Brit dies in Bangkok hospital after being stranded for 2 month while family struggled to pay bill

[Colabamumbai]

Maybe this be a lesson to people trying to save a few ££££'s by not having travel insurance.

Why should Thailand have to "foot this bill" ?

Don't know her situation but most insurance doesn't cover existing conditions. Many people get the shaft due to this.

Insurance does not cover existing conditions and there is a 90 day wait condition before policies take effect.

[cumgranosalum]

There really needs to be an international investigation into foreigners treatment in Thai hospitals.

Basically how much does their ability to pay affect their chances of survival?

why? what does Thailand owe a foreigner? did Thailand ask them to come over? what ever happened to taking vacation only if you could afford it?

So you let 'em die?

What you are doing here is raising a serious question of ethics - especially with regard to Thai hospitals.

[Buzzz]

I'd like to see the hospital charges for a Thai receiving the same treatment.

Hospitals, like some tourist trap restaurants have the "special menu" with the special prices for the subhuman farangs.

[bkkcanuck8]

So what was the “prognisis?

Was she hoping to return to her home country to recover or just continue in the same state?

If they expected her to recover once back at home, why didn’t she recover in the Thai hospital?

Well according to the fundraising website she was in a coma.... and once you are in a coma (unless induced) it is a flip of the coin whether you will recover or die.... in most cases anyway.

Maybe the plug was pulled because there was no chance of continued payment for services.... and no chance of recovery.

[cumgranosalum]

There really needs to be an international investigation into foreigners treatment in Thai hospitals.

Basically how much does their ability to pay affect their chances of survival?

why? what does Thailand owe a foreigner? did Thailand ask them to come over? what ever happened to taking vacation only if you could afford it?

"did Thailand ask them to come over?" - Yes, they did - it's called the tourist trade and any host country has an obligation to its gusts. how far this obligation goes is a matter of ethics and in respect to the Thai medical industry needs international inspection.

this is a situation that not only affects tourists but long-term stayers both retirees and workers. - even those who think they have cover may find it doesn't extend to the unexpected conditions that put them into a hospital.

[jacko45k]

Approximately 28,000 baht/day bill run up.

It makes the idea of compulsory health insurance look quite sensible.

the hospitals would love that!

Possibly more than the unpaid B1,600,000 bills which will get passed to all patients.

[Straight8]

Maybe this be a lesson to people trying to save a few ££££'s by not having travel insurance.

Why should Thailand have to "foot this bill" ?

Thais should be happy that the thai than thai have their backs!!

[The stuttering parrot]

If she couldn't get health insurance for a pre existing condition and was already crook then she and her loved ones rolled the dice by going on a trip in the first place and that means anywhere in the world.

Sad story but how many times do we see these stories and then it's blame the hospital or government and then ask for the inevitable handout because of their lack of self responsibly.

[bkkcanuck8]

There really needs to be an international investigation into foreigners treatment in Thai hospitals.

Basically how much does their ability to pay affect their chances of survival?

why? what does Thailand owe a foreigner? did Thailand ask them to come over? what ever happened to taking vacation only if you could afford it?

"did Thailand ask them to come over?" - Yes, they did - it's called the tourist trade and any host country has an obligation to its gusts. how far this obligation goes is a matter of ethics and in respect to the Thai medical industry needs international inspection.

this is a situation that not only affects tourists but long-term stayers both retirees and workers. - even those who think they have cover may find it doesn't extend to the unexpected conditions that put them into a hospital.

I am sorry but they don't offer anything to foreigners who cannot pay for services (especially if they are not insured). They definitely don't deserve to be treated any better than a Thai in a similar circumstance. The option is to add a substantial fee to the price of a ticket as a way of insuring all tourists -- but then do you insure them for private hospitals or the equivalent of the 30 baht health insurance level of care in a public hospital (of course higher because it would not be subsidized). Maybe a mandatory charge added to every hotel room to cover the health insurance costs.

Edited July 20, 2016 by bkkcanuck8

[chuang]

Why no one blames the British embassy

[jacko45k]

Maybe this be a lesson to people trying to save a few ££££'s by not having travel insurance.

Why should Thailand have to "foot this bill" ?

Don't know her situation but most insurance doesn't cover existing conditions. Many people get the shaft due to this.

Insurance does not cover existing conditions and there is a 90 day wait condition before policies take effect.

Travel Insurance has a 90 day wait?

[bkkcanuck8]

Why no one blames the British embassy

Because it was not there fault that you are in that position. They can act as an intermediary loan source with a guarantor footing the bills to be repaid - but I don't know any country whose embassy is there to act as an insurer of last resort.

[NanLaew]

dcnx, on 20 Jul 2016 - 06:13, said:

Pattaya28, on 20 Jul 2016 - 04:57, said:

Maybe this be a lesson to people trying to save a few ££££'s by not having travel insurance.

Why should Thailand have to "foot this bill" ?

Don't know her situation but most insurance doesn't cover existing conditions. Many people get the shaft due to this.

“Kathryn had been ill for a long time and suffers from arthritis,”

You don't die from arthritis, if she had a pre existing serious conditions the sister would have said so,

where were the UK embassy in this story and they did to help the situation?

I'm sure if this lady was well connected she would have alive today, sadly, she was a no body

just enough not to really try harder or donate money for the repatriating back to the UK,

This woman could have been saved easily, .... Shame on the UK people and government......

Another case of "Who's your Nanny?"

[Bobobirdiebuddy]

I would like to know the ailment and the hospital.

[mrjon]

Maybe this be a lesson to people trying to save a few ££££'s by not having travel insurance.

Why should Thailand have to "foot this bill" ?

If it was your ass or one of yours in that situation maybe you wouldn't be saying that. I am not a Brit and I am not a Thai, just sayin creep

[Bobobirdiebuddy]

Very sorry for the family.

Edited July 20, 2016 by Bobobirdiebuddy

[biplanebluey]

Maybe this be a lesson to people trying to save a few ££££'s by not having travel insurance.

Why should Thailand have to "foot this bill" ?

I think you should research a little more into how travel insurance works.

It is ok for the short time tourist on holiday but it does nothing for a traveller

<deleted> does that mean---------- short time tourist verses a traveller?????????????????

[bkkcanuck8]

So what was the “prognisis?

Was she hoping to return to her home country to recover or just continue in the same state?

If they expected her to recover once back at home, why didn’t she recover in the Thai hospital?

Coma (which the fundraising site mentions) survival rates are less than 50%, and less than 10% completely recover from the coma if they come out of it.

[biplanebluey]

Maybe this be a lesson to people trying to save a few ££££'s by not having travel insurance.

Why should Thailand have to "foot this bill" ?

Thais should be happy that the thai than thai have their backs!!

ANOTHER ONE??????????????????????

[terminatorchiangmai]

Why not sell mandatory travel insurance with plane tickets for travelers with a tourist visa.

And at a shop next to immigration for everybody that enters Thailand by land with a tourist visa.

Problem solved

[Andrew65]

Why no one blames the British embassy

Yes, but how much, and for how many people is the BE/British taxpayer going to be on the hook for, in the longer term?

It's very sad to hear about this lady, but I can see where the BE are coming from. It wouldn't surprise me if the BE have had to make spending cuts in recent years.

Also, is the British Embassy so different to the embassys of many other countries in this regard?

[bkkcanuck8]

Why not sell mandatory travel insurance with plane tickets for travelers with a tourist visa.

And at a shop next to immigration for everybody that enters Thailand by land with a tourist visa.

Problem solved

Or just not allow any British person get a passport without a private health insurance plan to cover any medical bills outside of the UK

[BaldPlumber]

Out of interest, what happens in Thailand in the event of a disaster with wide scale casualties?

Do people get refused treatment if they cannot produce insurance or proof of the means to pay?

[cumgranosalum]

Why no one blames the British embassy

There needs to be questions here too.

[cumgranosalum]

Any surcharge imposed by Thailand is going to be questionable - firstly in such a corrupt society it is very likely it will be abused.

\furthermore the TAT would not like to further damage their reputation in the west for imposing charges and restrictions on foreigners wishing to holiday here. They already charge on visas, airport exit tax, ATMs etc etc...just another mark up in a litany of little things that annoy.

[daveAustin]

RIP . Don't blame Thailand for this.

Who's blaming Thailand? Let's not be silly and go on the defensive. We don't know if she had insurance or not, but some Thai hospitals do have a habit of needlessly running up bills to make a buck.

[LannaGuy]

Maybe this be a lesson to people trying to save a few ££££'s by not having travel insurance.

Why should Thailand have to "foot this bill" ?

would Britain have to "foot this bill" if a Thai had this issue there? the answer is YES

[halloween]

Approximately 28,000 baht/day bill run up.

It makes the idea of compulsory health insurance look quite sensible.

the hospitals would love that!

Actually, no. My experience is that the private hospitals on Samui go out of their way to void insurance for faster payment,

Well you'd be wrong.

I had a motorcycle rental business here for a long time, and spoke to quite a few customers who have a different opinion to yours. Alcohol blood tests were regularly carried out and insurance denied - even for pillion passengers. Passports were demanded and held until full payment.

Edited July 20, 2016 by halloween

[Andrew65]

RIP . Don't blame Thailand for this.

Who's blaming Thailand? Let's not be silly and go on the defensive. We don't know if she had insurance or not, but some Thai hospitals do have a habit of needlessly running up bills to make a buck.

I've heard that US private hospitals aren't averse to running up the bill needlessly/intentionally also!

(Maybe just a rumour!?).

[bkkcanuck8]

RIP . Don't blame Thailand for this.

Who's blaming Thailand? Let's not be silly and go on the defensive. We don't know if she had insurance or not, but some Thai hospitals do have a habit of needlessly running up bills to make a buck.

Especially if you put them in a private hospital where there is an underlying profit motive.... but then 36000GBP for 2 months on life support while someone is in a coma does not really sound outrageous. And a medical evacuation on the cheap is going to cost at least that if not double.