Private hospital in trouble for charging Bt30,000 for diarrhoea

[overherebc]

27 minutes ago, Formaleins said:

There could still be hope! At least it is coming out and into the Public Domain which has to be a good thing.

Bit messy having it come out in the public domain and embarrassing. 

[Asquith Production]

With the increase of farang health insurance, will this mean insurance companies keeping an eye on private hospitals as well as the the internal trade dept?

[XenZen]

everyone said i was the worst for not having insurance.  so i sold my backpack and got insurance.  then i ate some strange seafood noodle soup for 11 baht and immediately the explosion took off my shorts.  straight to the hospital, not covered, 100,000 baht and now everyone tells me i'm dumb for going there, dumb for paying, dumb for eating, and dumb for everything.......now i have super great insurance but this last bar girl caused me to lose a lot of weight and now i have this weird red rash and ..... ahahhahahahahahahah

[CapraIbex]

36 minutes ago, VocalNeal said:

 

Yes. Including the mandatory health insurance for retirees.

It would be acceptable if it wasn't for the outpatients bit., imho.

[Psimbo]

This is one of the reasons I have issues with OPD insurance for some Retirees- the hosps kick the backside out of it. MOst private hospitals would probably have charged upwards of 5k for this even paying cash, Why this person didn't just go to a pharmacy and stock up with Disento and electrolytes though baffles me. No need for hosp with the sh1ts unless it is severe over a few days and dehydration has set in.

[lvr181]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

If convicted, the hospital/its executive will face up to seven years in jail and/or a fine of Bt140,000. 

"...or a fine of Bt400."?? Maybe.   

 

Actually, that price charged would GIVE me the sh$ts (diarrhoea)! 

[kevin612]

When I see something is more expensive than America, it must be overcharged.

[rascalman]

Bleeding Crooks. 

[griffon2011]

 I was charged 49,428 baht for the antibiotic Meropenem for my Thai GF at a BKK private hospital.  A dose consists 1 gram of the drug via a small IV bag. She was administered 2 doses in a 24 hour period.  The drug lists for about 1750 baht per dose on the internet and the price confirmed by a friend who sells pharmaceuticals in Europe. When the nurse came by to have me sign a form for additional drugs I refused and copied the names and checked the price online had her checked out and moved to a government hospital. The cost for 4 days in the hospital for testing and drugs only was 480k baht. The billing never included the quantity of any drugs provides only the total price.  I think a markup from 3500 baht to 49,428 is a bit much.  The American model of health care has arrived in Thailand.

[mmushr00m]

Private hospitals are private businesses, they can charge whatever they like. It's up to the consumer if they want to pay it. There are lots of cheaper government hospitals.

 

[Sticky Wicket]

33 minutes ago, rabas said:

You were lucky nothing was wrong. A 9 year old girl was recently hospitalized overnight in the US for a snake bite and was billed US$142,938. We are rapidly approaching the singularity.

Here's the full story and it seemed to work out ok in the end for the family. Plus a big chunk was for the air ambulance.

It was the vials of anti venom where they were ripped off, by all accounts.

 

https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2019/04/29/717467217/summer-bummer-a-young-campers-142-938-snakebite

[Sticky Wicket]

51 minutes ago, doctormann said:

Been there, done that on a Nile cruise boat.  Similar bathroom design.

If you pee as well at the same time it's called the triple crown!

[ThaiBunny]

1 minute ago, Sticky Wicket said:

Disgusting pigs, scamming people at their most vulnerable

When should they be scammed?

[Chrisswe]

OK Medicine prices in hospitals are TO HIGH compare to the open market, but I sure pay more for the ORGINAL MED than THAI-COPY MED. I also pay more for HIGH SKILLED EXPERIENSED DOCTORS IN PRIVATE HOSPITALS !! I have very bad experience from government hospitals with very low educated (knowledge) Doctors, they can treat animals but not human !!!

[davidst01]

its probably bumrungrad

[Sticky Wicket]

4 minutes ago, ThaiBunny said:

When should they be scammed?

Never!

 

However people aren't thinking rationally when their nearest and dearest are getting treated.

Cost is not at the forefront of the mind as it would be in most other scenarios.

I would imagine people aren't on price comparison sites as their relatives are dying, checking the drugs they are taking and then comparing them with the subsequent bill.

That would be deemed to be pretty cold!

Only when at home would most look at the detailed bill and maybe do some research.

Also we tend to have a general idea of costs of things around us. 

Drugs, medicine being administered in a hospital etc not so much

[Sticky Wicket]

16 minutes ago, mmushr00m said:

Private hospitals are private businesses, they can charge whatever they like. It's up to the consumer if they want to pay it. There are lots of cheaper government hospitals.

 

fair enough for planned surgery etc, but not so easy for emergencies!

 

Maybe have a tattoo on your hand saying in thai 'in case of emergencies take me to the cheapest hospital'

[lagavulin1]

3 hours ago, Snow Leopard said:

Why would you go to the hospital for a simple case of the runs? A pharmacy should be your first call. Of course, if the treatment from the pharmacy doesn't work then it's not really a simple case of diarrhoea, is it?  

I did that years ago. Came out with 7 medicines. They gave me antibiotics and antiprotozoa tablets one of which reacted badly with another medicine and I began hallucinating. Think I'll stay with my doctor ????????????

[zydeco]

[Proboscis]

10 hours ago, YetAnother said:

no problem, that is just 5 more diarrhoes

Enough of that - we will have no more of this remuneration through defecation!

[Graviton]

PRIVATE HEALTH IN MY OPINION IS GROSS. HINT, LOOK FOR A STARBUCKS LOL

[moe666]

2 hours ago, Mangkhut said:

Thai private hospitals are absolutely horrible when it comes to sucking money out of sick people.

 

For a period of time I had problem with outer ear infections. Back home I was treated with cleansing of the ear and then the doc smeared on something that would cure the infection. No antibiotics, and no other medicines. I had to repeat this procedure 2-3 times to get totally rid on the infection.

 

In Thailand - well doc there did the same, cleaned the ear, smeared on something to stop the infection. And then he prescribed 2 different antibiotics, 2 different eardrops, painkillers, antihistamine and 2 more medicines which I dont remember the name of right now. First of all - I didnt get well any faster with all those medicines and remedies I got in Thailand. I had to see the doc another 2-3 times there too. But of course the bill of it all became quite high in the end... 

I told the Dr. here in CM just write down the name of the antibiotic on paper I will not pay 100 dollars for something I can get for 10 dollars. I cannot do that, I told him yes you can because I will not buy what you are selling. He finally said ok. Cost me 100 dollars a day in the hospital for infected leg not a bad price really that was all in.

[Thaiwrath]

4 minutes ago, Chrisswe said:

OK Medicine prices in hospitals are TO HIGH compare to the open market, but I sure pay more for the ORGINAL MED than THAI-COPY MED. I also pay more for HIGH SKILLED EXPERIENSED DOCTORS IN PRIVATE HOSPITALS !! I have very bad experience from government hospitals with very low educated (knowledge) Doctors, they can treat animals but not human !!!

I would like to advise you, that quite a high number of doctors work in both Government AND Private hospitals.

To say doctors who work in Government hospitals are "very low educated (knowledge) Doctors", is a rather ridiculous generalisation, and would suggest, it is you who is low educated in this field. 

[bristolgeoff]

i had this problem in cm once.no hospital just in the room with the toilet nearby.bad food or drink somewhere.in a few days maybe 3 days I think I was fine.that price is over the top but that is the thai  private hospital prices.if you attend the hospital u pay the price

[owenm]

Medical tourism is popular in Thailand due to the standard of international hospitals and many doctors have western training, with many procedures costing half compared to many Western countries.

 

I see a Rheumatologist at a Bangkok hospital every 3 months and have been extremely pleased with the service provided. 500bht for his fee, blood tests to check for elevated inflammation. One hour for blood results, then see the specialist and then to the cashier to settle my 4k bill. Not cheap but acceptable. 

 

If I had a case of the trots back in Oz, first port of call would be your local pharmacy for immodium. If problems continued then a visit to my GP. Blood and stool tests to rule out maybe a parasitic infection, then a script for Fasigyn or Flagyl antibiotics to clear the infection. 

 

In Thailand, if you see a GP, none that I have seen offer pathology testing, only to give you 4 or 5 different pills to take over a week and if one doesn't work, hopefully one of the others will. It's all guess work by over medicating. At times you wonder does this doctor really have the same expertise of Western doctors? 

 

If one goes to a hospital, a public may have a 6 hour wait to see a doctor. An international hospital should be a faster option, and usually one would expect pathology tests of 1-2 hours, see the doctor, discuss the results, and out the door with prescribed meds and issue sorted within a few days and a total bill of a few 1000 Bht. 

 

At least immodium generic I buy for 15bht for 10, and Tinidazole 500mg for many parasitic infections 90bht a course. I do tend to pick-up a parasite infection every couple of months, as does my GF, and self medicating is my choice at times as first call. Always washing meat and veggies in a tub with salt added to try and kill off any bugs etc. 

[ThaiPauly]

My local hospital Chiang Mai Ram charged me 89 baht for one asprin, I brought some more at the chemist for 1 baht each.

 

This is not naming and shaming as this is the price they charge for asprin.

 

Am I being overcharged, I'm sure they would say that I'm not!!

[Megascott]

For Bt30,000 you would think they could spell Diarrhea correctly? Or maybe they actually meant Diarrhoea? Diarrhea of the hoe?

[fullcave]

It's unfortunate but at private hospitals you must negotiate the price first or you will get ripped off every time.

[Tajasia]

6 hours ago, brokenbone said:

i paid 10k some 17 years ago on pattaya memorial hospital.

l wouldn't pay 2000

[Camelot]

Maybe it was dysentery or something far more serious and Accounts only listed the primary symptom. I would like to see a thorough cost and treatment breakdown. "Diarrhoea" can be cashier's shorthand for far worse diseases than simple Bangkok belly.