Claim centres to track down tourists who skip hospital bills

[david555]

So ....now you start seeing the connection with the new money requirements for ret.Ext.  money must kept in bank full800k for 5 month's and after 400 k …?

Next shall be just a fixed guarantee deposit until you leave ….dead or alive 

[Gecko123]

I just hope the collection agencies realize from the start that breaking knee caps and twisting arms to force people to pay unpaid medical bills would be a counter-productive strategy.

[JackThompson]

30 minutes ago, Sealbash said:

1 hour ago, evadgib said:

During a recent routine appointment my wife was told that the cost of dialysis is double for ferangs.

A nurse at Bangkok Pattaya hospital told me it is the same price.

At state-hospitals we often pay a rate which subsidizes care for Thais.  Thais receive "30 Baht" care, for many things.  For some services, the price may be the same for both.

 

At private hospitals, everyone pays to cover the cost of care, plus dividends to the stockholders. 

[connda]

Since when do Thai hospitals clear a patient to leave the premise without paying their bill?

[connda]

4 minutes ago, Father Fintan Stack said:

Of course for retirees they could just debit some of the 800,000thb straight out of their Thai bank account. Problem solved and up to the retiree if they are able or wish to replenish those funds upon visa renewal.

Except the retirees can no long debit that money for three months after the extension and two month before.  Murphy's Law states that a retiree will have their medical emergency right in that window of time.

[SunsetT]

5 hours ago, rodney earl said:

After being ripped off by a hospital in Khon Kaen over a long period for 3 operations for the same thing and finally going home and getting the problem fixed in 2 weeks and no operation was needed. I have had enough and I am going home for good where medical care is soo much better and soo much cheaper.!!!

But was this a government or private hospital?

[fouryesrs]

5 hours ago, ChipButty said:

Your lying there half dead on the trolley and the first words, How do you want to pay?

same like in the usa...the ambulance dont pick u up if u dont show your credit card...a natural normal procedure..and who the hell cares if u die ? really nobody...money talks...so simple and not surprising

[Gecko123]

1 hour ago, Father Fintan Stack said:

Retirees should be made to provide evidence of mandatory health insurance given their age and the fact that their health is in decline as they get older both on visa application and annual renewal. 

 

If they cannot afford to pay or don't have the insurance their right to stay is revoked / denied.

 

I don't see a problem here and as others have stated if you are here on retirement then you should be planning for this eventuality going forward. 

You don't have any sympathy for people who are saying "it would have been nice if you had told me that before I moved here"??? You're not at all concerned that people who are on fixed incomes are suddenly being told, 'Oh, by the way, you now need to take out health, accident, and life insurance, leave 800K in the bank for 5 months out of the year, and 400K the remaining 7 months, and if you stay overnight in a neighboring province, you have to come to immigration with your landlord the second you return from your trip???'

 

None of this strikes you as intrusive? How about if they require an annual certificate from a doctor saying you are in excellent health or have no sexually transmittable diseases? How about a requirement that you have to be Buddhist? Or have to pass an annual "personality test" administered by an immigration officer? Or your wife has to vouch for your character each year? Or you have to have regular bowel movements if you expect to enjoy the privilege of living here? At what point will you decide enough is enough?

[SunsetT]

4 hours ago, ChipButty said:

Some years ago here in Phuket the hospital said he had cancer so millions of Baht later after the op's when he was well enough to fly home UK they said he didnt have cancer, shower of b@st@rds here

Government or private hospital?

[moontang]

the motorbike rental industry gives a lot of credibility to the gun industry.

[zydeco]

They can always do what Mexico does. Lock up the patient and don't let them out until they pay. Or the American way: just give it all away for free.

[jonclark]

1 hour ago, DLock said:

 

Nope.

 

I can afford and happy to pay for myself, and expect everyone else to pay for themselves.

 

I am not in favor of socialism or me supporting deadbeats.

 

If you can't afford to live here, just go home. 

Conversely I too can and do pay for myself. But I am in becoming increasingly in favour of socialism (when we consider how a capitalist approach has created such sharp divides in the planets wealth) . As such I do not see a persons value as equal to the size of their wallet and would not consider a person a 'deadbeat' just for being less financially able. 

 

I will now wait for the "well you pay for em then"  comment which invariable follows. 

 

Its not about nor should it ever be, about dividing people into the haves / have not's. It should be about finding a long-term and sustainable outcome that allows the maximum number of people to be part of a solution. 

 

 

[SunsetT]

I have had out patient treatment in both State and Private hospitals. In the State hospital one is given the bill and directed to go to the cashiers and pay, so could have done a runner. In the Private hospitals I was escorted everywhere by a short-skirted dolly bird including to the cashier to pay BEFORE being escorted to the hospital pharmacy to collect my medicaion. If State hospitals similarly escorted patients to pay before leaving, I think most bills would be paid.

 

.....Perhaps handcuffed to a short-skirted hirsute muscle-bound katoi.....lol....555.

[mommysboy]

Hospitals have been running a two-tiered pricing system for years, so sick farang has been more than covering his cost, but of course it's still not enough- it never is. 

[mommysboy]

1 hour ago, DLock said:

 

Nope.

 

I can afford and happy to pay for myself, and expect everyone else to pay for themselves.

 

I am not in favor of socialism or me supporting deadbeats.

 

If you can't afford to live here, just go home. 

Nice- it's saying something when something when someone confuses social welfare with socialism.

 

Trouble is, like millions back home, they can't afford to live there either!

[finnishmen]

normal western country have only need pay fee  if come in hospital, about 500-1000 B thailand, no need pay other bill, maybe medicines only. same in thailand no need pay hospital bill if not want, stupid pay, you country have rule need pay only fee and thats all, same can do in thailand. if thais not understand thats newermind learn how normal european human live and rules have. this is normal world not abeland world and rules. stupid american system not have normal human system, only idiot like us system no money no care. ewery people have right can live and ewery doctor have rule need help people who have accident etc. anybody not can stay die to street. or if do thats not have human country.

[mommysboy]

It's very simply solved by adding an insurance premium to the long stay visas.  It needn't be fully comprehensive cover- just on inpatient bills over 100k at a government hospital.  I would guess the cost at 15,000 baht per head.  

[CMNightRider]

2 hours ago, wwest5829 said:

I'm thinking that many of the debtors have either left or will be forced out by the new enforcement of income for marriage/retirement extensions.

I think you are right ????

[Nanaplaza666]

So if they don't have proper debt collection, i geuss they can give me a workpermit and i will collect for them for 10% of the total collected, seems like they are saying they don't have the proper thais to collect ,so must be a job a foreigner can get a workpermit for . 

[ebean001]

There are 35,000,000 tourist a year in Thailand. They owe 300,000,000 in unpaid medical bills.

That comes out to 8.5 bahts or about .25 cents US. What is the problem?

This is the problem. Tourist have insurance. They happily go on vacation to a foreign country. Ooops they do not realize (or they do realize) their insurance is no good in a foreign country. They get sick/accident and are not ready to pay a few hundred thousand bahts.

I would not suggest a solution because it would take much calculations but it seems to me all countries need to provide automatic travel insurance on all tourist VISA.

A solution can be as simply as paying 200b to have your tourist visa stamped…no pre-conditions will be covered. Same with retirement VISA, etc. pay for health care.

(P.S. I know many scammers might try to abuse the system but smart people can write rules to stop that from happening for the most part).

Another PS. How many countries do not warn their visitors that the air will make you sick, street food can put you in hospital, motorcycle/jet skis/etc. are dangerous, etc?

 

 

[sawadee1947]

6 hours ago, YetAnother said:

i see, so expats without insurance, many of whom won't know this new requirement beforehand , will be turned away and die at the front-door of the hospital; nice look for thailand

Nonsense, you will be informed and asked when you in contact with immigration (90 days or extension).

 

[scubascuba3]

"they and other foreigners planning to stay in Thailand for one year would be able to buy up to Bt40,000 worth of outpatient coverage and Bt400,000 of inpatient coverage"


Why can't a farang have 440,000 baht in the bank ready for medical issues? which is equivalent to the insured amount but with no stitching up on premiums

[ebean001]

23 minutes ago, Nanaplaza666 said:

So if they don't have proper debt collection, i geuss they can give me a workpermit and i will collect for them for 10% of the total collected, seems like they are saying they don't have the proper thais to collect ,so must be a job a foreigner can get a workpermit for . 

They have probably returned home and you have no leverage over them. 300,000,000 is on 8.5b per tourist. It should be considered a 'cost of business' and ignored. A system should be in place to play for this...like 100b upon getting a tourist visa

[scubascuba3]

I heard they are going to make us all get veterinarian medical insurance. We are treated like dirty animals anyway. 

Going to the vets is cheaper anyway, maybe we should go there? rabies vaccine only 50 baht

[scubascuba3]

And here comes the mandatory overpriced Health Insurance with no choice of company or coverage

If it comes in i for one will switch to tourist visas for 6 mths a year

[zydeco]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

“We’re also thinking about making insurance mandatory for elderly foreigners who retire to Thailand. Otherwise the state hospitals will again be carrying the burden.”

And since most insurance has exclusions and non-coverage for pre-existing conditions, how will having insurance solve the problem for the things most likely to afflict retired foreigners? 

[fforest1]

6 minutes ago, ebean001 said:

They have probably returned home and you have no leverage over them. 300,000,000 is on 8.5b per tourist. It should be considered a 'cost of business' and ignored. A system should be in place to play for this...like 100b upon getting a tourist visa

This would help not hurt public enemy #1 the retired pensioner .....So it will never happen...

[bobthomas]

7 hours ago, YetAnother said:

i see, so expats without insurance, many of whom won't know this new requirement beforehand , will be turned away and die at the front-door of the hospital; nice look for thailand

You clearly have no clue about how things are in Thailand. Every Hospital is different. Every injury and the care required are different, come what may, the only thing that remains constant is that every day is different. There are no absolutes.

[Morty T]

The key here is government hospitals. Private hospitals (Bangkok, Samit) will demand a credit card on arrival. No card, no service. Free ride to the nearest government Hospital. 

[bobthomas]

19 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

"they and other foreigners planning to stay in Thailand for one year would be able to buy up to Bt40,000 worth of outpatient coverage and Bt400,000 of inpatient coverage"


Why can't a farang have 440,000 baht in the bank ready for medical issues? which is equivalent to the insured amount but with no stitching up on premiums

Won't last you Seven days in an expensive hospital, where in all probability you must get to within minutes of a true emergency situation. To name but a few, accident in a motor, Heart attack, stroke, etc.