Koh Phangan hospital backtracks after pregnant English tourist is unable to pay medical bill

[Songlaw]

12 hours ago, jimlek said:

Great mum to be. A full moon party of all places!

 

At first blush, it would appear that this fetus may be doomed already... And even if not, will likely have some 'rough roads' ahead. Humans.

[johnnybegood2]

6 minutes ago, elgordo38 said:

Its obvious her thinking did not extend that far party hardy was front and centre in her thinking apparatus. Therein lies the problem Thailand you sometimes get stuck with the odd bad one. Show her the door. 

 

Once again, the odd one here isn't her (we're in 2016, and there's this thing called Facebook Reviews,  which clearly shows who the odd one out is)

Have you been there for healthcare? no , you haven't - so you don't know what you're talking about.

That hospital keeps "testing" the waters on how much they can overcharge and clearly deal with healthcare in a non-professional way.

 

Run a background check on the owners of the hospital.

We work in patterns, he has quite an interesting past already.

(and no, its got nothing humanitarian about it)

 

 

Edited December 13, 2016 by johnnybegood2

[elgordo38]

3 hours ago, Strange said:

Bankruptcy is better than dying is it not?

Seniors beware this could be a future problem you might be facing. Once they stick that ATM needle in your arm be prepared. A lot are not. Myself I like to keep control of my life not hand it over to others. I can remember having a prostate trim in Mexico. Each night the bill had to be settled before treatment continued the next day or it was out to the curb. 

[YeahSiam]

1 hour ago, Johnniey said:

I really can't believe some of the replies here. Young, adventurous people like to have fun. Didn't you go travelling the world when you were young? Many do on a shoestring, after leaving uni, for example. I certainly did and even without insurance but I was involved in making the Haad Rid moon party popular. Back in the mid-late 80's there was only a couple of bar/restaurants and beach bungalows. 40 Bhat a night if I remember right and a meal for 10 baht. Less than 50 people at some of them, then people started coming from Samui to make it more like 100!

 Yes, I got stuck a couple of times and had to go to the embassy and borrow money. Sh1t happens.

Frankly, Thailand was full of much more interesting people when I moved here in 1985. Now with the internet, we have people meeting their wives online and retiring here after 40 years working in a factory or a tax office. Just remember that if it weren't for the hippies in the 60's who came here searching for beautiful beaches and smoking dope and partying, (even some were as outrageous as having kids), you, and most like you would be sitting in a bedsit in Bournemouth or a trailer park in Texas,  or unit in Urunga, waiting for your pension cheque to come in.

I hope when I reach 60, I'll have learned not to judge people. 

 

 

You're forgetting where you're posting.

Many of these people have never screwed up or done something without a safety net preferring, instead, to spend 40 years punching a clock so they could "live the dream" by retiring to a breeze-block McMansion next to a pig farm in Nakhon Nowhere from where they log on to Thaivisa to complain about 90 day reports, being called "falang" by a wife/adopted deadbeat family whose only interest is in their piffling pension and the results of their latest medical check up.

[oldsailor35]

5 hours ago, kingalfred said:

Yeah low life coming to A foreign country pregnant and can't afford to pay medical bills. She didn't know Insurance cover this?

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

Where did it say that she knew that she is pregnant !

[Sooo Upto Me]

13 hours ago, surangw said:

the embassy  won't back up the  citizen in favor of the hospital ?

 

Haha ur funny. 

Embassies don't help people in need.

Only charge extortionate fees for documents. ?

[smedly]

8 minutes ago, elgordo38 said:

so running up a bill you cannot afford is ok...

 

9 minutes ago, elgordo38 said:

Its obvious her thinking did not extend that far party hardy was front and centre in her thinking apparatus. Therein lies the problem Thailand you sometimes get stuck with the odd bad one. Show her the door. 

she didn't run up any bill the hospital did when they thought it would be an insurance claim

 

lets ponder this for a moment

 

She had a 1 night stay in a room - how much ? well I'd guess maybe 2000baht

She had an untrasound - my guess would be 3000 baht

Doctor fee - 1000 x2 ....2000baht

nursing fee - we'll call it 2000baht

 

various medication food etc - 3000baht

 

= a grand total of 12k baht so lets round it up to 20k

 

100k baht seriously

[elgordo38]

7 minutes ago, johnnybegood2 said:

 

Once again, the odd one here isn't her (we're in 2016, and there's this thing called Facebook Reviews,  which clearly shows who the odd one out is)

Have you been there for healthcare? no , you haven't - so you don't know what you're talking about.

That hospital keeps "testing" the waters on how much they can overcharge and clearly deal with healthcare in a non-professional way.

 

Run a background check on the owners of the hospital.

We work in patterns, he has quite an interesting past already.

(and no, its got nothing humanitarian about it)

 

 

Thank you oh omnipotent one. You really have a way with words. 

[Sooo Upto Me]

As much as I feel sorry for this girl as she did take out travel insurance, She should have checked all the small print for exclusions.

Anyway at least the thieving hospital has lost face now it's all over the news.  ???

[johnnybegood2]

Actually. 1 night in that hospital is 10k.

Not joking, caught dengue and ended up staying home drinking lots of water instead. Healed in 4 days.

That would've been at least 40k in insurance claims.

[elgordo38]

1 minute ago, smedly said:

 

she didn't run up any bill the hospital did when they thought it would be an insurance claim

 

lets ponder this for a moment

 

She had a 1 night stay in a room - how much ? well I'd guess maybe 2000baht

She had an untrasound - my guess would be 3000 baht

Doctor fee - 1000 x2 ....2000baht

nursing fee - we'll call it 2000baht

 

various medication food etc - 3000baht

 

= a grand total of 12k baht so lets round it up to 20k

 

100k baht seriously

Read johnnybegood2's reply to me that will set you straight. A bit of lack of decorum but just the facts and nothing but the facts.

[scorecard]

2 hours ago, moe666 said:

I love you guys, the hospital treated the woman for a possible life treating problem and you guys are hung up on the hospital wanting to get paid for services rendered. Will this lowlife girl send money to the hospital for saving her life or will she slag them off as a few posters here have

 

To many people come to Thailand and use the health services here and then cannot pay the bill why do you think they keep the only thing of value these people have, the passport.

 

 

Perhaps the OP and further comments are much more about the total bill? 

[Johnniey]

10 minutes ago, YeahSiam said:

 

You're forgetting where you're posting.

Many of these people have never screwed up or done something without a safety net preferring, instead, to spend 40 years punching a clock so they could "live the dream" by retiring to a breeze-block McMansion next to a pig farm in Nakhon Nowhere from where they log on to Thaivisa to complain about 90 day reports, being called "falang" by a wife/adopted deadbeat family whose only interest is in their piffling pension and the results of their latest medical check up.

Love it!

 

This should go down as Post of the Year!

[smedly]

3 minutes ago, elgordo38 said:

she didn't run up any bill the hospital did when they thought it would be an insurance claim

 

lets ponder this for a moment

 

She had a 1 night stay in a room - how much ? well I'd guess maybe 2000baht

She had an untrasound - my guess would be 3000 baht

Doctor fee - 1000 x2 ....2000baht

nursing fee - we'll call it 2000baht

 

various medication food etc - 3000baht

 

= a grand total of 12k baht so lets round it up to 20k

 

100k baht seriously

 

3 minutes ago, elgordo38 said:

Read johnnybegood2's reply to me that will set you straight. A bit of lack of decorum but just the facts and nothing but the facts.

I have been living in Thailand for 13 years and had dealings with hospitals many times including surgery, Like I said rounded up to 20k and we are talking about this particular case not anyone elses

 

the hospital were taking the p I ss period

[johnnybegood2]

8 minutes ago, elgordo38 said:

Read johnnybegood2's reply to me that will set you straight. A bit of lack of decorum but just the facts and nothing but the facts.

 

Ok, excuse me then for lacking decorum.

Mother Teresa came to Koh Phangan and opened the first western hospital.

Justified prices and spiritual incentives for Hotels and Hostels that send their guests their way.

In addition to a reasonable fee of 10k baht a night. 

(which they'll assure you from the initial moment, 90% of it will be paid by your insurance company)

Heck, they're so righteous and responsible they'll even deal with the insurance company for you.

 

Enough decorum ?

Can we stay on topic here and refrain from criticizing the choice of words used?

Edited December 13, 2016 by johnnybegood2

[chuang]

1 hour ago, johnnybegood2 said:

Perhaps in your social circles many foreigners expect that, that is however your issue. 

 

None of the foreigners I've met in 20 years of coming to Thailand were expecting that.

Some did come however because it is considerably cheaper here, than in the west.

Over hundreds of hospitals in Thailand, yet one, on a small isolated island that constantly raises a red flag.

That hospital has hardly been opened for 2 years.

Yet, the amount of noise and problems it causes are incomparable to any other.

You, among a few more,  prefer to just shoot the messenger instead.

 

Have your Chang, and go to the bar. The internet wasn't invented for you.

 

 

Perhaps in your social circles here all your friends are high end qualities. But I did read in TV many foreigners were unable to pay their dues. 

Edited December 13, 2016 by chuang
I do not need to go to a bar for a Chang, I can have a drink in my lovely home. Sorry for using the Internet I didn't know it was invented for YOU.

[BMW Overlander]

Quote

Friends helped her come up with just 20,000 baht for the treatment after negotiations with the hospital.

 

Some friends....backpackers on tight ass budget.

Edited December 13, 2016 by BMW Overlander

[johnnybegood2]

2 minutes ago, chuang said:

Perhaps in your social circles here all your friends are high end qualities. But I did read in TV many foreigners were unable to pay their dues. 

 

If you've "read it on the TV",  it must be true.

 

Edited December 13, 2016 by johnnybegood2

[JLCrab]

22 minutes ago, YeahSiam said:

 

You're forgetting where you're posting.

<snip>

Same as where you are posting.

[johnnybegood2]

http://firstwesternhospital.healthcare/about-us/

 

What other hospital out there in the world has a paypal link in their about us section?

 

Keep those racist profiling remarks coming. "She's a dumb brit, why did she go to full moon?"

As if it would've been any different if it was an Aussie retiree, a Russian 25 y/o, a German student... Racial profiling goes here.

Reminds me of the Michael Jackson "They don't care about us" song.

Edited December 13, 2016 by johnnybegood2

[smedly]

everybody knows exactly what went on here

 

The hospital was getting unwanted media attention and wanted to make it go away asap, they were caught red handed scamming - it matters not a jot who the patient was

[Strange]

2 hours ago, Johnniey said:

I really can't believe some of the replies here. Young, adventurous people like to have fun. Didn't you go travelling the world when you were young? Many do on a shoestring, after leaving uni, for example. I certainly did and even without insurance but I was involved in making the Haad Rid moon party popular. Back in the mid-late 80's there was only a couple of bar/restaurants and beach bungalows. 40 Bhat a night if I remember right and a meal for 10 baht. Less than 50 people at some of them, then people started coming from Samui to make it more like 100!

 Yes, I got stuck a couple of times and had to go to the embassy and borrow money. Sh1t happens.

Frankly, Thailand was full of much more interesting people when I moved here in 1985. Now with the internet, we have people meeting their wives online and retiring here after 40 years working in a factory or a tax office. Just remember that if it weren't for the hippies in the 60's who came here searching for beautiful beaches and smoking dope and partying, (even some were as outrageous as having kids), you, and most like you would be sitting in a bedsit in Bournemouth or a trailer park in Texas,  or unit in Urunga, waiting for your pension cheque to come in.

I hope when I reach 60, I'll have learned not to judge people. 

 

Not sure if you were directing that at me, or what but I been more or less defending the chick from the local 'hang em high' alcoholics on here. 

 

Totally agree with your post but if ur 3 months pregnant, its time to get your shit together. Maybe she didn't know, maybe she did, but what you clearly miss in your post was unfortunately its not just about her anymore. She has a +1 literally inside her, through her own life choices, and being "young and adventurous" gets put on the back burner. 

 

Its very unlikely she didn't know she was 3 months pregnant. Not saying its impossible, but lets be real, its extremely unlikely, and on that front, Im 100% judging. 

 

The hospital were being total scumbags as well. 

[Johnniey]

Just now, Strange said:

 

Not sure if you were directing that at me, or what but I been more or less defending the chick from the local 'hang em high' alcoholics on here. 

 

Totally agree with your post but if ur 3 months pregnant, its time to get your shit together. Maybe she didn't know, maybe she did, but what you clearly miss in your post was unfortunately its not just about her anymore. She has a +1 literally inside her, through her own life choices, and being "young and adventurous" gets put on the back burner. 

 

Its very unlikely she didn't know she was 3 months pregnant. Not saying its impossible, but lets be real, its extremely unlikely, and on that front, Im 100% judging. 

 

The hospital were being total scumbags as well. 

No, not you directly.

 

Does it say anywhere that she was drinking?

 

I think the post about Fetal Drinking Whatever was highly inappropriate. 

[chuang]

14 minutes ago, johnnybegood2 said:

 

If you've "read it on the TV",  it must be true.

 

If you do not find any true at all why waste your time reading TV......BTW i do no need to go to a bar for a Chang i can have a drink in my lovelyand cosy home here in Chiangmai.....I know the internet wasn't invented for me but probably for YOU.

[johnnybegood2]

Just now, chuang said:

If you do not find any true at all why waste your time reading TV......BTW i do no need to go to a bar for a Chang i can have a drink in my lovelyand cosy home here in Chiangmai.....I know the internet wasn't invented for me but probably for YOU.

 

You're the one who said he read it on the TV, not me. (So its actually you who might be wasting his time)

There's a difference between believing everything than taking it all with a grain of salt.

 

[YeahSiam]

20 minutes ago, Thaidream said:

It's  not the post of the year by any sort- It's a failed attempt to paint those who are retired with the same broad stroke and shows me that the poster knows nothing about Thailand and who is actually retired here and what their former occupations are. Most of the retired people I know from a variety of countries are professional people; retired military or police or others that worked very hard all their lives to support families.  While some maybe conservative or opinionated- that is their right. I may not agree with every opinion but I do not denigrate their background or how they choose to live.

If the poster wants to debate the issue -go for it- otherwise - piss off.

 

Blah blah blah

You clearly missed the bit where I said "Many".

Didn't say "all"

[Strange]

2 minutes ago, Johnniey said:

No, not you directly.

 

Does it say anywhere that she was drinking?

 

I think the post about Fetal Drinking Whatever was highly inappropriate. 

 

No it does not. I never said anything about it, other posters did. I agree its perfectly fine to go on a holiday while pregnant but the problem lies in doing it on a backpackers budget in a 3rd world country and not accounting for the life ur carrying around. 

I also think its perfectly fine to be a backpacker on a small budget, I mean really, who the shit has actually covered their ass to the point of every single possible negative outcome? Nobody. Even the 'hang em high' holier than thou thaier-than-thais on here. 

 

Not a damn thing wrong with being young and broke and traveling on a shoestring budget. 

[johnhw]

15 hours ago, Strange said:

 

Never, EVER, give up that passport. 

 

Single most important thing to a foreigner here in Thailand, second is bug-out cash and credit cards. They get you by the balls (or uterus).

 

Also its a real chickenshit maneuver/probably illegal to take someones only travel document and hold it hostage. Let alone its wasn't even an official person, just hospital people. Pretty pathetic on the hospital and infuriating just reading it. 

 

As for the rest of the topic, well, Full Moon Party, 3 months pregnant, no money..... 

 

Pregnant, teaches overseas w/o med insurance, needs hospital care. Gets it, of course; entitled, superior, white, Western and FEMALE...

Hospitals wants over 100,000 bhat. Reduces  it to 20,000 w/ negotiations, then drops all charges.

Many TV regs here outraged over taking of passport, sleezy hospital, typically Thai,. ....chickenshit maneuver, probably illegal etc etc...

      Infuriating, just reading it.....

[chuang]

Just now, johnnybegood2 said:

 

You're the one who said he read it on the TV, not me. (So its actually you who might be wasting his time)

There's a difference between believing everything than taking it all with a grain of salt.

 

When i read TV i read with an open mind....I think i don't have to be a rocket scientist to differentiate between right and wrong..

This is an interesting forum with people of diverse thinkings..... 

[Thaidream]

The issue isn't about the person and her lifestyle or her morality- it is about the Hospital overcharging and trying to hold her passport to extort the money from her. It also isn't about the attitude or lifestyle of retired people in Thailand.

I will say it for the umpteenth time- Healthcare is a human right. Any caring society should want to take care if its citizens. Money and profit making should never come into the picture. All hospitals should be either government run or not for profit. All Nations in the World should have a National healthcare scheme that takes care of its citizens and residents and if they cannot pay- the Government pays.  If  all Governments would agree to this- the a mechanism of reimbursement can be worked out for those residing or travelling in other countries.

Insurance companies and unregulated pharmaceutical companies are what makes the system worse; highly expensive; and totally profit oriented.