Thai Tourism: "Half of foreigners" don't pay their hospital bills; director points finger at three nationalities

[Bluespunk]

3 hours ago, Samui Bodoh said:

How to deal with this issue:

 

1. Add 100 Baht to each plane ticket.

 

OR

 

2. Make it difficult, bureaucratic, nonsensical, stupid and unintelligible in order to make every visitor angry.

 

Which do you think will be chosen?

 

 

Both. 

[Curt1591]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Dr Chalermpong said that the leading reasons tourists sought treatment at Vachira were after injuries during water sports, motorcycle accidents and attack by animals.

Because they are dealing with "emergency" patients, I can now understand how they get treated without prepayment.

However, it sounds like "accident" insurance is needed, not general health insurance. 

And if Vachira Hospital, Phuket, is anything like Vachira ???? Hospital, Dusit, I can also understand why the patients didn't want to pay anything! 

[Thian]

Bitten by animals? Well maybe the tourists thought Thailand would pay the bill if they got bitten by a rabies infested soidog/cat?

 

I can understand that...injections cost 10.000 baht which is also far overpriced.

[torturedsole]

3 hours ago, denishuahin said:

Just a thought, do the 40,000 Thai in the UK pay their hospital bills?  I have always paid my hospital bills luckily not many, but at 73 very hard to get good heath insurance. 

You are naughty and don't appear to be very erudite, unless I'm missing something.  I think you'll find that current settlement visas to the UK come with a very healthy NHS surcharge which is contentious topic all of its own.  

[zydeco]

1 hour ago, mercman24 said:

totally agree with post 18, they were going to add, 100 baht on entry, christ its not even a beer, but the idiots shelved that idea, they would be handsomely in profit, but no, they just want to whinge after the horse has bolted, quite easy to do, if they can harrass us who live here, why not robbing tourists, they have got their names, when they get to the airport just say sorry you cannot fly until you settle your debts , simple

I remember a few years ago that when being treated in Mexico without prior payment, the hospital would handcuff the patient to the bed.

[worgeordie]

How did the non payers even get out of the door.

regards worgeordie

[pattayadgw]

I just wish they would stop all the procrastinating and just do something positive and stop all the WHINGING!!  Add 100 200 baht or whatever to every person coming here to spend time in LOS.  DONE AND DUSTED, COVERED!!!

[StayinThailand2much]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

One major hospital director in Phuket has even said 50% of tourists leave Thailand without paying up (...)

 

Tourists were a burden on the health system, they said, and Thailand was no different (...)

 

Extremely anti-tourist, and xenophobic remarks!!

 

Not all Thailand tourists visit hospitals. If tourists are such a "burden", perhaps Thailand should stop attracting tourists.

 

Speaking of personal experience, in the two instances (in 20 years) that I visited a hospital in Thailand, I was led by staff to the reception counter, then to the doctor. Right after consultation, I was led by staff to the payment counter, to, immediately, pay the bill (for absolutely overpriced medicine, which I could have bought at Boots or Watson's for a fraction of the price!) in cash! At no point did I have the chance to 'slip out without paying my bill'!

 

This, IMHO, is fake news, in order to find a way to force fake (useless) Thailand-issued insurance onto tourists! Go ahead, Thailand, and see how tourist numbers from certain countries will drop...

Edited November 29, 2019 by StayinThailand2much

[Mavideol]

I can't believe what thy claim because (unfortunately) have been to Thai hospital, got the service and when it's time to check out there is always somebody directing me to the cashier, at the government hospital they didn't allow my wife to leave until I show them the payment receipt.... how can it be possible for people to leave without paying, really interested to know so next time I will jump the bill as well

[roo860]

1 hour ago, Soikhaonoiken said:

I can't understand how you can leave the hospital without paying, on the few occasions I have had to visit Bangkok hospital, after treatment I was escorted to the cashiers desk, and they stayed at my side until the account had been settled, and on one occasion I was asked to pay part up front, I can understand if you are taken to hospital and died, yes they can't recover the money. 

Friend of mine was hospitalised in San Paulo hospital Hua Hin, every couple of days he had to pay up for treatment rendered. 

[StayinThailand2much]

3 hours ago, Misterwhisper said:

How hilarious! Two of the three named nationalities are exactly the ones the tourism authorities want to attract in ever larger numbers.

Desired "quality tourists with highest daily spending", but leave without paying their hospital bills...

[Mavideol]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

And half of all patients left without paying their bills.

wonder who said that.... we all know Thai officials are good at manipulating numbers, look at TAT

[StayinThailand2much]

15 minutes ago, pattayadgw said:

I just wish they would stop all the procrastinating and just do something positive and stop all the WHINGING!!  Add 100 200 baht or whatever to every person coming here to spend time in LOS.  DONE AND DUSTED, COVERED!!!

They could easily add it to airport taxes, which would cover most tourists.

[richard_smith237]

22 minutes ago, StayinThailand2much said:

Extremely anti-tourist, and xenophobic remarks!!

 

Not all Thailand tourists visit hospitals. If tourists are such a "burden", perhaps Thailand should stop attracting tourists.

 

Speaking of personal experience, in the two instances (in 20 years) that I visited a hospital in Thailand, I was led by staff to the reception counter, then to the doctor. Right after consultation, I was led by staff to the payment counter, to, immediately, pay the bill (for absolutely overpriced medicine, which I could have bought at Boots or Watson's for a fraction of the price!) in cash! At no point did I have the chance to 'slip out without paying my bill'!

 

This, IMHO, is fake news, in order to find a way to force fake (useless) Thailand-issued insurance onto tourists! Go ahead, Thailand, and see how tourist numbers from certain countries will drop...

 

I'm never escorted anywhere in a hospital. After seeing the Dr. I'm told to go to the payment counter / pharmacist and settle the bill there. 

 

I usually avoid prescribed medication if its something I know I can get myself - I tell the Dr. I have some already at home etc.

 

When my Wife, Son or I have previously had inpatient treatment we've had the hospital sort the bill out with direct settlement with insurance, it would be very difficult to leave without sorting this out. 

 

On my Past 3 out patient visits, I told the cashiers that I didn't want to pay until the final checkup (i.e. 3 visits over 2 weeks), they had no issues with me paying at the end. 

 

Thus: my conclusion is, it could be easy to walk away from Out patient treatment without paying. Walking away from In Patient treatment without paying looks much more difficult (not that I'd want to). 

 

 

[BritManToo]

1 hour ago, Myran said:

Read again – they are two separate statements, the first referring to the entire health system and the second a single hospital

I'n not sure all the white folk in Thailand could run up a 448Mbht hospital bill.

[Aforek]

they prefer to take money from retirees than from tourists, they are afraid that tourists will not come back

the government was able to take a law for O-A visa, not difficult to do the same for tourism

as said above, 100 bahts more for airport taxe and they resolve the  problem ( and leave the stupid O-A law of course, most problems come from tourists ) many retirees have already an insurance 

[BritManToo]

45 minutes ago, Curt1591 said:

However, it sounds like "accident" insurance is needed, not general health insurance. 

Insurance wouldn't work, they always exclude risky activities, so m/c accidents and water sports aren't covered. 

[BritManToo]

31 minutes ago, StayinThailand2much said:

If tourists are such a "burden", perhaps Thailand should stop attracting tourists.

I think they're already solved that one.

[overherebc]

2 hours ago, WalkingOrders said:

Then they would have to pick up the tab if someone trips over a crack in the sidewalk, an irregular height step, an exposed electrical wire shock, I guess the list could be endless, but as this isn't really a society filled with a million lawyers to plead the case I think it's doubtful. But I rather like living in a society not filled with a million lawyers. 

I do see your point.

Seems we all are living in a world where whatever happens it must be someone else's fault.

Edited November 29, 2019 by overherebc

[Curt1591]

34 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Insurance wouldn't work, they always exclude risky activities, so m/c accidents and water sports aren't covered. 

I've always been covered, motorcycle or whatever. Maybe someone should find better insurance. 

[vivananahuahin]

i read every day,Chinese drown,Russian drown,have they insurance,who pay the hospital?

[Wanpi]

50,000baht would only cover relatively minor hospital visits in any country.  I suspect most of the absconders are tourists and not those residing for a long time in Thailand however it is the long stayers (retirees etc) who are being penalised

[Skallywag]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

all tourists will have to have travel insurance when visiting the kingdom.

Travel insurance should be required for anyone visiting any country in the world. 

Whats the big deal Thailand?

Just Do It

 

[Skallywag]

5 minutes ago, vivananahuahin said:

i read every day,Chinese drown,Russian drown,have they insurance,who pay the hospital?

No hospital bills when dead.  just need to dig a hole in the ground 555

[vivananahuahin]

Just now, Skallywag said:

No hospital bills when dead.  just need to dig a hole in the ground 555

first the hospital in the fridge and then autopsy in the police hospital in Bangkok,is it free of charge?

[ICELANDMAN]

Tic Tac Tic Tac Tic Tac, the time is go more short.

liar and liar and liar, nice work from lobbing company Thai insurances

[Jimbo53]

4 hours ago, metempsychotic said:

having worked in and arounds healthcare for over 10 years in thailand, this is utter dross. run away rates are far lower than that.

these numbers have to be down to poor management and process.

 

if a customer is treated and billed efficiently, there is not time to consider running away.

if it is taking half the day to come up with a bill, people simply wont wait around.

 

something as simple as taking card information at registration stops runaways dead.

 

Who comes up with these figures..The Tooth Fairy??? Every time i have been to a hospital in Pattaya,nothing gets done before they get some form of deposit,or proof of a valid insurance,seems liķe Brown Envelope Syndrome to me!

[ChipButty]

I dont believe a word of that <deleted> Ive had to visit the hospital twice in the last couple of weeks and they are right on you to pay complete utter B/S

[zydeco]

1 hour ago, Aforek said:

100 bahts more for airport taxe and they resolve the  problem

In six months, they would come to regard that money as naturally theirs--for the privilege of visiting Thailand. Then they would turn around and start complaining about hospital bills again. Guarantee it.

[ramrod711]

I'm not sure how people get away without paying. My sister and brother in law came for a visit a few years ago. He broke his hip, ended up in Ram hospital in Chiang Mai. He was going to end up with an overstay so my sister asked for his passport back so that she could take it to immigration. The hospital would not let her have it, they took her and the passport to immigration in a van and then immediately took it back into their custody until the hospital bill was paid. No chance of them leaving the country without paying.