believe you get covered in the UK if you return (to stay possibly but of course you do not know you have to leave after it because of the cold).

To the OP. I believe you should return to the UK, I just cannot see them turning you away for any reason. Then you come back to Thailand once you are well again. Good luck, and I hope things turn out well for you.

They won't turn him away

What are they going to do let him die or deport him?

They will not turn him away. But he may end up with a bill which may be a problem depending on his circumstances if he has assets there.

Possibly. But the thing is assets.

[Scouse123]

Unfortuantely I am not on a pension harrry but thank for the advice. Will no insurers in Thailand help me out? Even if they pay the costs themselves upfront (the insurer) and I pay back per month, I would be fine with that.

Thanks.

ianwuk

No insurer is going to offer you coverage for an existing condition. Sorry but you are essentially asking a business to advance you Baht 300,000 on your promise to repay it. You can't really think that's a reasonable thing to expect. Obviously as an expat you could board the next airplane out of the country following your recovery, never to be seen again.

Sorry for your situation, but the point of paying for insurance is to cover unexpected events in the future, not things that have already happened. If that were the case, no one would buy insurance until they had a problem that required immediate payment.

Hopefully you can somehow manage to get the treatment back in the UK.

[danbradster]

Shop around. The rate may not be 300,000 everywhere (city / hospital).

[Scouse123]

Unfortuantely I am not on a pension harrry but thank for the advice. Will no insurers in Thailand help me out? Even if they pay the costs themselves upfront (the insurer) and I pay back per month, I would be fine with that.

Thanks.

ianwuk

No insurer is going to offer you coverage for an existing condition. Sorry but you are essentially asking a business to advance you Baht 300,000 on your promise to repay it. You can't really think that's a reasonable thing to expect. Obviously as an expat you could board the next airplane out of the country following your recovery, never to be seen again.

Sorry for your situation, but the point of paying for insurance is to cover unexpected events in the future, not things that have already happened. If that were the case, no one would buy insurance until they had a problem that required immediate payment.

Hopefully you can somehow manage to get the treatment back in the UK.

Hi,

Gentlemen,suradit 69 is absolutely spot on here with his post.

Also, no wish at all to get into heated debate but to my knowledge the KTB card referred to by another poster covers only death, all kinds of road accidents involving motor and car whether you are driving or not or even a passenger or pedestrian and hired cars and bikes

It does not cover general illnesses and operations that require in patient care. I have the same card and the fee is 999 baht a year.

Edited October 1, 2014 by Cruz101

[Scouse123]

if you have a krungthai bank account and visa debit card you can get your hospital bill paid for you,the only problem is you have to pay the bill yourself then submit the paid bill to the bank and they thern reinburse you i pay 900 baht a year for this and it is worth it

AlanAunuum,

I have similar card and cover to you with KTB at 999 baht a year Blue diamond card.

I think to the best of my knowledge you will find this card is for hospitalisation through accidents including general and motor. It covers whether you are the driver, passenger or pedestrian.

It does not cover general ailmentas, illnesses and operations not related other than actual accidents.

Suradit69 is actually spot on regards insurance with his post.

[Si Thea01]

Hi.

I am not aware of where you reside but I had the exact same operation on the 7th August at a large hospital in Udon Thani and would not recommend the hospital as during the operation I sustained eye trauma (damaged Extraocular muscles) and now require a second operation to rectify the sight of one eye.. I can see but do not write this to scare you, just to let you know that things can go wrong. The nose operation was successful but I have to wait 6 months for the second surgery. Check your surgery out on the internet.

The total cost at this particular hospital was !60,000 baht and included a private room, meals, medication and all auxiliary services. I also had pathology tests carried in case the polyps were cancerous but they weren't. Total time in hospital four days.

I have health cover but there is no insurer anywhere who will assist you with a pre-existing medical condition nor will they pay so you can pay it off. It you are close to Khon Khaen then I suggest you contact the University hospital (Srinagarind Hospital) and enquire as to the costs. I spent three weeks there with my eye trauma and they will be performing the eye operation early next year. They are a modern government hospital with the latest technology and provided me the greatest care considering I am not Thai. The meals provided were westernised, not all Thai and if I wanted a change they obliged. If you can speak some Thai or have a Thai wife or g/f then this will assist you immensely.

Although I did not have an operation here, I had a private room, was treated by two professors and their teams, had numerous tests, follow up examinations of the nose operation, numerous eye examinations, a Cat Scan and an MRI, with the total costs being about 65,000 baht. I had to pay this before discharge but will have the outgoings reimbursed by my insurer with 45 days. I do not know you financial situation but if you cannot afford 300,000, which is over the top, a rip off, then do you self a favour and check out Khon Khaen University Hospital. You might be pleasantly surprised. They also treat farangs with the utmost respect and many of the staff do speak English.

Hope this helps you a little and best of luck for your operation. If you need any further information then feel free to PM me.

[stevenl]

Just to clear up the confusion.

I do pay social security and I have a social security card with a number and a registered hospital too.

Apologies.

Post advocating quack cures removed.

As you are covered under the Soc Sec system you can have the surgery, free of charge, at the hospital where you are registered -- or, if they are unable to do it, at a hospital they refer you to.

Not sure what the problem then is, unless for some reason you do not want to use that hospital?

Yes, I reached the same conclusion also pages ago.

Good thing though is that the OP has already indicated he will visit his 'assigned' hospital.

[Apiwan2]

Go back to the hospital where you registered. With your card and get it done.

Speak to some people at work. Must be someone who can go with you to help. ( thai )

Going back to uk seems not viable from what I've read and will take ages.

Because your working here and get the equivalent of the NHS.

It's not free it comes from your taxes.

As for the gits go back home for good. Don't mind them.

Your obviously distraught and worried get it sorted soon mate.

And let us know how you get on.

====================

I've just done 15.000 baht at bumrungrad .

Totally knackered. Diagnosed vitamin d deficiency.

Wonder if I can claim on my SCB card 900 baht a year.

Or my travel insurance from lloyds bank comes with account ???

[citizen33]

It seems bizarre that after Terry and Sheryl both gave excellent advice early in the thread, so many posters then went off at a tangent. The SSS does not exclude pre-existing conditions. With that scheme you will be required to have the surgery at your hospital of registration or one in its referral network. It is true - as Si Theo01 says - that for those living in Isaan, Srinakarin is the best bet for anything serious (and good value for the uninsured when compared with the private sector).

[loppylugs1]

India!

Have to say best option by a mile. I go there frequently for medical care,just a short hop and damned cheap and excellent care, far better than UK

could go back to UK go private BUPA doctor few hundred £ ,then fast tracked through NHS

Just a point ,have had estimates for past surgery in Thailand chose India 1/20 of the cost at least,and so good.

Going in a month or so PM me if you decide

Have heard some good reports on India for medical work via another forum so you should perhaps consider India as an option - good luck

Have had a few people message me re;India. Yes I think it is damned good,but if you hit the tourist trail asking for pricing off the 'net it will be as costly as Thailand. You have to go there and ask,it is cheap enough,go to Calcutta or Chennai(I go to Goa) cheap tix from BKK think air Asia are doing it.

Superb treatment,but please do not ask which hospitals I use 1( Povorim for prostate) 2( mulitispeciality for that and others) there are 1000s,just give a local GP a 100 rupees for advice

[Sheryl]

Why should this person go to India, or back to the UK, or to go around pricing hospitals, when he can get free care under the SS system, at the hospital he is registered at.?

[thejcb]

If you are on a pension I believe you get covered in the UK if you return (to stay possibly but of course you do not know you have to leave after it because of the cold).

Typical cheat !

[harrry]

If you are on a pension I believe you get covered in the UK if you return (to stay possibly but of course you do not know you have to leave after it because of the cold).

Typical cheat !

Not at all mr abusive thejcb, Can you tell me with 100% certainty exactly where you will be in 6 months time? Not 99% 100%

[ldnguy]

Even if you can get it free on NHS, the cost of getting to the UK and staying there until you get an appointment might end up costing you more. How long is the waiting list in UK for this sort of things. I waited over a year to see a specialist about knee pain, but had left the country before I got an appointment. Got it sorted out in Bangkok within a few weeks.

[Kabula]

Get a second opinion, perhaps a third.

Be sure to get copies of all test results.

If they refuse, big red flag.

Generally nasal, polyps go way with antibiotic cream and stop picking at them.

Never heard about them going to lungs.

If surgery is a must, consider an alternative to surgery with natural therapy. Call Absolute Health at 026515988.

Most surgery is not necessary today, but a MD will tell you otherwise!

They have a clinic in Bangkok.

Web address is absolute-health.org

Trust no one!

They want your money.

Edited October 1, 2014 by Kabula

[joebrown]

Some strange posts here...

The insurance that comes with a VISA card is Accident insurance only.

The social security card is good but waiting lists for non-emergencies can be very very long, perhaps infinit.

Forget about any insurance company paying for this - it is now a pre-existing condition.

300K sounds expensive - why not try as a paying patient at a government/army/navy hospital?

"300K sounds expensive - why not try as a paying patient at a government/army/navy hospital?"

Good idea. The Queen Sirikit Hospital at Sattahip has some excellent doctors and, while the costs are not as low as for Thais (understandably since it's a government subsidized hospital primarily for military personnel), they are considerably less than at a private hospital.

I went there for a hernia operation. Since it wasn't an emergency they scheduled me for 3 months from when I first saw the doctor, so eventually I decided to have it done at Bangkok Hospital Pattaya (also an excellent surgeon there and quick, painless recovery). The doctors spoke excellent English, but virtually no one else there did ... so you'll need to bring along a Thai speaking spouse or friend, but overall I was quite impressed with the services.

The insurance that comes with a VISA card is Accident insurance only.

Yes, as I pointed out in the post above yours, the policy shown on Krung Thai Bank's website clearly states that they only cover accidents. The person who claimed and received Baht 8000 following a motorcycle accident was lucky indeed if they paid even that amount.

Clearly some people think insurance companies operate like lotteries where everyone holds a winning ticket.

I have a Registration card for The Queen Sirikit Hospital at Sattahip. I attend every three months for check up (Blood Test/BP) and I am prescribed the relevant medication.I even had 2 small skin growths removed and biopsy carried out as an outpatient. The quarterly tests cost about 1,200bht including prescribed medicines, and the minor operation/biopsy amounted to 2,000bht. I realise you had your hernia operation carried out by Bangkok Hospital, but wonder what you were quoted by The Queen Sirikit Hospital for the procedure, which I assume would have involved a few days stay as an inpatient?

[uptoyoumyfriend]

• other hospitals might be much cheaper,i tried that one time in chiang mai at maharaji hospital that is part of cm university which houses sripat also. i went there and sat in the cue with the locals from out of town and the bill was much much lower.a lot cheaper thank bkk hospitals too i bet.after some wait i saw a specialist had an x ray and got some meds for 600 bt all in .

[Geordie59]

Personally I would go to the UK and get fixed. Although technically you would not be entitled to free NHS treatment they would not know that (unless you told them).

As for any feeling of guilt - just look at all the other freeloading foreigners and illegals using the service.

[affen02]

What most of the banks offer is an accident insurance, be it walking and falling down hurting yourself, motorcycle, hit by car and general accidents, not heart problems or any other thing that come under health be it canser, prostate etc.

[Anon999]

Go back to the UK and then straight to A&E, they have to see you.

[richard_smith237]

Go back to the UK and then straight to A&E, they have to see you.

Or go to his assigned government hospital in Thailand and receive the free treatment he's entitled to as a Thai Tax payer.

Exactly as ThaiVisa's own medical expert; Sheryl, suggests along with a number of other people who have already offered excellent advice.

If someone is legally working in Thailand (work permitted) it is my understanding that they are entitled to the same medical care at public hospitals as Thai's.