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

[brianwl]

Just now, Dan5 said:

It used to be that veterans could get treated in Bangkok. There was one specific hospital that was used, but I can't remember the name. Has something changed?

I don't know.  I'm in Hua Hin about 3 hours away from BKK.

[catman20]

1 hour ago, ajarngreg said:

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. 

really try telling that to my tenant who racked a bill up of a 100,000 baht they asked me whos going to pay his bill i said i dont know the next thing i was told by the British embassy was they switch his life support off as no one came forward.

still i dont suppose throwing good money after was was a good idea for them.

[elgordo38]

2 minutes ago, LannaGuy said:

all true but hope and wish you are never in that position - stay safe

For the sake of disclosure I have health insurance from my home country that is a benefit of the work I did for 30 years. The only problem being I must pay up front and wait for a stalling insurance company to process my claims and put my money in my bank account. Their latest tactic is that they have not received my claims mailed over 6 weeks ago.  I can foresee the day if I have medical problems I will have to take out a short term loan. Yes LannaGuy I try to stay safe and ahead of the curve. I have many retirement friends here that believe in spending it all and no stash for a rainy day. Good thing the finish line is not all that far away. Mercy me. 

[moe666]

2 hours ago, bipper said:

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>!    

You posted a very good post except for the attacks on other posters who you do not know, respect your friend with respect to others

[elgordo38]

17 minutes ago, yardrunner said:

depends on his circumstances, when i came to Thailand i tried to get insurance but was refused due to age and preexisting condition

Good luck to you I think your rolling the dice especially with a preexisting condition but each to their own. Its your life your decision. Us gofundme as a last resort I guess. 

[freebyrd]

2 hours ago, brianwl said:

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

+1.....of many many more I would think.

[TSF]

Thailand's gov hospitals are so cheap. Anyone can go and receive good medical care. A couple years ago I was sitting in my car in Nong Khai and I got chest pains. I went immediately to the Nong Khai gov hospital, within 5 minutes they had completed the admission form and had me on a stretcher and took me for an EKG. After the EKG I was examined by a doctor. Fortunately for me it was a false alarm and I had only suffered a muscle spasm not a heart related problem.

 

I couldn't have expected faster medical attention anywhere and the bill was 300 Bt.

[freebyrd]

9 minutes ago, elgordo38 said:

Good luck to you I think your rolling the dice especially with a preexisting condition but each to their own. Its your life your decision. Us gofundme as a last resort I guess. 

 

Once we get to a 'certain age', don't we all roll the dice every day, one way or another? Re-locating back to the UK to grab a few more years/weeks/days has no attraction for me, that alternative is actually worse than the prospect of death.

Edited February 25, 2017 by freebyrd

[Dan5]

4 minutes ago, freebyrd said:

+1.....of many many more I would think.

The insurance companies generally just exclude the existing conditions.

[elgordo38]

1 minute ago, freebyrd said:

 

Once we get to a 'certain age', don't we all roll the dice every day, one way or another? Re-locating back to the UK to grab few more years/weeks/days has no attraction for me, that alternative is actually worse than death.

I concur and thus your avatar. 

[Dan5]

2 minutes ago, elgordo38 said:

I concur and thus your avatar. 

I think I know what you mean though I'm from the USA. I'll never go back.

[Grubster]

2 hours ago, brianwl said:

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.

I have fought that battle too and lost miserably. If you are retired military then you can get Tri-care and it works here, you can get reimbursed for service connected issues through FMP in Denver, but they are a stickler on how the medical reports are filled out by the Doctor/hospital so you need to find a hospital like AEK in Udon that is familiar with this process. Then you are required to pay with a credit card that I don't have to prove your payment. I guess we should have chosen the Philippines as they have a VA clinic/hospital there that we are not allowed to go use. Good luck and please respond if you know anything good about this.

[Revolutionary]

To be a little sarcastic he is lucky his social security would cover it even if it takes a month. From Australia you get nothing . You can work all your life and have Medicare coverage only in Australia. Unlike some countries which cover their citizens Australia give you nothing.

[freebyrd]

4 minutes ago, Dan5 said:

The insurance companies generally just exclude the existing conditions.

"You've had a stroke, have AF, Type 2 diabetes, so we don't cover and also cancer because you've had/have these." So I just enjoy each day of relatively OK health. BTW, I'm in Cambodia and camping out spitting distance from a hospital has never been a priority for me. As I've posted on other threads, when my time is up it's up........

[kensisaket]

There is a reason for the minimum income/money in the bank requirement.  

 

[Dan5]

3 minutes ago, kensisaket said:

There is a reason for the minimum income/money in the bank requirement.  

 

What is that?

[YeahSiam]

Frankly, I think that once you're over 70, hospitals should be under no obligation to treat you if you don't have insurance.

People are supposed to live, grow old, become sick and then die - extending life at all costs is BS; euthanasia should be decriminalised.

Uninsured, infirm old people are a massive, massive burden on the healthcare system.

If you have the funds to cover your care past 70, then live on, bro - but if you don't, it shouldn't be the state's responsibility to keep you ticking over.

[dotpoom]

My wife and myself have been having problems of late resulting in my now living alone.....It is no comfort reading stories such as what this poor man has been going through. One of the worst feelings in the world is the feeling of "loneliness" and the knowledge that if something were to happen (as in this case) you would not have an ounce of support from any source.....to keep you strong.

   We should all, including myself, be ready and willing to give more support than just words when one of us is in dier straights. I'm saying this to myself more than anyone else.

[hdkane]

3 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.

Will a doctor actually treat someone with no money, especially a foreigner?  Years ago, I knew a Russian woman here, and she was involved in a motorcycle accident in Bangkok.  The hospital allowed her to occupy a bed, but would not set or operate on her broken legs until she was able to pay.  She remained there for almost 2 weeks before raising the funds.  Was this an aberration? 

[kensisaket]

16 minutes ago, Dan5 said:

What is that?

To pay for having your head removed from your A**. By the way, good luck with that.

[Thaidream]

RIP to the deceased. He had insurance but it appears the doctors who treated him could not properly provide the correct treatment. He definitely should have been referred to specialist.

Healthcare must be deemed a human right and there must be a United Nations agreement to this effect that no person in any country regardless of nationality will ever be denied medical care due to lack of funds. If there was such an agreement any hospital in Thailand could have the right to bill the country of origin. What is so difficult about this?

The insurance companies and Big Pharma are part of a Worldwide problem in which people are dying and they do not have to. Medical care is becoming expensive everywhere because it is a money making business and governments are not doing their job of stopping the completely unnecessary rising costs.

The US  where I am from is one of the worst offenders. I paid into the Medicare system for 50 years and they refuse to authorize its use anywhere in the World except the US and when you move abroad refuse to return your contribution to the fund. Healthcare in America is the most expensive in the World- so when people are treated abroad it is much cheaper for the Medicare fund yet they refuse to approve it.  This is an example of how big insurance; big Pharma and the politicians who take their money are being completely irresponsible and in my opinion immoral.

No person in the World should ever die from lack of medical care. Governments have plenty of money to buy the weapons of war yet deny their residents their inalienable right to life.

 

[freebyrd]

3 minutes ago, hdkane said:

Will a doctor actually treat someone with no money, especially a foreigner?  Years ago, I knew a Russian woman here, and she was involved in a motorcycle accident in Bangkok.  The hospital allowed her to occupy a bed, but would not set or operate on her broken legs until she was able to pay.  She remained there for almost 2 weeks before raising the funds.  Was this an aberration? 

The hippocratic oath means nothing to Hi-So Khon Thai Jai Dee medical practitioners in just the same way as only lip service is paid to many other things in the Land of a Thousand (+) Selfish bureaucratic types.

[Chip Allen]

Some of the poorest countries in South America provide health insurance plans that expats can buy into. They average 60 USD per month. Thailand cannot seem to do this, despite having more expats, who contribute to the economy.

[redwinecheese]

2 minutes ago, Chip Allen said:

Some of the poorest countries in South America provide health insurance plans that expats can buy into. They average 60 USD per month. Thailand cannot seem to do this, despite having more expats, who contribute to the economy.

Because Thailand is a rip off paradise lol

[Thaidream]

Mexico is a country where many thousands of American Expats live and after a certain period in residence- they can buy into the Mexican Social Security scheme and get universal treatment the same as a citizen of Mexico.  What is so hard for governments to understand about allowing its non citizen residents to have healthcare. In fact the more people who are paying into the social security healthcare scheme- the cheaper it is for everyone. I will say it again and keep saying it- Healthcare is a basis human right  regardless of money; ethnic origin; race; religion; etc.

 

[the guest]

3 hours ago, robertthebruce said:

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

 

 

Exactly, foreigners should be banned coming to Thailand without the proper insurance.

Thais cannot enter Europe without Insurance so it should be reciprocal.

[Thaidream]

The people who should be banned are those that refuse to provide treatment to any human being that needs it whether they have money or not.  Medical doctors; hospitals; drug companies etc should not be making a profit out of the misery they should be assisting to relieve. Where is the basic human decency  and morality in the World? Where are the religious leaders that should be championing healthcare as a human right? Where are the World's leaders who should be calling for a Worldwide conference to solve this issue?

 

Edited February 25, 2017 by Thaidream

[billd766]

3 hours 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.

 

There are better, cheaper and far less painful ways to end your life than riding your bike into a wall with no guarantee of death at the end of it.

 

Being that I have never met him or know anything about him I believe that he was riding out somewhere and possibly the severe pain from his leg could be a factor in the accident.

 

However, like you I was not there, nor am I a qualified doctor or psychiatrist capable of deciding how fit he was physically or mentally.

 

 

[Dan5]

25 minutes ago, kensisaket said:

To pay for having your head removed from your A**. By the way, good luck with that.

What is your problem?? What  jerk. What i was referring to is it likely has nothing to do with medical care. It's first to make it less likely you are working here illegally and second so you bring money into the country. Do you really think people could pay medical bills on the minimum 65K Baht/month? 

[TravelerEastWest]

3 hours 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.

Not very helpful information as a number of pre existing conditions such as heart disease and diabetes will basical give cause to not pay for almost all diseases and accident insurance is normally relatively inexpensive and can be purchased on its own.