Tragedy played out on Facebook as sick and uninsured Bangkok expat dies on the way to hospital

[Jonathan Fairfield]

Tragedy played out on Facebook as sick and uninsured Bangkok expat dies on the way to hospital

BANGKOK:-- A foreign man was killed following a road traffic accident on Friday while on the way to hospital to seek treatment for a severely infected leg.

 

Just hours earlier, the dead man identified as Christian Melzer, had posted in the Bangkok & Expats Facebook group asking for help regarding his infected leg.

 

Mr Melzer posted asking for information on which hospital in Bangkok would treat him despite having only social security and no private insurance.

 

"Who can tell me a good, really good hospital which I can visit with Social Security???", the post read.

 

"Never mind in which area in BKK Ort around. I have 6 months to fight with an infection and my hospital (Chalurat 9) not get it away...

 

"I have much pain and I don't know what to do anymore ..."

 

Accompanying the post was a graphic photo of his severely infected leg.

 

Replies to the post urged Mr Melzer to seek urgent medical attention.

 

However, Mr Melzer suggested that he had no money to pay for treatment and no private insurance, saying that it could take a month for social security to pay any medical bills.

 

"Thank you for all the replies, but it seems I also can forget that. Even to change the allowed hospital by the social security take about one month ...

 

"Don't know what I can do more ..."

 

 

While people continued to post advice to Mr Melzer, a Facebook user  posted a video to a Thai news site reporting on the death of a foreign man following a road traffic accident.

 

The news report, which was filmed just hours after Mr Melzer had posted asking for advice about his leg identified him as the victim.

 

Details of the accident remain unclear, however, from the video footage supplied to Thai news site Baabin.com, first responders believe Mr Melzer was riding his motorbike and collided with the side of an overpass, falling to his death.

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2017-2-25

[rkidlad]

Regardless of what you think about him having no insurance, he should have gone to the best and nearest hospital. Doctors swear an oath. 

 

Get treated first and worry later. Life and death should have no price tag.

[watso63]

Problem solved unfortunately, for him at least?

[robertthebruce]

So so sad....poor guy......

 

 

[brianwl]

"Get treated first and worry later. Life and death should have no price tag."

This advice is old as time and DOES NOT WORK.

 

If you go for medical care, they will treat the immediate emergency, but if you have no resources to pay for it, you get no follow up treatment.  Or, you get all your money taken away and can't leave the country until the bill is paid.

 

The Governments of the countries we come from need to work with the Thai Government to ensure medical bills for those using Government insurance like Social Security or Veterans Venefits (in the case of the US) are paid promptly.

[fstarbkk]

No money for health insurance, but riding around on a THB 250K motorcycle. Priorities?

Edited February 25, 2017 by fstarbkk

[jonclark]

Obviously shows how poor the social security scheme is. Quite sad really as so many people rely on it. 

 

Hope the person involved here can find peace in the next life.

[brianwl]

Just now, fstarbkk said:

No money for health insurance, but riding around on a 250K motorcycle. Priorities?

I have can't get health insurance in Thailand because of pre-existing conditions.  

[fstarbkk]

1 minute ago, brianwl said:

I have can't get health insurance in Thailand because of pre-existing conditions.  

Bupa and other companies will issue policies with exclusions for specific pre-existing conditions.

 

Anyway, there's nothing to suggest that Mr. Melzer had tried to get and/or been refused insurance for that reason.

[Casanova666]

7 minutes ago, brianwl said:

I have can't get health insurance in Thailand because of pre-existing conditions.  

Can u get a big motorbike though 

[scotchonrocks]

This is so sad and tragic. It does reinforce the need to have adequate health and accident insurance while travelling there. If he had survived the accident, what would his predicament have been?  

[marinediscoking]

10 minutes ago, fstarbkk said:

No money for health insurance, but riding around on a THB 250K motorcycle. Priorities?

Not sure where you get 250K? Looks to me like a 92 honda cb 400? So you could drop 200K off that estimate. 

 

RIP

[bipper]

30 minutes ago, watso63 said:

Problem solved unfortunately, for him at least?

Thoughtful, respectful, nice.....<deleted> I knew him.

[brianwl]

Just now, Casanova666 said:

Can u get a big motorbike though 

Yes.  I also have first class insurance for it.

 

But if I need medical care for other than an accident, I'm out of pocket for the bill.

 

I have a battle currently going with the US Veterans Administration.  They pay all medical bills if Veterans are in the US, but if we choose to travel or live outside the US,we're screwed.

[humqdpf]

4 hours ago, rkidlad said:

Regardless of what you think about him having no insurance, he should have gone to the best and nearest hospital. Doctors swear an oath. 

 

Get treated first and worry later. Life and death should have no price tag.

There is the world of difference between stabilising a patient and providing a whole treatment plan that includes a long stay in hospital, operations, expensive meds, lab work and expensive scans etc.

 

People from countries where there is a nationalised medical system are under the mistaken impression that anywhere in the world you will be treated if you show up at a hospital. This is not true - believe me, I have worked in the health sector in a number of countries in several continents. 

 

When you arrive at a hospital without insurance and funds, the doctors may well save your life in the short run by stabilising you (in some countries, private hospitals will simply turn you away if you don't have funds or insurance). What happens then depends on local circumstances. Chances are that you will be sent to a cheap local hospital or a charity hospital that does not have the resources in-house to provide the whole treatment program you need but will look after you and continue to stabilise you in a very basic way until either you come up with funds for the expensive procedures and care or you die. 

 

It is always sad to hear that someone thought it was ok to come to a foreign country and engage in a highly risky activity like motorcycle riding without the benefit of any medical insurance.

 

 

[Crash999]

It's only speculation that he was on the way to hospital. Guy had the infection for six months and had already been to the hospital many times. He had posted on Facebook and while some people recommended other hospitals others were posting about herbal remedies and other things. 

 

For all anyone knows he could have just been out for a ride. 

[darksidedog]

Am I the only person wondering if he drove into the wall deliberately?

Clearly he was in much pain and anguish and was feeling desperate.

Going over that parapet is going to end all of that for sure.

[Ratcher]

Very sad story. RIP 

[bipper]

He had government social insurance. The same as any worker in Thailand has. On Thai wages personal BUPA cover was most likely unaffordable for him, unlike the fat armchair keyboard warriors on this site. He was most likely going to a hospital recommended to him by his Facebook biker group who I must say like myself are shocked at this tragic death which was most likely caused by being pushed into a wall by a driver who didn't stop. Christian was an experienced big bike rider. Next time you guys are on the road in your Isuzu or Toyoto Hilux keep your sleepy eyes open for motorcyclists. Much better than spewing <deleted> on this site I read day by day. <deleted>!    

Edited February 25, 2017 by bipper
grammar

[Lannig]

Sorry for the poor guy. He must have been through terrible pain and fear.

Falling seriously sick was my greatest fear while living in the LOS. I was working legally so I had basic health insurance but I knew that wouldn't be enough if something really serious had hit me. And I didn't have money to go to the expensive private hospitals.

 

Side note: am I the only one noticing that almost no driver seems to give a ***** about that car with sirens wailing? No one even slightly trying to facilitate its getting through.

[rkidlad]

9 minutes ago, humqdpf said:

There is the world of difference between stabilising a patient and providing a whole treatment plan that includes a long stay in hospital, operations, expensive meds, lab work and expensive scans etc.

 

People from countries where there is a nationalised medical system are under the mistaken impression that anywhere in the world you will be treated if you show up at a hospital. This is not true - believe me, I have worked in the health sector in a number of countries in several continents. 

 

When you arrive at a hospital without insurance and funds, the doctors may well save your life in the short run by stabilising you (in some countries, private hospitals will simply turn you away if you don't have funds or insurance). What happens then depends on local circumstances. Chances are that you will be sent to a cheap local hospital or a charity hospital that does not have the resources in-house to provide the whole treatment program you need but will look after you and continue to stabilise you in a very basic way until either you come up with funds for the expensive procedures and care or you die. 

 

It is always sad to hear that someone thought it was ok to come to a foreign country and engage in a highly risky activity like motorcycle riding without the benefit of any medical insurance.

 

 

I agree. But getting treated first is the most important thing. Everything else can be sorted later and debated later. 

[bipper]

9 minutes ago, darksidedog said:

Am I the only person wondering if he drove into the wall deliberately?

Clearly he was in much pain and anguish and was feeling desperate.

Going over that parapet is going to end all of that for sure.

Yes you are the only one.

[brianwl]

20 minutes ago, fstarbkk said:

Bupa and other companies will issue policies with exclusions for specific pre-existing conditions.

 

Anyway, there's nothing to suggest that Mr. Melzer had tried to get and/or been refused insurance for that reason.

All companies have people they pay to find a way to connect an illness to a pre-existing condition.  

 

There is no profit in paying medical bills.

[ajarngreg]

 

 I guess he was German, right? 

 

        DHV in Bangkok and Pattaya would have helped him, but only when he was from Germany.

 

      It's very sad to see so many posts where people complain about not having insurance. He had SS and could have gone to another Thai government hospital, even when another one is on his card.

 

   The money would then be reimbursed, or the hospital gets in touch with the Thai SS provider.

 

   A very sad story, my condolences to his family and friends.

 

   Please keep it civil, it could have been your brother, or best friend. 

Edited February 25, 2017 by ajarngreg

[giddyup]

I know of two people personally who both died in Pattaya due to lack of funds to be treated. Both were in their early 60's and had treatable conditions but were too embarassed to seek treatment as charity cases.

[fstarbkk]

1 minute ago, brianwl said:

All companies have people they pay to find a way to connect an illness to a pre-existing condition.  

 

There is no profit in paying medical bills.

Maybe so. But again, what's there to suggest that that is the reason he had no private insurance?

 

Btw.: I've had a private policy for the last 15 years here, with 2 exclusions relating to a prior road accident. So far, the company has always met its obligations with any claims that I filed with them.

[Mook23]

23 minutes ago, Crash999 said:

It's only speculation that he was on the way to hospital. Guy had the infection for six months and had already been to the hospital many times. He had posted on Facebook and while some people recommended other hospitals others were posting about herbal remedies and other things.

Yet another antis resistant bacteria in thailand... this is really becoming dangerous. Their meat and shrimps etc are full with antis, the doctors prescribe antis for a cold, etc. Worrying.

Edited February 25, 2017 by Mook23

[ajarngreg]

1 hour ago, rkidlad said:

Regardless of what you think about him having no insurance, he should have gone to the best and nearest hospital. Doctors swear an oath. 

 

Get treated first and worry later. Life and death should have no price tag.

 

 

 And let all the guys who don't make space for an ambulance car pay a hefty fine.

 

       Nobody seems to care and it could be you in this ambulance, or rescue car when you've only got minutes to get into an ICU of a hospital. 

[catman20]

1 hour ago, rkidlad said:

Regardless of what you think about him having no insurance, he should have gone to the best and nearest hospital. Doctors swear an oath. 

 

Get treated first and worry later. Life and death should have no price tag.

i agree with you but i dont think they would treat him in Thailand with no means to pay.

[ajarngreg]

Just now, catman20 said:

i agree with you but i dont think they would treat him in Thailand with no means to pay.

At any government hospital, they would have helped him and the SS would have paid for it.

 

        It's not hearsay, I had to go to another hospital that wasn't in my province and got my bill reimbursed without any problems.

 

 Thais aren't bad people who let you die in front of a hospital.