Government concerned with foreigners being ripped off by Thai hospitals

[MAJIC]

I can only comment on our own personal experience with private Thai hospitals and coincidentally that was today.

My wife woke up this morning and found blood in her urine on her first toilet call. We promptly visited Bangkok Hospital in PHS and the service was efficient, friendly and affordable.

In and out of the hospital within forty-five minutes and all for 1300 baht, which included consultation and antibiotics. No requirement to fall back on our travel insurance for such a reasonable amount.

If we want to talk about expensive private treatment in the UK then we can talk all day. Thailand comes no where near.

I am privately covered by my employer in the UK and no way could I afford it without their generosity.

The same thing happened to my wife,which can also be common in pregnancy, in this case the Dr was not on call at 2-30 am that night,the nurses put my wife to bed and on the usual drip, no Doctor appeared until 9-30 am, who examined her,and declared her fit to go home, 2-00 am in the morning to 9-30 am,and the the bill was 10,000 baht! and not Bangkok, Udonthani. Name and shame rules prevent me from naming this hospital! but it's a private one, not International and not too far from the Railway Station!

Edited May 10, 2015 by MAJIC

[NongKhaiKid]

I can only comment on our own personal experience with private Thai hospitals and coincidentally that was today.

My wife woke up this morning and found blood in her urine on her first toilet call. We promptly visited Bangkok Hospital in PHS and the service was efficient, friendly and affordable.

In and out of the hospital within forty-five minutes and all for 1300 baht, which included consultation and antibiotics. No requirement to fall back on our travel insurance for such a reasonable amount.

If we want to talk about expensive private treatment in the UK then we can talk all day. Thailand comes no where near.

I am privately covered by my employer in the UK and no way could I afford it without their generosity.

The same thing happened to my wife,which can also be common in pregnancy, in this case the Dr was not on call at 2-30 am that night,the nurses put my wife to bed and on the usual drip, no Doctor appeared until 9-30 am, who examined her,and declared her fit to go home, 2-00 am in the morning to 9-30 am,and the the bill was 10,000 baht! and not Bangkok, Udonthani. Name and shame rules prevent me from naming this hospital! but it's a private one, not International and not too far from the Railway Station!

I know the one you mean.

I doubt this would have involved you given the times you mentioned but a couple of years back they appointed an excellent English speaking Thai to act as ' Liaison / PR ' for non- Thai patients as they expected volume and no doubt a lot of revenue.

[colinthailand20005]

Last year I went to a private hospital in BKK. not sure the name. but its about 4? blocks from Victory Monument. across from TV5 and wanted to get a small procedure done on my mouth, went with my Thai GF. she did the talking for me but the dr also spoke decent english , Price I was quoted was Higher than it would cost for the same procedure to be done here in Canada. I was stunned that It would cost so much and they would not say the cost for a Thai. On Principle alone I did not have it done.

Times sure are changing.

Maybe its called Ramatibidy Hospital(Sorry not sure of spelling)

Its a government hospital but very expensive!

[MRDave]

I got bit by a mosquito in 2010, it cost £2000 on my insurance for 8 days hospital stay, antibiotic drips and they wanted to operate on my hand but I wouldn't let them as I thought they were just trying to bump the bill up. I got out of hospital and they charged me me 3000 baht to go back and see the Doctor a week later I saw him for less than 5 minutes and I got some drugs. They said do the same next week I never went back and saved 3000 baht. When I went back to the UK I saw my doctor and he said I made a good decision by not letting them operate on my hand. Pattaya memorial hospital, no wonder the owner of the hospitals son came to visit me in my room!

Edited May 10, 2015 by MRDave

[johnnybgood]

This should be an argument between the insurance companies and the hospitals.

That's just spot on.

[trogers]

I can only comment on our own personal experience with private Thai hospitals and coincidentally that was today.

My wife woke up this morning and found blood in her urine on her first toilet call. We promptly visited Bangkok Hospital in PHS and the service was efficient, friendly and affordable.

In and out of the hospital within forty-five minutes and all for 1300 baht, which included consultation and antibiotics. No requirement to fall back on our travel insurance for such a reasonable amount.

If we want to talk about expensive private treatment in the UK then we can talk all day. Thailand comes no where near.

I am privately covered by my employer in the UK and no way could I afford it without their generosity.

So you paid 1300 baht to tell someone your good lady wife had blood during her toilet break in the morning. They gave her some tablets and 45 minutes after arriving you left.

You should have gone to Boots they would have given you the same tablets for 200 baht.

Yes, Boots could have told her that she does not have prostrate cancer.

[trogers]

This should be an argument between the insurance companies and the hospitals.

That's just spot on.

And who shall argue on behalf of those with no insurance?

[NextStationBangkok]

Most of the European senior citizens come for treatment in Thailand returns with dead after spending all their money here.

Here are the reasons.

1. Doctors try to maximize the treatment period, based on your insurance availability.

2. They convince you to go for a minor operation.

3. And after first time doing it wrongly they will ask you to do it already.

4. Now you have to stay in the hospital for more longer than expected.

5. Once if they knew your struggling to pay, they will reduce the treatment and drugs.

6. If you are strong enough, you will return to your country with life.

7. Or you die here and you body will be cremented in a temple.

This is the reality of Thailand medical care. Better be healthy, and stay in your country. Most of the doctors here concerned only about how much you can spend and how to rip-off. They don't care about you cure or not. They want business only!

[Braddockrd]

I can only comment on our own personal experience with private Thai hospitals and coincidentally that was today.

My wife woke up this morning and found blood in her urine on her first toilet call. We promptly visited Bangkok Hospital in PHS and the service was efficient, friendly and affordable.

In and out of the hospital within forty-five minutes and all for 1300 baht, which included consultation and antibiotics. No requirement to fall back on our travel insurance for such a reasonable amount.

If we want to talk about expensive private treatment in the UK then we can talk all day. Thailand comes no where near.

I am privately covered by my employer in the UK and no way could I afford it without their generosity.

Could have gone straight to the pharmacy and bought the antibiotics for a fraction of that. Doctors in private hospitals in Thailand know not much more than pharmacists.

Edited May 11, 2015 by Braddockrd

[trogers]

Most of the European senior citizens come for treatment in Thailand returns with dead after spending all their money here.

Here are the reasons.

1. Doctors try to maximize the treatment period, based on your insurance availability.

2. They convince you to go for a minor operation.

3. And after first time doing it wrongly they will ask you to do it already.

4. Now you have to stay in the hospital for more longer than expected.

5. Once if they knew your struggling to pay, they will reduce the treatment and drugs.

6. If you are strong enough, you will return to your country with life.

7. Or you die here and you body will be cremented in a temple.

This is the reality of Thailand medical care. Better be healthy, and stay in your country. Most of the doctors here concerned only about how much you can spend and how to rip-off. They don't care about you cure or not. They want business only!

In the main door, and out the back?

[NextStationBangkok]

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I have gone to Bumrungrad for four times this year and found that everything cost me 20% more than last year. That's a big increase. Has anyone else noticed this? Maybe I should ask them for a discount. I have no idea what they are charging other patients or if their charges are standardized for everyone.

They have foreigner price for treatment at their international clinic. The most criminal hospital in Thailand.

[DGS1244]

This should be an argument between the insurance companies and the hospitals.

Why? Most people living here long time don't have medical insurance and have to pay. I use Ram Chiang mai and no complaints even get an OAP discount.

[fareastguy]

This should be an argument between the insurance companies and the hospitals.

Insurance companies would now want to intervene.. they are part of the scam to !!

[NickJ]

There is really just one hospital to blame for creating the heath care money money bandwagon in this country. And you really must be very careful what you write about them as well. They very much go aftet people who write about them....

Sure.... I hear some favorable stories but as an insider I get sick to my stomach thinking about one institution.

[NickJ]

If for one minute anyone thinks everyone is charged the same or even close to the same..... I have a bridge for sale. Cheap.

[thailand49]

I can only comment on our own personal experience with private Thai hospitals and coincidentally that was today.

My wife woke up this morning and found blood in her urine on her first toilet call. We promptly visited Bangkok Hospital in PHS and the service was efficient, friendly and affordable.

In and out of the hospital within forty-five minutes and all for 1300 baht, which included consultation and antibiotics. No requirement to fall back on our travel insurance for such a reasonable amount.

If we want to talk about expensive private treatment in the UK then we can talk all day. Thailand comes no where near.

I am privately covered by my employer in the UK and no way could I afford it without their generosity.

That is not the experience I have had at hospital like Bangkok Pattaya,

Increase prices year after year, double charges for foreigners, upfront payment, even when you have insurance giving excuses that they can't call the office for verification so pay first or big deposit. Every charge is Ala Carte, if you have a discount card for example 10% off medication the next time the cost just happen to be 10% more.

The place is like a 5 star hotel and you pay the cost if it was.. it has no relationship to the other public hospitals.

[puyaidon]

I visited a major international hospital here in Bangkok where the urologist recommended a cystoscopy exam costing 10K. Sorry, not for me and later found that the credit card I used was used to make a charge in a hotel in Mumbai, India. I quit going as they seemed to dream up more procedures that seemed to get more and more expensive. My bill every two weeks was at least 5K for medications. Another reason not to visit that hospital and it was not any of the ones mentioned in the previous posts.

[Seastallion]

The title should read Tourists, not foreigners. There are many foreigners living here that are never ripped off by hospitals.

The only one ever to rip me off was Bamrungrad, but they rip off Thais and foreigners.

Last year I suffered from acute sinusitis. Went to the hospital for treatment...got antibiotics etc and a boxed nasal flushing kit made in Japan. The consultation and meds came to bht 7800, of which 2500 was for this flimsy little squirt bottle and some special salt to use in it. I was in no state to think about it, let alone argue. A few weeks later, I saw the same nasal flushing kit in a chemist; Bht 250.

Don't tell me foreigners are not ripped off by hospitals.

[Emster23]

"To each according to their needs, from each according to their ability to pay". Friend was billed $70 for a couple of Advil pills in US hospital recently...

[trogers]

I visited a major international hospital here in Bangkok where the urologist recommended a cystoscopy exam costing 10K. Sorry, not for me and later found that the credit card I used was used to make a charge in a hotel in Mumbai, India. I quit going as they seemed to dream up more procedures that seemed to get more and more expensive. My bill every two weeks was at least 5K for medications. Another reason not to visit that hospital and it was not any of the ones mentioned in the previous posts.

Would have been less than 1000 at the local clinic for the medication.

[Seastallion]

I can only comment on our own personal experience with private Thai hospitals and coincidentally that was today.

My wife woke up this morning and found blood in her urine on her first toilet call. We promptly visited Bangkok Hospital in PHS and the service was efficient, friendly and affordable.

In and out of the hospital within forty-five minutes and all for 1300 baht, which included consultation and antibiotics. No requirement to fall back on our travel insurance for such a reasonable amount.

If we want to talk about expensive private treatment in the UK then we can talk all day. Thailand comes no where near.

I am privately covered by my employer in the UK and no way could I afford it without their generosity.

That is not the experience I have had at hospital like Bangkok Pattaya,

Increase prices year after year, double charges for foreigners, upfront payment, even when you have insurance giving excuses that they can't call the office for verification so pay first or big deposit. Every charge is Ala Carte, if you have a discount card for example 10% off medication the next time the cost just happen to be 10% more.

The place is like a 5 star hotel and you pay the cost if it was.. it has no relationship to the other public hospitals.

Is that one of these private hospitals where non-medical administration staff are dressed like nurses and the only way to tell that they are not nurses is that they have high heels, not sensible shoes?

[kaorop]

Where's Tor Eckman when you need him?

[quandow]

We all know it's NOT just the HOSPITALS doing this.

[janpharma]

Great that the General gives attention to this again corruptive behaviour...but too litle too late: 3 out of 4 Belgian Insurance organisations stop covering medical expenses in Thailand as from January 2015. Last year a friend of me was charged 4 times more in Thailand than in Belgium..."Thainess" again...

If Thai continue doing this, many farang will leave and spend their money elsewhere, instead of building a house here, support a family and pay for education of Thai children.

[javel]

I can only comment on our own personal experience with private Thai hospitals and coincidentally that was today.

My wife woke up this morning and found blood in her urine on her first toilet call. We promptly visited Bangkok Hospital in PHS and the service was efficient, friendly and affordable.

In and out of the hospital within forty-five minutes and all for 1300 baht, which included consultation and antibiotics. No requirement to fall back on our travel insurance for such a reasonable amount.

If we want to talk about expensive private treatment in the UK then we can talk all day. Thailand comes no where near.

I am privately covered by my employer in the UK and no way could I afford it without their generosity.

That is not the experience I have had at hospital like Bangkok Pattaya,

Increase prices year after year, double charges for foreigners, upfront payment, even when you have insurance giving excuses that they can't call the office for verification so pay first or big deposit. Every charge is Ala Carte, if you have a discount card for example 10% off medication the next time the cost just happen to be 10% more.

The place is like a 5 star hotel and you pay the cost if it was.. it has no relationship to the other public hospitals.

Went to Bangkok Pattaya last friday. Similar treatment. 20 minutes, antibiotics and Paracet painkillers. 5.300 baht total, of which the pills were 4.100 baht!

[NongKhaiKid]

Will TAT try to spin this or ignore it as they promote medical tourism ?

Hospitals like Bumrungrad have accommodation on the upper floors better than many hotels for a patient's family to live during as an alternative to a hotel.

Are they presuming if patients choose to fly in for treatment cost isn't important so it's not a rip off ?

[asdecas]

Just three months ago I had to have minor surgery and of course I asked at one of the International hospitals in Bangkok how much it would cost.

I was quoted 300,000 Baht for the surgery, with one night in hospital. Thinking it was a quite expensive, I asked at a well known Thai hospital how much they would charge. They quoted 90,000 Baht for the same operation.

I accepted the second hospital and a few days later the International hospital called me to ask if I was interested in the operation. I told them that I had received a better offer. The woman asked if I lived in Thailand (the whole conversation was in Thai!). When I replied that I did, her reply was “Oh, then we can give you a better price.” and went down to 150,000 baht.

I had the operation at the second hospital and was very pleased with everything.

No more International hospitals in Bangkok for me.

Sounds like Bamrungrad - thieving barstewards.

It's a pity because when it opened, Bamrungrad was an excellent hospital with affordable prices. Unfortunately, in the last ten to fifteen years it has acquired a reputation as probably the most rapacious of all Bangkok's private hospitals - and that's saying something

[prakhonchai nick]

A couple of years ago, my daughter had a motor accident in Pattaya. She was taken to a named hospital with branches all over Thailand.

When discharged after a couple of days she observed a very high nursing charge on the bill. When querying it (in Thai) she was asked if she was Thai to which she replied in the affirmative. The nursingfee was reduced 70% and the whole bill was reduced.. Why was she charged so much at the outset? Because her name given on admission was an foreign name (English), and she could not proffer her Thai ID card at the time, due to her injuries.

I was in Pattaya when they first opened some 20 years ago. Then the hospital was for the ordinary people. It didn't take them long to go out of their way looking for foreigners, and sod the ordinary Thai folk!

[Tanlic]

This should be an argument between the insurance companies and the hospitals.

One of Bumnumgrad majority shareholders is Bangkok insurance PLC........I wonder is they argue among themselves

[soalbundy]

This should be an argument between the insurance companies and the hospitals.

You mean like you get a bill for 100k the insurance thinks this is unfair and is only willing to pay you 50k, you pay the rest.