Govt to control medicine prices in coming months to rein in healthcare costs

[Lite Beer]

Govt to control medicine prices in coming months to rein in healthcare costs
Pratch Rujivanarom
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- THE GOVERNMENT is looking at reining in skyrocketing healthcare costs incurred by patients at private hospitals by controlling the price of medicines and hospital services.

Private hospitals will also be required to post the price of drugs and services on their websites and other channels so patients are informed in advance before commencing treatment.

Public Health Minister Rajata Rajatanavin said a working group of Public Health and Commerce ministry officials, as well as the Medical Council and Consumer Protection Board would hold talks with private hospitals to work out median prices for medicines.

"The cost and profit from selling medicines will be regulated. There will be a price ceiling for different categories of drugs that hospitals can charge their patients. It will take some time to implement this measure," Rajata said.

At present, drugs are under the Commerce Ministry's Price of Goods and Services Act, but the Internal Trade Department has yet to set price ceilings on different categories of medicines so that profit margins can be regulated. Under this law, violators are subject to a maximum punishment of seven years in jail and/or a Bt140,000 fine.

Regarding emergency medical services, he said they must be free of charge at every private hospital, as the cost can be reimbursed by the National Health Security Office.

Regarding doctor's fees, Medical Council deputy secretary-general Samphan Komrit said there was still no ceiling on this charge and it was tough at this stage to establish a median tariff. He said all hospitals should clearly inform patients in advance of their doctors' fees so patients can make their own choice.

Preeyanan Lorsermvattana, president of Thai Medical Error Network non-government group - said her organisation agreed with the emergency medical service move but wanted to make sure patients are not forced to sign any document to pay for the service themselves.

Over the past few years, a growing number of patients who use services of private hospitals have complained that healthcare expenses have shot up while revenues and profits of hospital companies listed on the stock market have risen sharply. This has led to the government efforts to regulate private healthcare prices.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Govt-to-control-medicine-prices-in-coming-months-t-30260224.html

-- The Nation 2015-05-16

[meatboy]

good news is this the same control as the lottery? and what about pharmacy prices?

[chooka]

No more dual pricing for farangs and medical tourists

[zaphod reborn]

This is necessary, and hope it works. The Thai medical payments system is similar to the US, except that the government underwrites a higher percentage of the medical costs compared to private insurers. In the US, the government and insurers control the cost of medical services (albeit, not very well). In Thailand, there currently are no controls on medical costs and hospitals are free to charge in excess of insurance coverage limits and adopt multi-tiered pricing.

[oneday]

"...Regarding emergency medical services, he said they must be free of charge at every private hospital, as the cost can be reimbursed by the National Health Security Office..."

Certainly this needs a bit more clarification. I find it hard to believe that every person in this country (including expats) will get free emergency medical care.

[janpharma]

Let's hope that controlling really means avoiding overpricing and not only demand their %...

[flyingdoc]

Presumably this only applies to drugs and not imported supplements, some of which are priced outrageously?

[Praematura]

Hospital prices very reasonable imo. Yesterday had an MRI at Bangkok-Pattaya hospital and blood check on liver/kidneys all for 13,000 baht. Courteous and professional all the way. If they ran their hotels and tourist venues the same as the Thais run that hospital this would be a Mecca for tourism.

[jackanapes]

I hope at the end of the day something is actually done about the charges in hospitals it really is about time.

[rethaier]

Will they have someone on-site checking all the bills? How will I know if I am ripped or not? I cannot sit at my computer and go through a bill written in Thai. Nothing will change. It's just more hot air and not enough to fill a balloon much less burst this big bubble.

[cardinalblue]

Where the profit margin is the price of unnecessary drugs forced upon the patient..

The patient should only be given a prescription and then the patient is free to shop around for the best drug price...doesn't happen here but needs to...

The costs of doctors, hospital supplies, treatments etc I find reasonable...

The hospitals and doctors know they overcharge and over medicate on drugs...huge problem here and bad medicine to boot...wrong incentive created as I have also counted # of times antibiotics given for viral issues...

CB

[Srikcir]

A Thai-english central web site where one can compare the price of drugs and services of each provider by city or region would be helpful. Something like the web sites you can use to compare airfares.

[soisanuk]

"...Regarding emergency medical services, he said they must be free of charge at every private hospital, as the cost can be reimbursed by the National Health Security Office..."

Certainly this needs a bit more clarification. I find it hard to believe that every person in this country (including expats) will get free emergency medical care.

I think this applies only to Thais or others that are part of the National Health Scheme (often referred to as the 30 baht scheme) or Social Security health system - My Thai partner a few years ago was given emergency treatment at Queen Sirikit Hospital in Sattahip - endoscopic exam and surgery plus whole blood transfusion and other medicines - six nights in hospital ward for recovery - cost was zero. My partner did have to show membership card in the National Health Scheme to qualify for the free treatment.

I have read several articles of Thais complaining that private hospitals will require upfront payment or signing an agreement to pay -- this is indicated later in the article:

Preeyanan Lorsermvattana, president of Thai Medical Error Network non-government group - said her organisation agreed with the emergency medical service move but wanted to make sure patients are not forced to sign any document to pay for the service themselves.

[maidee]

doctor's get their fees, hospital get their fees

so why has there to be huge profits on the drugs sold on top of that ?

[partington]

doctor's get their fees, hospital get their fees

so why has there to be huge profits on the drugs sold on top of that ?

List the average time taken time taken, the legal procedures that need to be followed, and the average cost of development of any new drugs that are permitted to be sold and this will give you a clue as to why drugs aren't free.

Hint: each new drug introduced by US companies has been estimated to cost between $4 and $11 billion to develop.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/matthewherper/2012/02/10/the-truly-staggering-cost-of-inventing-new-drugs/

This is the amount of money that needs to be made to break even, ie before any profit is earned on developing that drug.

To give you an idea of how much this is: in the recent UK election the Conservatives promised to spend an extra $18 billion on the entire nationalised health service of the country and this was considered to be a rash and unfundable pledge.

Mind you I am no supporter of the big pharma industry and applaud third world companies that make generic versions of the drugs and sell them for pennies, because people's health is more important. It is true that if the generic companies in the developed world also made pirate versions, new drug development would virtually cease.

[maderaroja]

What about drugs prices at private pharmacies? What about vitamin and supplement prices?

[Mudcrab]

Will they have someone on-site checking all the bills? How will I know if I am ripped or not? I cannot sit at my computer and go through a bill written in Thai. Nothing will change. It's just more hot air and not enough to fill a balloon much less burst this big bubble.

But you can sit at your computer and whine......try google translate.....not that hard.

[Mudcrab]

What about drugs prices at private pharmacies? What about vitamin and supplement prices?

What about them? Discretionary purchases are just that - you want the taxpayer to subsidise these? Fat chance!!

They way I read this article is that it is about Thai citizens not getting ripped off with inflated prices.

Everyone else is on their own and rightly so.

How many times do we hear on TV from ex pats, noticeably of the Pommie variety, about the many migrants, illegal or otherwise, turning up and claiming benefits from the taxpayer?

Now the shoe is on the other foot. Pay your own way, or get insurance, or stop whining or bugger off.

[akentryan]

Here is my most recent event with regards to high prices at private hospitals versus pharmacies:

Was in Pattaya Memorial Hospital in Pattaya on August 19 to check the level of rat poison in my blood. Have been having pain and limited movement in my left shoulder so I saw an Orthopaedic doctor in the ER who took x-rays. Diagnosis was that the film looked pretty normal with some presence of bone spurs. Prescribed anitinflammatory pain killer Arcoxia 120mg and vitamin C for a week and then will check in again. From the PMH dispensary

1. 120 mg tablets of Arcoxia cost 112 baht each

2. 500 mg Vitamin C cost 7 baht each

I just phoned in my 90 day supply medication order to Fascino in Bangkok. I also added 30 Arcoxia 120 mg: The price was 43 baht each or approximately 40% of the PMH cost.

I am not singling out PMH as I much prefer it over the other private hospitals in Pattaya finding costs in general lower. I am certain the med costs would be higher at Bangkok Hospital Pattaya and probably the other local private hospitals.as well.

Would the doctor at PMH have let me buy the medicine outside? I do not know.