Hawaii boxer in coma in Thailand

[webfact]

Hawaii boxer in coma in Thailand
By Paula Akana

HONOLULU —A promising young professional boxer from Hawaii lays in a coma in a Thailand hospital as he fights for his life. Meanwhile, another battle is being fought here at home.

"You feel helpless. For me all my life wherever he's sick you know as a parent you can fix things, you know you make them better," said stepmother Dee McShane.

McShane is feeling overmatched these days. Her stepson lies in a coma in a Thailand hospital.

Kalae McShane, 22, was there chasing his dream as a professional boxer. He's been in the ring since he was 8 winning belts and titles every step of the way. McShane turned pro last year and fought in Thailand for the WBO Asian Pacific Region. He got ill on Aug. 4.

"He started to feel headaches, little bit nauseous. Following that, he started to vomit, started feeling dizzy and lost consciousness," said McShane.

McShane wound up in a county hospital where tests showed he had a swelling of the brain. But the hospital wasn't advanced enough to treat him.

A battle on two fronts ensued -- McShane's father Shane in Thailand fighting to get him into a better facility and Dee McShane here in Hawaii navigating a frustrating maze of health insurance and international coverage.

"We had to actually wait for four days while he lay in that county hospital, untreated, while Hawaii Blue Cross Blue Shield and Blue Card went back and forth trying to figure out how to get him covered," said McShane.

Full story: http://www.kitv.com/news/hawaii-boxer-in-coma-in-thailand/34644458

-- KITV 2015-08-11

[fish fingers]

where is he being treated? Anyone know?

[ozyjon]

To all wanting to burn your bridges and retire in

Thailand, take off your rosy coloured glasses,,

sober up and read the article.

[Colabamumbai]

Hep C treatment injections weekly and pills daily, $500.00 a month, treatment can take from 4 months to 12 months. The hospital accepts cash only, for the meds all foreign made. I've got two months in this week.

The medicines are more of a killer than the disease.

I could run back to Canada for free health coverage, but have to wait 90 days, to re activate health coverage, being an Expat.

[colonialboy]

Don't complain about health coverage in Thailand easy answer go home if it's so good

[Colabamumbai]

Don't complain about health coverage in Thailand easy answer go home if it's so good

Who is complaining? I am informing people of some of the possible health costs to living in Thailand, with or without insurance.

You must still be at home.

[casualbiker]

Or just get some decent health insurance cover here in Thailand.

[metisdead]

A trolling nonsense post has been removed.

[Kasset Tak]

The problem of thinking that you are covered by an insurance!

I payed 80,000 Baht a year for an international insurance before. Then they refused to pay when I broke my arm in an accident. The reason they gave why they refused to pay... I have psoriasis and they claimed that had effected my bone(s). And then they went on to informed me that I could not claim anything from the insurance company because of my psoriasis! so basically I had spent 480,000 Baht over 6 years for nothing thinking that I had a good cover!!!

[nycjoe]

Bangkok bank has accident insurance 5000 baht doesn't cover motorcycle accidents. I tore my toenail off and went to ram no problems

[kmj]

O

Don't complain about health coverage in Thailand easy answer go home if it's so good

Oh christ a new convert to the go home brigade 555 ... suck it up newby...

[Don Mega]

where is he being treated? Anyone know?

He is in a county hospital. I doubt there is too many of them in Thailand so should be easy to narrow down.

Edited August 11, 2015 by Don Mega

[casualbiker]

where is he being treated? Anyone know?

He is in a county hospital. I doubt there is too many of them in Thailand so should be easy to narrow down.

I imagine "county" hospital refers to any major province hospital.

[h90]

To all wanting to burn your bridges and retire in

Thailand, take off your rosy coloured glasses,,

sober up and read the article.

and do not box

[timendres]

Who the $%^# WAITS FOUR DAYS to treat a life threatening condition while they argue with insurance companies?!

You arrange for the treatment ASAP with whatever means you have, then try to get the money sorted.

[jacko45k]

Don't complain about health coverage in Thailand easy answer go home if it's so good

Why on Earth not?

[Carmine6]

Who the $%^# WAITS FOUR DAYS to treat a life threatening condition while they argue with insurance companies?!

You arrange for the treatment ASAP with whatever means you have, then try to get the money sorted.

I agree. I think they didn't plan ahead. I have Blue Shield/Blue Cross (though a California plan) and the Preferred Providers are not low end hospitals. But the key is getting to those hospitals. Relying on the insurance company to try to figure out which hospital in what city was not a good way to go. They certainly aren't going to have a clue what makes sense in terms of logistics. BlueCard has a collect phone number in Virginina, so I assume most of their people are there.

Here are the Blue Shield/Blue Cross Preferred Providers in Bangkok:

Bnh Hospital

Bumrungrad International

Bangpakok 9 International Hospital

Samitivej Hospital Sukhumvit

Bangkok Hospital

Samitivej Hospital Srinakarin

Thai Nakarin Hospital

So he ended up at Bumrungrad per a poster above. Which is on the Preferred Provider list. Should now be covered by the plan, but there was probably a covered hospital near where he was.

[fvw53]

The problem of thinking that you are covered by an insurance!

I payed 80,000 Baht a year for an international insurance before. Then they refused to pay when I broke my arm in an accident. The reason they gave why they refused to pay... I have psoriasis and they claimed that had effected my bone(s). And then they went on to informed me that I could not claim anything from the insurance company because of my psoriasis! so basically I had spent 480,000 Baht over 6 years for nothing thinking that I had a good cover!!!

So you had to face "the death squads" employed by health insurance companies i.e. medical experts or lawyers paid to find loopholes which allow them to refuse insurance payment.

[thailand49]

Who the $%^# WAITS FOUR DAYS to treat a life threatening condition while they argue with insurance companies?!

You arrange for the treatment ASAP with whatever means you have, then try to get the money sorted.

I agree something does not spell right to me or the information is lacking.

Ten years ago when I came here I did some personal research since I was coming without medical insurance. One of the hospital I research was Bumrungrad since it was on 60 minutes and in that research I wanted to know if a hospital like Bumrungrad did direct billing with companies in the U.S.

The answer was they did very few direct billing. I got the impression it was because of the time difference and the language. So as noted by many most Accredited International hospital want to be paid first then they will provide you with the proper translated documents so that the person can be reimburse by their provider.

Based on the information provided... my assumption is the insurance the fighter is from the State of Hawaii. Now I'm no expert so maybe a current boxer/former or someone in the fight game can clarify this point. Boxing is consider a dangerous sport. a sport that general would result in such injuries. Insurance in Thailand the number of policies I have seen consider even riding a bicycle a dangerous sport which is not covered under " dangerous sport " Even if it was covered using the Insurance outside of Hawaii ( U.S.) would be consider out of " Network " and being Thailand that would go under " International the coverage for service would only be 50% of their fee schedule.

Then the information on County hospital which would surely mean a Local Thai Hospital, In Pattaya, that would be considered a place like Banglamung or Chon Buri Provincial Hospital general used by locals and funded by the Thai government. Surely if you are looking for a U.S. Based insurance company to reimburse of pay for such service I say you are wasting your time and don't hold your breath. It is hard enough to get payment back for a hospital like Bumrungrad.

Last, it is also mentioned the father lives in Thailand? Not to bash him during a tough time but I do not understand why he isn't able to move the son to a hospital that can help except moving him would unstable his condition. Otherwise I would break out the credit card, family wire the money etc. to assure the hospital like Bumrungrad they will be paid in full or in installment. Why the delay I do not understand from the father or family get it done and worry later!

Hope things work out but this is not something you delayed get him to the closes hospital that can help him. Something is missing and does not pass the smell test!