Hospital options

[frankv42]

Hello,

I am currently covered by my USA employer at the below

hospitals. I live near Chidlom. My only health concern

now is cardiology, so one with a good heart clinic would

be a plus.

Bumrungrad

Samitivej

Mission

Bangkok Hospital

BNH

Although I'm covered now, I don't know for how much longer.

Ideally I'd want one that is good and reasonable cost if

I switch to Bupa or another insurer later.

Thanks

[oncearugge]

If I was covered by insurance to use the Bumrungade that is where I would go.

Check their website and choose a Dr. based on education, training, experience and interests.

https://www.bumrungrad.com/en/search-for-a-thailand-doctor

[gamini]

If I was covered by insurance to use the Bumrungade that is where I would go.

Check their website and choose a Dr. based on education, training, experience and interests.

https://www.bumrungrad.com/en/search-for-a-thailand-doctor

Dr Chad is reputedly one of the best cardiologists in Thailand. He put a stent in my heart at Bumrungrad. the hospital is not nearly as expensive as people think because they don't pad the bills like certain other ones.

There's a couple of excellent cardiologists in Chiang Mai. In order to save money my wife went there and had it done in Siripat hospital.

[Sheryl]

It is not the hospital you need to choose but the doctor (i.e. you are not best served by getting all care for everything at the same hospital).

If you can provide more information as to type of heart problem I can suggest some cardiologists.

In terms of price, all the hospitals you list are expensive, Mission is the least so and Bumrungrad the most, but differences between Bumrungrad, BNH, Bangkok and Samitivej are small. They are all owned by the same parent company.

However, Mission (while a very friendly/pleasant hospital) is small with a limited range of specialists available. Certainnly not the place to go for heart surgery or a stent, for example. It is also not very convenient to Chidlom.

If you switch to BUPA or most other insurers later, they will not limit which hospital you can use the way your current employer apparently does and have direct billing arrangements with a very large number of them so your choice will be much wider.

Need to be sure though that you get a high enough level of cover, local insurers for some reason offer a lot of lowball policies that are scarcely worth having. With BUPA, don't consider anything less than their Platinum plan and preferrably the 5 mill baht option.

Best to look at the coverage level of your current employer's policy too, many of them are really low in which case for all practical purposes you aren't really insured now.

[wpcoe]

Have you been diagnosed/treated for any cardiac problems in Thailand yet? If not, I might suggest you subscribe to BUPA insurance earlier rather than later. BUPA is quite adamant about excluding coverage for any pre-existing conditions and have complete access to Thai medical records nationwide. If there is nothing in your Thai medical history to indicate any cardiac issues, get the BUPA insurance *now.*

[Suradit69]

Re:switching to BUPA

Not sure if the switch implies that you would be retiring, but be aware that BUPA will not initiate coverage above a certain age. I can't recall what the cut off is ... maybe 60 or 65. They will continue coverage through the cut off age if you start with them before reaching that age and don't let coverage lapse,but they do not publish rates beyond that age level, allowing them to raise rates substantially as you age. And,at least when I used them, outpatient coverage was limited and equal to little more than what you were paying in additional subscription fees.

I was fortunate to have my far more comprehensive US insurance kick in at retirement age so I could drop BUPA. It is a good company,but not a bargain as you age.

[DogNo1]

Dr. Sukitti at Bumrugrad is my favorite cardiologist. I've had three procedures done there.

[frankv42]

Thanks to all for the many good ideas.

I now have insurance with nearly no deductible.

I am semi-retired, age 58. The smaller USA co. I work for may keep

me for 1 yr, or 5 yrs, I have no idea. Hence I want a hospital on the

list that is best for 1 having a policy bought while in Thailand.

I know of Bupa, but not sure that is what I'll get. I think if you start Bupa

after 60, they will cut off you coverage at some age. That is okay.

I will likely move back to USA sometime after medicare starts at 65, I don't intend to

live here indefinitely (subject to change!).

I had afib before, but was taken care of by catheter ablation last March,

so far so good. I am on a blood thinner for life and bp meds for moderately high bp.

Recent heart scans had no plaque or other issues. If afib re-occurs, I'll likely

not do any further treatment, so not too concerned about pre-existing conditions

but hope the meds would be covered though they are pre-existing.

I just moved to Thailand a week ago, and want to do my annual physical and establish

myself with a doctor or hospital. I had thought Bumrungrad was much higher than others, but

seems it's only slightly higher. If that is the case, I'll just go there if locally bought

coverage will cover me there also.

Thanks again for the solid answers.

[Sheryl]

All individual insurance policies will exclude pre-existing conditions, which in your case would definitely be anything to do with your a-fib and possibly all cardiac problems but depending on the views of the underwriter.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

I had afib before, but was taken care of by catheter ablation last March,

so far so good. I am on a blood thinner for life and bp meds for moderately high bp.

Recent heart scans had no plaque or other issues. If afib re-occurs, I'll likely

not do any further treatment, so not too concerned about pre-existing conditions

but hope the meds would be covered though they are pre-existing.

Ditto on that. You should expect that any of the Thai insurers you're likely to get a policy thru are going to exclude the high blood pressure and some or all heart issues, based on what you wrote above.

Also, unlike the U.S., Thai policies don't generally have a separate coverage category for medications. They're either covered under the inpatient or outpatient sections of your policy, assuming you have both. But if you have an exclusion or exclusions based on pre-existing, the medications associated with those exclusions also would be excluded.

Also, as mentioned above, it becomes increasingly difficult for a foreigner to obtain Thai medical insurance after they reach age 60 and above. Your choices and options are going to be much better if you initially take out a new Thai policy BEFORE you reach age 60.

When you apply for a new Thai policy, you'll be asked to complete a written medical history form, including all/any things you've been treated for and medications being taken in recent years. That's the info they'll use as the basis for deciding on exclusions. If you don't complete it truthfully, and the insurer finds out later, they can deny coverage for the things you failed to report.

Edited October 16, 2015 by TallGuyJohninBKK