Chiang Mai Ram, Complete Rip Off

[Loptr]

Getting insurance doesn't make it cheaper.

Larry, is that your Indiana logic or your Boston logic? Insurance is a necessary evil that can prevent you from financial ruin.

Insurance is for poor people...

If you can afford to self insure, and are healthier than average and live a low risk life.. Why not ??

But you better be able to afford a few mil baht ICU if it goes wrong.. thats the choices.

Not necessarily... I would self-insure, but I carry coverage in Thailand for that one-off scenario that I am rendered unconscious, taken to a hospital and refused treatment due to not being able to pay up-front... The insurance card in my wallet tells them all they need to know...

[elektrified]

If you didn't want to pay top $$$$, then why go to the most expensive private hospital in CM?

Everyone knows that CM Ram is expensive, but offer a good, fast service.

The price you paid was correct, I had half a dozen stitches in my arm there a few years ago and it was the same price as you paid. I wanted it done quickly and wanted to be "in and out" hence I was happy to pay the premium.

I would suggest next time you go to another private, cheaper hospital (Lanna, McCormick etc) or Siripat which is a lot cheaper. Don't expect the same cosy surroundings or timescales at Siripat though.

I guess you haven't been to Sriphat or McCormick lately. Prices at Sriphat are only a little bit less than RAM now. McCormick has just recently raised their prices considerably. We had a situation recently where we had to go McCormick. The meds from the pharmacy seemed high but it was late at night so we bought them. Pharmacist assured us prices were in-line. The next day we went to one of the pharmacies by our house to see what it would have cost if we bought the medicines there. We were charged 9X what the pharmacy charged! Exact same brands. 900% mark up.

[uptheos]

Two cataract surgeries in the last month, both needed a professor with a certain expertise in attendance x 2 = 12,000 baht.

Both times general anaesthetic x 2 = 6,000 baht

Dr Rachada did the surgery with professor in attendance**.

Whole process painless and seamless.

Excellent results, amazing colours and typing this without glasses.

Total bill just under 100,000 baht.......a bargain!

** For anyone taking alpha 1 blockers for their prostate and have cataract problems, I suggest you read this

http://www.aao.org/publications/eyenet/200905/pearls.cfm

Edited February 15, 2015 by uptheos

[Sparkles]

I personally favored ram over others but always felt overcharged tried recently the one at holiday inn hotel and was fast and fine and a lot cheaper. One more recent incident made me don't wanna go back to ram. Wanted to see an MD for a minor skin condition but they insisted I had to go up to their very very expensive dermatology department which anyway is always busy and hard to get an appointment the same day so after I ask them for the MD or I will go they let me go most likely forever.

You were told to go to the very ,very expensive dermatology department at RAM. I go there every 10 weeks. Specialists ? choice of 3 , charge is 300 baht + 50 baht nursing fee.Just what do you expect to pay at a private hospital 30 b ?

And by the way its not always busy, often see people do a walk in and have to wait an hour when they don't have an appointment....terrible hardship.

.

The stuff that gets posted here amazes me,even it was free it would be too much.

[uptheos]

Two cataract surgeries in the last month, both needed a professor with a certain expertise in attendance x 2 = 12,000 baht.

Both times general anaesthetic x 2 = 6,000 baht

Dr Rachada did the surgery with professor in attendance**.

Whole process painless and seamless.

Excellent results, amazing colours and typing this without glasses.

Total bill just under 100,000 baht.......a bargain!

** For anyone taking alpha 1 blockers for their prostate and have cataract problems, I suggest you read this

http://www.aao.org/publications/eyenet/200905/pearls.cfm

Forgot to add that Dr. Rachada's personal fee for doing the surgery was 8,000 baht x 2 =16,000 baht.

For me, 300+ GBP appx for an eye surgeon to do two separate operations is dirt cheap.

[AnotherOneAmerican]

I personally favored ram over others but always felt overcharged tried recently the one at holiday inn hotel and was fast and fine and a lot cheaper. One more recent incident made me don't wanna go back to ram. Wanted to see an MD for a minor skin condition but they insisted I had to go up to their very very expensive dermatology department which anyway is always busy and hard to get an appointment the same day so after I ask them for the MD or I will go they let me go most likely forever.

I walked in there at 9:30am a few months back,

Doctor's in at 10, can you come back for an appointment at 11?

Went back at 11, surgery finished by 11:30 (couple of lumps removed), just under 3kbht.

Couldn't fault the service in any way.

[Mapguy]

Is Sripat really much cheaper these days?

[uptheos]

Is Sripat really much cheaper these days?

Often people just go for 'cheap' without knowing who they're getting, which sometimes works out expensive.

I think the adage remains true, seek out the doctor first and go where he/she practices.

How many people on here say they've had things done excellently but can't tell you the name of the doctor who treated them? They immediately get thrown in the trash as I don't believe them.

[LivinLOS]

I think the adage remains true, seek out the doctor first and go where he/she practices.

I have been blessed with rude health all my adult life.. I have barely had a real sickness in decades (typhoid on Phuket was only one I can think of) so for me hospitals are about patching up my broken bones, of which I have a ridiculous collection.

So in my mind a hospital has to be one where I have faith and trust in the surgeons to put me back together straight, to do so in a prompt manner and as pain sensitive as they can.

Ram has done this for myself and my wife, multiple times.. Very well. Because of that I trust them and when your laid there with limbs bending in places they shouldnt, thats far more important than what it may cost more or less than anywhere else.

[uptheos]

If you didn't want to pay top $$$$, then why go to the most expensive private hospital in CM?

Everyone knows that CM Ram is expensive, but offer a good, fast service.

The price you paid was correct, I had half a dozen stitches in my arm there a few years ago and it was the same price as you paid. I wanted it done quickly and wanted to be "in and out" hence I was happy to pay the premium.

I would suggest next time you go to another private, cheaper hospital (Lanna, McCormick etc) or Siripat which is a lot cheaper. Don't expect the same cosy surroundings or timescales at Siripat though.

Bangkok Hospital is now the most expensive hospital in Chiang Mai.

[JulieM]

LivinLOS, I'm curious to know how you go about breaking so many bones? That hasn't happened to me yet so I'm due any day.

[Leonardo Madison]

It appears the cost some medical services have increased. Chiang Mai Ram hospital is clean, convenient, relatively affordable with skilled medical professionals.

The cost of pharmaceuticals is excessive at Chiang Mai Ram, based on my personal experience. Pharmaceuticals are cheaper at local pharmacies, request doctors prescription to purchase your medicine to reduce cost.

[ThaiPauly]

Some meds are not available over the counter at Pharmas so sometimes there is no choice but to pay what they ask.

However you can get a discount card from them which entitles you to 10% off, so that is a small consolation but better than nothing

[LivinLOS]

LivinLOS, I'm curious to know how you go about breaking so many bones? That hasn't happened to me yet so I'm due any day.

Dirtbikes, racebikes, road riding.. Jumping out of planes.. A couple scrapping when younger and dumber.. Been stabbed, shot at and generally bust up more than the average..

Onto my 8th reconstructive surgery on my right leg, 2 plastic surgeries with muscle and skin grafts over 3 times broken, twice compounded.. 2 times they told me that it might have to come off above the knee.. left arm 3 times right arm 4 times.. Plates, frames, pins, wires.. Ribs, collar bones, nose, uncounted fingers knuckles toes..

I like dumb stuff.. If theres a cliff, I want to dive off it higher than anyone else will jump.. No one lives forever so may as well get a few adrenalin pumps on the way.. I once lied about my experience skydiving and leapt out of a plane to decent time free fall with no clue what I was really doing.. Recently rode a shonky 3rd world wall of death / silodrome with no instruction etc etc.. Not exactly risk averse..

Reading the above.. Maybe I should consider that insurance

[uptheos]

Some meds are not available over the counter at Pharmas so sometimes there is no choice but to pay what they ask.

However you can get a discount card from them which entitles you to 10% off, so that is a small consolation but better than nothing

True and if you are being discharged post op, you want whatever you need to take home and it's not the time to be doing the pharmacy rounds in Chiang Mai.

[Leonardo Madison]

I agree with your scenario; however, for future reference, several pharmacies in Chiangmai equivalent supplies of pharmaceutical cheaper at Chiang Mai Ram. For these folks with chronic illness and require routine refills of prescription pharmaceuticals, they will save money.

[scorecard]

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I gladly pay the RAM premium for the opportunity to discuss in detail my condition with the doctor. As far as getting insurance is concerned, make sure it covers OPD (out patient department) if that indeed is what you want.

If you do have med. insurance, best to explore whether to pay cashs and claim back from the ins. coy, or show the ins. card to the hospital and allow them to bill direct to the ins. coy.

In most cases (meaning most hospitals) if you go the second route the charge is much higher, ultimately resulting in premiums going up.

[uptheos]

The people who moan about drug pricing (and Ram are overpriced) haven't got the balls to ask the doctor what's being prescribed and tell them they will buy it outside, Hell, many can't even must up the courage to ask the doctor's name.

[AnotherOneAmerican]

The people who moan about drug pricing (and Ram are overpriced) haven't got the balls to ask the doctor what's being prescribed and tell them they will buy it outside, Hell, many can't even must up the courage to ask the doctor's name.

I never ask the doctors name either.

I guess if you were having a heart transplant it might matter, but but bumps, breaks and bruises, who would care?

Edited February 17, 2015 by AnotherOneAmerican

[uptheos]

The people who moan about drug pricing (and Ram are overpriced) haven't got the balls to ask the doctor what's being prescribed and tell them they will buy it outside, Hell, many can't even must up the courage to ask the doctor's name.

I never ask the doctors name either.

I guess if you were having a heart transplant it might matter, but but bumps, breaks and bruises, who would care?

If they do a good job I would like to ask for them again if necessary.

The same applies for a bad job, except I wouldn't have them again.

[LivinLOS]

I never ask the doctors name either.

I guess if you were having a heart transplant it might matter, but but bumps, breaks and bruises, who would care?

Bumps and bruises you dont go to hospital.. But RAM seems to have some really decent orthopedic surgeons.. Anuphong for general stuff.. Preecha is a hands and wrists specialist.. He did great work after an MRI to diagnose alingment and pressure fractures.. Was able to really clearly and logically explain how the pressure applied passed from one place to another being transferred by bones, made a complex injury make perfect sense. I was lucky he was on call.

[uptheos]

I never ask the doctors name either.

I guess if you were having a heart transplant it might matter, but but bumps, breaks and bruises, who would care?

Bumps and bruises you dont go to hospital.. But RAM seems to have some really decent orthopedic surgeons.. Anuphong for general stuff.. Preecha is a hands and wrists specialist.. He did great work after an MRI to diagnose alingment and pressure fractures.. Was able to really clearly and logically explain how the pressure applied passed from one place to another being transferred by bones, made a complex injury make perfect sense. I was lucky he was on call.

He did a lot of his training in the USA and Japan.......first class man.

[ianf]

That is all true, but the speed at which you are taken care of at Ram is much faster. You may want to check out Sriphat inside the Majharat campus. faster service, in English, but more expensive than the Uni hospital.

Yes that was the one that was recommend to me.

The services was fast at Chiang Mai Ram, it wasn't busy though.

The fees charged by the Ram are all negotiable. Up to 40% discounted on large bills. Better for them to get something than nothing.

[Mapguy]

The people who moan about drug pricing (and Ram are overpriced) haven't got the balls to ask the doctor what's being prescribed and tell them they will buy it outside, Hell, many can't even must up the courage to ask the doctor's name.

Yes, that does seem very odd. By the way, the physician's name is on the documents you are provided and, maybe not any more, name cards are provided at the nurse's station. Also, physicians with bios are listed by department on the Ram web site. Lazy, indeed!

[stament]

That is all true, but the speed at which you are taken care of at Ram is much faster. You may want to check out Sriphat inside the Majharat campus. faster service, in English, but more expensive than the Uni hospital.

Yes that was the one that was recommend to me.

The services was fast at Chiang Mai Ram, it wasn't busy though.

The fees charged by the Ram are all negotiable. Up to 40% discounted on large bills. Better for them to get something than nothing.

Are they?

[elektrified]

That is all true, but the speed at which you are taken care of at Ram is much faster. You may want to check out Sriphat inside the Majharat campus. faster service, in English, but more expensive than the Uni hospital.

Yes that was the one that was recommend to me.

The services was fast at Chiang Mai Ram, it wasn't busy though.

The fees charged by the Ram are all negotiable. Up to 40% discounted on large bills. Better for them to get something than nothing.

Are they?

Yes they are. We got them to knock a good percentage off of the remaining balance that my insurance would not cover.

[LivinLOS]

That is all true, but the speed at which you are taken care of at Ram is much faster. You may want to check out Sriphat inside the Majharat campus. faster service, in English, but more expensive than the Uni hospital.

Yes that was the one that was recommend to me.

The services was fast at Chiang Mai Ram, it wasn't busy though.

The fees charged by the Ram are all negotiable. Up to 40% discounted on large bills. Better for them to get something than nothing.

Are they?

Yes they are.. Rooms and nursing discounted a lot more than operating room and stuff..

You get 10% discount cards for a couple hundred baht.. That applies to meds and others but not everything. Then you can push some more..

I doubt you can get 40% off a total bill, if operations and stuff I think up to about 20% on the lot seems to be where they dig their heels in, My recent one was high teens for cash after pushing 2 or 3 rounds on different deductions. In an emergency they also offer a credit plan, I didnt know this but they can take a deposit, and put the rest on layaway with a credit company too. Unsure if that applies only for Thais.

[stament]

Where do you get the cards pls?

[chiang mai]

I've been a patient of RAM for over ten years and whilst I don't have a discount card they always discount my bills by 20%, without me even asking.

[brissy allan and lynda]

Have just been to RAM dermatology dept for an annual check up. The young doctor was thorough and froze 6 potential skin cancers. Only had to wait 3 hours due to only 1 doctor on site. Happy with service.

The charge was :

Doctors fee 900 bht

Hospital fees were just over 600 bht.

Interested to hear from sparkles as to whether his checkups are cheaper because a) . I wasn't a registered patient regular patient discount c) Thai citizen d) ??

Interested for future reference.

Regards

Allan