Panel proposed to review overpricing by Thai hospitals

[webfact]

Panel proposed to review overpricing by hospitals
Pratch Rujivanarom
The Nation



BANGKOK: -- THE PUBLIC HEALTH MINISTER agreed yesterday to address the problem of unreasonably high prices charged by some private hospitals at the request of the Thai Medical Error Network, its president Preeyanan Lorsermvattana said.

After accepting the network's petition, which garnered 33,000 signatures, Public Health Minister Dr Rajata Rajatanavin agreed to set up a central committee to tackle the problem and also said he would summon all related agencies to discuss the issue of overpricing.

Preeyanan also quoted Rajata as saying that this was a complicated problem and required time to solve. Rajata told them talks would be held at the ministry as well as with other concerned parties about setting up the panel, as requested by the network.

She said this was just the first step in moves against unfair practices by private hospitals, adding that once the committee is established it would be responsible for setting out fair prices for all medical care, gather complaints and investigate claims of overpricing.

"I hope this committee will become a centre for patients who face this problem," Preeyanan said, adding that making complaints is tough for individuals at present because they have to go through several agencies, such as the Medical Council of Thailand or the Internal Trade Department. There was also no guarantee that their complaints would be addressed because many members of the Medical Council's board were also on boards of private hospitals, she said.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said he has already told the Public Health Ministry to tackle this problem. However, he admitted that the problem of overpricing among private hospitals will affect Thailand's goal to become a healthcare hub.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Panel-proposed-to-review-overpricing-by-hospitals-30259946.html


-- The Nation 2015-05-13

[chooka]

Have some thais been charged farang prices?

[BigBadGeordie]

Have some thais been charged farang prices?

You cynic.........ah but......looks that way ;-)

[arthurboy]

Make no mistake, the owners of the prestigious and 'corporate' hospitals in Thailand have serious political clout, connections and influence.

The panel will run a cosmetic investigation, recommend some minor changes and things will return to normal.

Sabai, sabai...

[trogers]

Have some thais been charged farang prices?

When overpricing are 5 to 10 times of those charged in govt hospitals, Thais would be overcharged even when billed at half of farang prices.

[maidee]

when being sick is not about helping people in need, but big business, you get these situations

do those poor "cheated" thais, know that the farangs are cheated 10x more ?

[johnburger]

Yes please do It !!!! And keep us informed of the results, play transparency and inform us of the pressures that you will undergo.

[janpharma]

" Rajata said it was complicated...." Yes, because corruption is at all levels...just stop corruption and the problem is solved...

[JayBangkok]

They also need to look at the medical insurance companies.

My premium renewal is almost 40% more than last year.

When I emailed BUPA to ask why I was told "Your premium was increase due to your age change to 71 years old and We increase our prices to match expected medical inflation."

What a rip off!

[Bob12345]

Are the people handing in the petition asking for "fair" prices or for "low" prices?

For as far as I know Thai citizens have access to government hospitals FREE OF CHARGE.

If they don't like those hospitals and want to have the convenience of AC, no waiting lines, and doctors who spend more time on them then they can go to a private hospital which is more expensive. There are several private hospitals to chose from, all with different price ranges, and the patient is free to inform upfront what a procedure will cost. If they don't agree with the price, they can take their business elsewhere.

[NextStationBangkok]

Priority should be like this.

1. All medicines sold in Thailand should have a Maximum retail price, and to be sold to the same price in hospital and drug stores.

2. Medical council should fix the doctors fees based on the region the practice, probably Bangkok could be bit higher than who works in Had-yai or Changmai.

3. There should not be any nursing fees for Outpatients, this is where people are fooled. Why we have to pay Baht 250 for just checking weight and temperature.

4. There should be a Maximum cost for any kind of Operation required, and a patient can directly contact the Medical council for lowest quoted price hospital.

5. Doctors should get rating based on the performance and to be truly given by the feedback of the patients.

If all other 5 points does not work, they should invite recognized foreign doctors/hospital to work here, so that people should not be fooled anymore.

[Bob12345]

They also need to look at the medical insurance companies.

My premium renewal is almost 40% more than last year.

When I emailed BUPA to ask why I was told "Your premium was increase due to your age change to 71 years old and We increase our prices to match expected medical inflation."

What a rip off!

Send your complaints to the British government as BUPA is not a Thai company.

[cardinalblue]

The issue is not over-pricing...it is price discrimination...

If everyone is charged the same price then let the market take care of itself. Educated shoppers determine who the players are and who goes out of business..

CB

[skildpadden]

Yes the private hospitals are more expensive than government facilities because they offer a better quality treatment than the government facilities. You want fair pricing? Then go to the government hospitals, however they most often do not have the latest technology and likely do not speak any foreign languages. Nobody is forcing Thais or foreigners to go to the private facilities but you often get what you pay for. You want better quality at government facilities - then start collecting your taxes, duties and fines and fill the government hospitals with modern equipment (and staff that knows how to use it) - not filling individual pockets as it is now.

This committee really has set out a task for themselves if they want to set out fair prices for all medical care. There are thousands of procedures and if you want prices on each procedure and treatment it will take plenty of time - what if there are complications and co-morbidity? That committee will probably just come up with a few recommendations once they realize the giant task they are facing and everybody is happy.

[seancbk]

Make no mistake, the owners of the prestigious and 'corporate' hospitals in Thailand have serious political clout, connections and influence.

The panel will run a cosmetic investigation, recommend some minor changes and things will return to normal.

Sabai, sabai...

The result of their investigation will be that prices across the board are too low and should be raised. Seeing as they won't want to increase prices for Thais they will propose that increases for overseas visitors should be increased.

This will cause a drop in the numbers of people coming to Thailand for Medical Tourism and their profits will go down..... forcing another review of prices and so the cycle in increases will continue.

[shaurene]

This will be welcomed. I have spent a few times in Hospitals in Khon Kaen with Bronchitis and the prices are shocking.

They come in every few hours to take your Temp, Blood Pressure & Oxygen and charge you silly prices, I ended up telling them do not come to do this from 10pm to 6am. The cost of medication is plain theft. On leaving they give you a prescription to get medication from the hospital pharmacy, one was a Seretide Accuhaler for 2,400 baht I later went to outside pharmacy and paid 1,400 for 2, 700 baht each.

I learned to make a note of the Medecin and buy it at a 3rd of the price from the outside pharmacy.

Also they manage to arrange daily visits from other doctors so you end up paying for around 3 doctors to tell you the same thing as the first doctor. So 3x 500 baht visits.

[Thunderbirds20]

Also check the pricing in private hospital pharmacies! I have been charged 10 times what an outside pharmacay would charge for the same medication. I never take medicines at hospital any more, ... just get a prescription and buy it outside

[dageurreotype]

Have some thais been charged farang prices?

In another report, this gallop of the greedy gained pace when Thailand's TAT promulgated the Medical Tourism hub, thence Thais were being charged as much as the foreigners this was supposed to attract. Same as land prices. So it's our fault. Again.

[domdom]

Hello

If they want to get real information, let them open a phone line where everybody could complain and better get an e mail address where you could send your file with all evidences you've been ripped off.. I personnaly have evidence about medicine as I have an hospital bill and the same medicine with a pharmacy bill, half price..

Have a nice day

[dageurreotype]

Also check the pricing in private hospital pharmacies! I have been charged 10 times what an outside pharmacay would charge for the same medication. I never take medicines at hospital any more, ... just get a prescription and buy it outside

Oh dear God, this was covered ad infinitum in an earlier thread. Do any of the posters here actually read OP's/threads before boring us all to death with the same information over and over again? Yawn.

[kannot]

Land of lip service.......................with a smile.........sometimes a nice smack in that smile is so tempting

[jackanapes]

there are far too many private hospitals in Thailand all vying for business 4 hospitals in pattaya one public three private all of them overcharge , I am in favour of a panel set up to investigate overcharging at the end of the day I don't think it will make any difference .

[ABCer]

Personal experience:

Medication - 30 tabs, made in India, dispensation at the Private Hospital Chemist - 1,350 bt.

Same Medication - 60 tabs, made in Germany, dispensation at Chemist shop - 1,300 bt.

Oh, yes, - I'm talking about life saving meds, not Viagra.

Edited May 13, 2015 by ABCer

[diehard60]

I know for a fact the they over price for foriegners. My daughter waoks at the big hospitl in Kohn Khen and they make foreigners pay atleast 2 times what a Thai pays.

[Bernard Flint]

Have some thais been charged farang prices?

When overpricing are 5 to 10 times of those charged in govt hospitals, Thais would be overcharged even when billed at half of farang prices.

sir

WRONG

There are many thais who have private health care, and many thais who use private hospitals too.

[stoli]

All I can contribute to this is my experience. 4 years ago I traveled from Nevada, US, where they quoted me $250,000 to $300,000 for open-heart surgery. After discussing this in my small town, I found 5 people that had come to Bangkok to have theirs done. I started a conversation with the Doctors at the Bangkok Heart Hospital, (Part of the Bangkok Hospital Group throughout the country.) I flew here without warning to them, and they admitted me at 2am. I spent 16 days in the hospital, where the service, and facilities were better than any hospital in the states that I knew of. They were fabulous from start to finish. My son came with me, and they encourage family to be involved, and to stay in the room with you, whereas the US has strict visiting hours. They value the benefit of family being with you. After these 16 days, with a full team of doctors to look after you, you must stay in Thailand for a week, and return to the hospital to get permission from their aviation Doctor to board a plane home. He asks the airline to put you in the seats with the bulkhead in front of you, so that you can put your carry on luggage in front of you and elevate your feet. Service beyond the call. My total bill was 752,000 baht. (At the time, this was about $24,700, at least 1/10 the cost of the US.)

Recently I was at Bangkok Pattaya Hospital and talked to a young man that needed a stint put into his arteries to the heart.. ( A small procedure, requiring at most an overnight stay.) They quoted him 500,000 baht for this. Have prices changed dramatically based on this one instance? Yes, but I do not know if this is common though. I know that the more press they get about it being so affordable here, that prices will rise. True of any market. What I paid was a bargain by any measure. Why be one-tenth the cost to me, when I would have been thrilled with 50% less? It is hard to try to control the free market. Many have tried, and it always fails.

[Bernard Flint]

All I can contribute to this is my experience. 4 years ago I traveled from Nevada, US, where they quoted me $250,000 to $300,000 for open-heart surgery. After discussing this in my small town, I found 5 people that had come to Bangkok to have theirs done. I started a conversation with the Doctors at the Bangkok Heart Hospital, (Part of the Bangkok Hospital Group throughout the country.) I flew here without warning to them, and they admitted me at 2am. I spent 16 days in the hospital, where the service, and facilities were better than any hospital in the states that I knew of. They were fabulous from start to finish. My son came with me, and they encourage family to be involved, and to stay in the room with you, whereas the US has strict visiting hours. They value the benefit of family being with you. After these 16 days, with a full team of doctors to look after you, you must stay in Thailand for a week, and return to the hospital to get permission from their aviation Doctor to board a plane home. He asks the airline to put you in the seats with the bulkhead in front of you, so that you can put your carry on luggage in front of you and elevate your feet. Service beyond the call. My total bill was 752,000 baht. (At the time, this was about $24,700, at least 1/10 the cost of the US.)

Recently I was at Bangkok Pattaya Hospital and talked to a young man that needed a stint put into his arteries to the heart.. ( A small procedure, requiring at most an overnight stay.) They quoted him 500,000 baht for this. Have prices changed dramatically based on this one instance? Yes, but I do not know if this is common though. I know that the more press they get about it being so affordable here, that prices will rise. True of any market. What I paid was a bargain by any measure. Why be one-tenth the cost to me, when I would have been thrilled with 50% less? It is hard to try to control the free market. Many have tried, and it always fails.

Lovely to here a guy has a half full glass not half empty, well done, a man that thinks.

[trogers]

Have some thais been charged farang prices?

When overpricing are 5 to 10 times of those charged in govt hospitals, Thais would be overcharged even when billed at half of farang prices.

sir

WRONG

There are many thais who have private health care, and many thais who use private hospitals too.

What has that got to do with not being overpriced? Foreigners too are using them, and we have over 200 accounts of being overcharged to date.

[trogers]

All I can contribute to this is my experience. 4 years ago I traveled from Nevada, US, where they quoted me $250,000 to $300,000 for open-heart surgery. After discussing this in my small town, I found 5 people that had come to Bangkok to have theirs done. I started a conversation with the Doctors at the Bangkok Heart Hospital, (Part of the Bangkok Hospital Group throughout the country.) I flew here without warning to them, and they admitted me at 2am. I spent 16 days in the hospital, where the service, and facilities were better than any hospital in the states that I knew of. They were fabulous from start to finish. My son came with me, and they encourage family to be involved, and to stay in the room with you, whereas the US has strict visiting hours. They value the benefit of family being with you. After these 16 days, with a full team of doctors to look after you, you must stay in Thailand for a week, and return to the hospital to get permission from their aviation Doctor to board a plane home. He asks the airline to put you in the seats with the bulkhead in front of you, so that you can put your carry on luggage in front of you and elevate your feet. Service beyond the call. My total bill was 752,000 baht. (At the time, this was about $24,700, at least 1/10 the cost of the US.)

Recently I was at Bangkok Pattaya Hospital and talked to a young man that needed a stint put into his arteries to the heart.. ( A small procedure, requiring at most an overnight stay.) They quoted him 500,000 baht for this. Have prices changed dramatically based on this one instance? Yes, but I do not know if this is common though. I know that the more press they get about it being so affordable here, that prices will rise. True of any market. What I paid was a bargain by any measure. Why be one-tenth the cost to me, when I would have been thrilled with 50% less? It is hard to try to control the free market. Many have tried, and it always fails.

Probably can get a quote from the hospital next to Chao Phraya river at less than 200,000 baht.

[irwinfc]

great! let's not get too excited over this. it's just a proposal... while they're at it, why not propose another panel to investigate the overpriced education in Thailand?

Edited May 13, 2015 by irwinfc