Urgent donations needed for medical bills of a British expat in Samui

[sweatalot]

To make it clear, nowhere it is said that the doctors "botched the operation"

leaving metal in the body does not mean they forgot their scalpel

Metal is used for bone operations to fix the bones, those can be screws, plates, wire or nails

Looks like he had an operation before, may be for a fracture or an orthopedic malformation, being fixed with metal

when they wanted to remove it they might have found the bone was infected (osteomyelitis) - so they had to stay away in order not to spread the infection

and keep the metal in place - trying antibiotics - I would have done that - next step would be general sepsis

Edited February 22, 2016 by sweatalot

[biplanebluey]

Whilst you're at it, can you deposit some money into my bank account as well, as I'm struggling to pay for the health care premium of me and my family.

Nice perspective..

So you think it's ok for all those people that visit and live in Thailand to have no health insurance? If they want to save money on that, why don't they deal with the fall out as a consequence?

For me it's a indeed a struggle to pay the insurance premium every three months, at the moment. I still consider this to be important though and keep paying these bills and keep taking out the insurance each year, to not be in a situation as this person and plenty of people before him. Sorry for not feeling sorry if I don't feel compassionate for people who think they can get a free ride here.

I rather not have to ask my family to bail me out. It's a choice I made, a very long time ago, when I decided to come and live in Thailand.

I totally agree---- unfortunately I am too in a different class.I am happy living here but cannot get insurance because of my age(79) so I suspect I will be in the same boat one day !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[connda]

Stories like this proves the Thai Government must make insurance a mandatory requirement, before granting a visa.

I'm sure they'll get right on that.

[connda]

Whilst you're at it, can you deposit some money into my bank account as well, as I'm struggling to pay for the health care premium of me and my family.

Nice perspective..

So you think it's ok for all those people that visit and live in Thailand to have no health insurance? If they want to save money on that, why don't they deal with the fall out as a consequence?

For me it's a indeed a struggle to pay the insurance premium every three months, at the moment. I still consider this to be important though and keep paying these bills and keep taking out the insurance each year, to not be in a situation as this person and plenty of people before him. Sorry for not feeling sorry if I don't feel compassionate for people who think they can get a free ride here.

I rather not have to ask my family to bail me out. It's a choice I made, a very long time ago, when I decided to come and live in Thailand.

I totally agree---- unfortunately I am too in a different class.I am happy living here but cannot get insurance because of my age(79) so I suspect I will be in the same boat one day !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm sure on of our more upstanding TV members will find cause to criticize you for staying in Thailand past your insurablity date, or for not being independently wealthy and being able to afford astronomical insurance premiums even if you could get insured. Health insurance is a rigged game.

[atyclb]

To make it clear, nowhere it is said that the doctors "botched the operation"

leaving metal in the body does not mean they forgot their scalpel

Metal is used for bone operations to fix the bones, those can be screws, plates, wire or nails

Looks like he had an operation before, may be for a fracture or an orthopedic malformation, being fixed with metal

when they wanted to remove it they might have found the bone was infected (osteomyelitis) - so they had to stay away in order not to spread the infection

and keep the metal in place - trying antibiotics - I would have done that - next step would be general sepsis

please link to content that suggests he had prior surgery with hardware.

all i find is he had a toe removed. the need to remove toe can be multi factorial.

[evadgib]

Stories like this proves the Thai Government must make insurance a mandatory requirement, before granting a visa.

Which might work if bills are assessed on nature of injury rather than ethnicity of patient.

[steve187]

another not so nice story, but as already posted this is becoming a weekly event, either an expat who failed to cover themself, or a young backpacker, who manages to plan a 6 month holiday to various countries, but forgets the insurance.

everyone young or old knows better than to travel to or stay in a country without heath coverage.

so to repeat is not nice to hear, but its not heart breaking news to tv members.

[evadgib]

Health insurance is a rigged game.

The old 'pre existing conditions' chestnut offers a get out of jail card to an entire industry!

Edited February 22, 2016 by evadgib

[Anon999]

Sorry for what happened to him. But if he is a expat living in Thailand for some time, than he knows how things work in this country.

So he saved money, by not getting a insurrance and now people ask to donate!

As said before in post 4, please donate some money to me to, because I have to pay the insurrance company every month!

Yes, everybody has the chooice to get insurrance or not, but at least you will not see me asking for donations on this form.

Have a nice day.

Untrue, everybody does not have the choice as such things as age and for some existing conditions, can prevent you from getting health insurance. Cost can also prevent people from taking out cover. I cancelled my cover when the premium went up by 66% in one year. Luckily I'm covered but 164,000 baht was totally out of order in 2009 and that didn't include out patients and a long list of other exclusions either or dental cover. The insurers made a small fortune having coined in 250,000 during the time I was paying them and it appeared expats were subsidising UK customers, the premium doubled in 3 years. My wife persuaded me to stop paying it and had I continued the mind boggles at what they would be charging now.

With no discounts for no claims, taking into consideration previous medical history and uninterested in annual private hospital medical examinations it appeared they were only looking lining to line directors and shareholders wallets.

My broker was complaining that everyone was angry and that many were cancelling their policies.

[daiwill60]

Whilst you're at it, can you deposit some money into my bank account as well, as I'm struggling to pay for the health care premium of me and my family.

Nice perspective..

So you think it's ok for all those people that visit and live in Thailand to have no health insurance? If they want to save money on that, why don't they deal with the fall out as a consequence?

For me it's a indeed a struggle to pay the insurance premium every three months, at the moment. I still consider this to be important though and keep paying these bills and keep taking out the insurance each year, to not be in a situation as this person and plenty of people before him. Sorry for not feeling sorry if I don't feel compassionate for people who think they can get a free ride here.

I rather not have to ask my family to bail me out. It's a choice I made, a very long time ago, when I decided to come and live in Thailand.

Try looking at this situation from another angle, lets say for instance that, as you say , you are struggling to pay your insurance bill every three months, and about 2 weeks before your next payment is due, you are god forbid placed in hospital for something totally unexpected, you have the insurance to pay for the initial treatment and everything is hunky dory , but then a complication arises which means you have to stay in hospital , no work and no way to pay the next payment, what do you think the insurance company will do when you have not paid ?????

I had a situation recently where I was covered and my policy with work was running out and work had paid my next annual premium but I did not have the new card , so at the hospital I had to pay for my treatment, when I got to work later that day the card was in the office , yet when the hospital rang the insurance company, they said if I did not have the card, that they had knowingly issued as my premium was paid and the card had been issued, I would still have to pay there and then at the hospital, and I could claim the money back when I had filled in forms etc etc.

Moral is, you never know when that boot may be on the other foot mate .

[atyclb]

So many expert doctors and surgeons in this thread, amazing really.

not really, heres the reasoning

# we hear toe removed

# we hear infection

# we see a photo of him with an O2 mask

# another photo shows him "intubated". tube taped and secured to his mouth. that tube sends air/o2 directly to the trachea and is connected to a respirator (breathing machine)

the reasoning is deducing that going from face mask O2 to needing intubation-respirator shows a deteriorating condition consistent with worsening sepsis

given the right experience-background even a nurse or medic knows that, dont even need to be an expert surgeon.

[billphillips]

More information would be useful. Especially relating to the initial cause of the problem, the prognosis, the hospital name, and the costs to date with an estimate of the future expenses. Any potential donators will need to satisfy themselves that this is indeed a genuine call for help.

Perhaps it was a foolish move not to have adequate medical insurance, nevertheless, obviously the family will be distraught and will try to help by any means available to them. Don't condemn them for that and remember that they are probably following this thread and hoping for some assistance.

Edited February 22, 2016 by billphillips

[NCC1701A]

i pay 7447 baht a month for health insurance in Thailand.

Sorry for this man. i hope he recovers.

But we all knew the risks before we volunteered for this mission.

Edited February 22, 2016 by NCC1701A

[Bantex]

How much are the hospital bills and what have the family / friends raised so far ?

I'm not just being nosey but this info lets people know what's required

[cheeryble]

i pay 7447 baht a month for health insurance in Thailand.

Given a poster above spoke of 164,000 pa out of interest 7447 bt is for what age?

BTW you can all have a go at me as I self insure.....but my life would change if I was hit with a series of real big'uns.

Insurance inherently has tons of potential wastage and abuse and over a large sample n, or sample number, I'm sure the n self insurers would save at least 50%.

Yes if course as one is only an n of 1 it might just turn out unlucky, but one can adjust as circumstances change e.g. if one gets unlucky one can adjust like going back to the home country (though I may prefer to disappear into the Land of Morphia as "home" ain't really home anymore.

No such thing as absolute security....

Edited February 22, 2016 by cheeryble

[balo]

I find it hard to believe that he lives and own a business in Samui without any form of health insurance.

I do not believe the whole story , but hope I'm wrong.

[Monkeyrobot]

It is understood that John had complications after having a toe removed in Thailand, some metal was left in his foot after the operation and that caused a very serious infection.

I may be wrong but should not the hospital in fact be held responsible for this tragic matter?

It would seem as if there was and still is gross neglect so it becomes malpractice on the side of the hospital and its medical team.

That is my thoughts exactly, they left the piece of metal in his foot that caused the infection if the article is correct , not following up with an X-ray to see if there was any metal left ? Why is this guy at fault? They should be Footing the bill and hope he does not sue them. Even if he had insurance they company would bounce it back on the hospital. Hope he gets better.

[Monkeyrobot]

What surprises me is that he's under an oxygen mask, but nothing about a coma?

I'm dealing with patients in similar circumstances on weekly basis

The mask is assisting the mans breathing via a clearly visible machine, either using CPAP or SMIV but you would know all about that as you deal with these matters on a weekly basis.

Which ITU do you work in and what as ?

Yes it's a CPAP for sleep Apnea , hope if I am sick I don't go to that guys ICU.

[farang95]

Whilst you're at it, can you deposit some money into my bank account as well, as I'm struggling to pay for the health care premium of me and my family.

Nice perspective..

So you think it's ok for all those people that visit and live in Thailand to have no health insurance? If they want to save money on that, why don't they deal with the fall out as a consequence?

For me it's a indeed a struggle to pay the insurance premium every three months, at the moment. I still consider this to be important though and keep paying these bills and keep taking out the insurance each year, to not be in a situation as this person and plenty of people before him. Sorry for not feeling sorry if I don't feel compassionate for people who think they can get a free ride here.

I rather not have to ask my family to bail me out. It's a choice I made, a very long time ago, when I decided to come and live in Thailand.

that why this world is sick..... always about the money... always trusting the bank...always about many different reason the future will be so dark for all of us cause of this kind of people......They are selfish and arrogant and probably rich and they don't value that some people may have the impossibility to pay for an insurance at the moment....or maybe.... they just don't want to trust the bank ..the insurance..Etc etc..make me feel sick that in 2016 ..people still thinking that way...they feed thesystem..then they are the first to cry and beg for mercy when at first they didn't had any mercy for anyone........ Sick sick ...

[ChoakMyDee]

I consider insurance companies to be downright evil...even more so than the banksters. The first year I was in Thailand I had insurance. I was honest on the form and told them I had a history of chronic bronchitis so they told me they would never pay for anything related to my lungs or bronchii ever...not just bronchitis but anything at all related to lungs was not to be paid for. I sustained a head injury while I was insured and since my policy included outpatient treatment(up to a certain amount) I walked into the hospital for treatment. Upon checking out I received the bill for the MRI, the medication and a couple other items. It turns out that the MRI was not included in the policy so my short visit ended up costing me a few thousand Baht extra.

So there I was with an insurance policy costing me thousands of dollars a year but I had no confidence that they would even cover me for any future injuries or illness. I was having to pay for each visit anyway?! My opinion is that they will always find a way to deny treatment. How can I continue to pay for a policy that i have no confidence in? I decided to not renew my policy the following year. I realize I am playing Russian Roulette but what else can I do if if the only policies I can get are by unscrupulous, evil insurance companies who cannot be trusted to pay when you really need them?

I wonder why, when the American gun nuts go postal, why they don't walk into an Insurance office and shoot everyone rather than innocent people in a school or on the street.

[atyclb]

What surprises me is that he's under an oxygen mask, but nothing about a coma?

I'm dealing with patients in similar circumstances on weekly basis

The mask is assisting the mans breathing via a clearly visible machine, either using CPAP or SMIV but you would know all about that as you deal with these matters on a weekly basis.

Which ITU do you work in and what as ?

Yes it's a CPAP for sleep Apnea , hope if I am sick I don't go to that guys ICU.

i guess you would not want to be at McGill university hospital either then.

Preventing intubation in acute respiratory failure: Use of CPAP and BiPAP

https://www.mcgill.ca/criticalcare/teaching/files/intubation

[kinmaew]

You know what, there are some fabulously wealthy people in the UK with so much money they have no idea what to do with it next like those prats on "Dragons Den" for f*** sake pay up and help this bloke you dont need that much cash the rest of us have bills to pay.

[crusty]

These situations are becoming more prevalent in Thailand every few months.

Insurance is to cover you when the unexpected occurs.

Hope he gets well and returns home.

Get real ! Insurance Companies are there to make easy money and invariably never pay up, you are far better off keeping some income aside for an emergency, I have been personally ripped off no less than three times by major Thai insurance companies in the past,1.A shipment of new sailing boats in 40 foot containers ("repair them and then claim the difference from the new price"), 2. Property damage from floods ( "we inspected your site and found that it was rain damage and not flood damage"). 3. My Medical Insurance for a triple bypass operation when the Insurance claimed I had a history of heart disease.{ the Thai doctor from a prominent Bangkok hospital "Sorry my fault, there were so many papers on my desk that day when I signed. Better you sue me" Fine but that would have taken seven years and cost more than the operation. And of course to keep the odds in their favour, they will not "insure" you if aged over sixty ! Bunch of crooks !

[BeefSlapper]

Insurance in thailand offten pays up small amounts. Like full cover pays u 200k from your 1mil bill. Plenty examples on TV

Sent from my SM-A800F using Tapatalk

[crusty]

Whilst you're at it, can you deposit some money into my bank account as well, as I'm struggling to pay for the health care premium of me and my family.

Nice perspective..

So you think it's ok for all those people that visit and live in Thailand to have no health insurance? If they want to save money on that, why don't they deal with the fall out as a consequence?

For me it's a indeed a struggle to pay the insurance premium every three months, at the moment. I still consider this to be important though and keep paying these bills and keep taking out the insurance each year, to not be in a situation as this person and plenty of people before him. Sorry for not feeling sorry if I don't feel compassionate for people who think they can get a free ride here.

I rather not have to ask my family to bail me out. It's a choice I made, a very long time ago, when I decided to come and live in Thailand.

that why this world is sick..... always about the money... always trusting the bank...always about many different reason the future will be so dark for all of us cause of this kind of people......They are selfish and arrogant and probably rich and they don't value that some people may have the impossibility to pay for an insurance at the moment....or maybe.... they just don't want to trust the bank ..the insurance..Etc etc..make me feel sick that in 2016 ..people still thinking that way...they feed thesystem..then they are the first to cry and beg for mercy when at first they didn't had any mercy for anyone........ Sick sick ...

"The large print giffeth but the small print taketh away"

[StefanBBK]

I helped the guy yesterday with a little donation.

Had a similar situation lately that cost us 700k and therefor feel for them.

Anyway, just included a note wishing him well , followed by a line suggesting to get insurance..

What a mistake. Now I am the bad guy. Am I too insensitive suggesting that?

[sanukjim]

If ax expat has a planed operation in Thailand and can afford it GO HOME to have it done.No operations are minor and just knowing how easy it is to get a degree here in this "no fail" environment why trust your life on what may be local doctor.Sure there are some good doctors here I am certain.If this man does not live( I do hope he does life)) his family could not get enough compensation to pay the medical.even if proven incompetence in court.They can operate with impurity knowing that they will never have to pay any more then pocket change.Got something serious GO HOME

Edited February 23, 2016 by sanukjim

[sanukjim]

I consider insurance companies to be downright evil...even more so than the banksters. The first year I was in Thailand I had insurance. I was honest on the form and told them I had a history of chronic bronchitis so they told me they would never pay for anything related to my lungs or bronchii ever...not just bronchitis but anything at all related to lungs was not to be paid for. I sustained a head injury while I was insured and since my policy included outpatient treatment(up to a certain amount) I walked into the hospital for treatment. Upon checking out I received the bill for the MRI, the medication and a couple other items. It turns out that the MRI was not included in the policy so my short visit ended up costing me a few thousand Baht extra.

So there I was with an insurance policy costing me thousands of dollars a year but I had no confidence that they would even cover me for any future injuries or illness. I was having to pay for each visit anyway?! My opinion is that they will always find a way to deny treatment. How can I continue to pay for a policy that i have no confidence in? I decided to not renew my policy the following year. I realize I am playing Russian Roulette but what else can I do if if the only policies I can get are by unscrupulous, evil insurance companies who cannot be trusted to pay when you really need them?

I wonder why, when the American gun nuts go postal, why they don't walk into an Insurance office and shoot everyone rather than innocent people in a school or on the street.

Read the small print and ask about the things that are missing.It was a learning process for you

[PoorSucker]

Got something serious GO HOME

Where is home?

Left my passport country 1969.....

Lived on three continents since then.

I am home right now, here in Thailand.

[Don Mega]

Got something serious GO HOME

Where is home?

Left my passport country 1969.....

Lived on three continents since then.

I am home right now, here in Thailand.

Not to mention if it is serious there is a good chance you will not be cleared as fit to fly.