Cost of Medical Care in Thailand

[Londoner]

That's right, squeeze more money out of the poor and line the pockets of the billionaires. Let 'em die. After all  we made good money out of our colonialism and imperialism and they are no longer of any use to us now.

By the way, I can't remember "paying" for the establishment of the NHS- it was before I was born- but like 90% plus of the UK public I am now benefiting in my advancing years from the efforts of the Socialist government after WW2. I'm also aware that the disdain of the Conservatives for the NHS and desire to underfund it-how many of their MPs deign to use it when they can afford to pay extra to jump the queue?- has made us rely on staff from Africa, Asia and the Caribbean for many years.   

[vinapu]

58 minutes ago, gerefan said:

...and pay for it like we have had to?

we pay because it's what money is for and we as societies have it so far

[spoon]

 

Cant helped sharing this video that somehow put some of the points mentioned here regarding how expensive healthcare in the US and well, this video owner clearly try to say NHS is great. Hehe.

[kokopelli]

When I receive medical treatment in USA the cost is next to nothing. Maybe $15 as a copay whether to a doctor or a hospital.

[spoon]

1 hour ago, kokopelli said:

When I receive medical treatment in USA the cost is next to nothing. Maybe $15 as a copay whether to a doctor or a hospital.

I guess it depends on how good of an insurance you have there. A friend of mine, had a baby in the US, still have to forked out 5K usd after insurance covered most of the expense. Of course his daughter had to be in the NICU, which is already a 3k/day cost alone. 

When i studied there, my University bluecross insurance only covers 80% of total bill, when my sponsorship wouldve covered me for 100% insurance policy instead but the University is forcing the blue cross insurance policy on us if we want to use the on campus medical facilities... Im fortunate enough to go through 4 years there without a visit to the hospital at all, but few of my friends isnt and one particular guy i remember had to have his wisdom teeth removed, and stucked with a 3k usd bill for the procedure after insurance coverage. 

[kokopelli]

I had forgotten about routine dental insurance! It is not covered under my plan although accidental damage to teeth is covered. (I think).  Otherwise my insurance, which I don't pay for, covers just about everything. 

[vinapu]

7 hours ago, kokopelli said:

  Otherwise my insurance, which I don't pay for, covers just about everything. 

That's great to be on right side of equation. But if would be greater if we can say ' otherwise everybody has   insurance which covers just about everything "

[reader]

I've used a few private hospitals in Bangkok as the need arose over the years and have received what I consider very good service and--in most cases--equal or superior to what I might expect to find at home. And at costs significantly less. I've also taken young men to these hospitals for out-patient care they couldn't otherwise afford.

The only area of health care that concerns me is a tendency to over prescribe medications. All of the hospitals I've used have in-house pharmacies that are important profit centers so there is an incentive to to write script for those pharmacies. Thai doctors seem more accustomed to write prescriptions without explaining much about the medications to the patient. But since they all speak English will--if questioned--have a dialogue with you.

A law passed last year requires hospitals to provide patients with a script that can be used at the pharmacy of their choice outside of the hospital where more competitive pricing can be found. You just have to ask.

I've been very satisfied with the service and pricing at the pharmacies on Rama IV. They're clustered in the block between Silom and Surawong. They're located across the road from King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital (and medical school), considered one of the best in the Kingdom. The Chula Pharmacy is the only name I can recall at the moment. It's particularly busy around lunch time but handles the crowds efficiently. 

[TotallyOz]

54 minutes ago, reader said:

I've used a few private hospitals in Bangkok as the need arose over the years and have received what I consider very good service and--in most cases--equal or superior to what I might expect to find at home. And at costs significantly less. I've also taken young men to these hospitals for out-patient care they couldn't otherwise afford.

The only area of health care that concerns me is a tendency to over prescribe medications. All of the hospitals I've used have in-house pharmacies that are important profit centers so there is an incentive to to write script for those pharmacies. Thai doctors seem more accustomed to write prescriptions without explaining much about the medications to the patient. But since they all speak English will--if questioned--have a dialogue with you.

A law passed last year requires hospitals to provide patients with a script that can be used at the pharmacy of their choice outside of the hospital where more competitive pricing can be found. You just have to ask.

I've been very satisfied with the service and pricing at the pharmacies on Rama IV. They're clustered in the block between Silom and Surawong. They're located across the road from King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital (and medical school), considered one of the best in the Kingdom. The Chula Pharmacy is the only name I can recall at the moment. It's particularly busy around lunch time but handles the crowds efficiently. 

I do have friends that swear by those pharmacies. They use them all the time.

I love that the doctors here prescribe medications fast. It makes it easy for those of us that like to feel that medicine can cure all.

[Guest]

On 12/8/2019 at 1:50 PM, kokopelli said:

When I receive medical treatment in USA the cost is next to nothing. Maybe $15 as a copay whether to a doctor or a hospital.

From what I read, medical care in the US costs something close to 20% of GDP.  Way above comparable countries with their private, state and private or state systems.

Whilst you might not directly pay this, you will probably have been indirectly paying for some of it via various means.   Companies like Wallmart, Starbucks, Microsoft, Ford and so on have to charge enough for their products to cover healthcare benefits.

[Londoner]

You are better off being sick in Cuba, despite sixty years of Yankee sanctions. Particularly if you are Black.

[reader]

4 hours ago, Michael said:

I love that the doctors here prescribe medications fast. It makes it easy for those of us that like to feel that medicine can cure all.

They're like the mamasans who know the perfect off before you can get "I'm looking for..." out of your mouth. LOL

[reader]

2 hours ago, Londoner said:

You are better off being sick in Cuba, despite sixty years of Yankee sanctions. Particularly if you are Black.

Since I assume that you've been to Cuba and speak from experience, you must know what you're talking about. But I'm inclined to think that Cuba treats all of its citizens well.

Sixty years is a long time, I agree. However, the fact that Cuba allowed  Russia to place nuclear-tipped missiles 90 miles off the coast of Key West might have played a role in the sanctions.

It was about 78 years ago, with the Nazis amassing forces 26 miles off the UK coast, that the US sent hundreds of thousands of troops to your shores along with thousands of aircraft and ships to help repel them. A small matter I know. Just thought I'd mention it.

[vinapu]

8 hours ago, reader said:

 

Sixty years is a long time, I agree. However, the fact that Cuba allowed  Russia to place nuclear-tipped missiles 90 miles off the coast of Key West might have played a role in the sanctions.

 

imperialistic propaganda at it's best, whole world has changed only Great Britain has still the same queen and has still the same sanctions 3 generations  after nukes were removed

[Londoner]

Russia and the US are now allies - or so Trump claims-  so why punish innocent Cubans for historical events? Are only  US nuclear bases permissible? There are hundreds of them,particularly around Iran. And the US remains the only country to have actually used them.

By the way, memory suggests that the Russian ships turned-back before delivery, thereby saving all of our lives here in the UK.

[reader]

3 hours ago, Londoner said:

Russia and the US are now allies - or so Trump claims-  so why punish innocent Cubans for historical events? Are only  US nuclear bases permissible? There are hundreds of them,particularly around Iran. And the US remains the only country to have actually used them.

You can be excused for forgetting that both the US and the UK were allies with Russia in WWII. 

Trump may like to think of the Putin as a present day ally but neither house of Congress does. And Congress has the final say on that.

US bases around the world are there at the request of the host nations. Perhaps you'd feel better if they hosted Russian air bases instead?

We both know if the UK had nukes when bombs were falling on the island they would have used them.The US was the first to use them because they were the first (barely ahead of the nazis) to develop them. Or perhaps you would have preferred that the nazis got them first?

You like to bash anything American when it's convenient. But you forget that it was America that bailed you out of two wars and will be the first nation you go to if shit hits the fan again.

3 hours ago, Londoner said:

By the way, memory suggests that the Russian ships turned-back before delivery, thereby saving all of our lives here in the UK.

They had little choice in the matter. They were surrounded by a fleet of US warships. It was JFK's measured response to the crisis that saved your ass.

[Guest]

19 hours ago, reader said:

Since I assume that you've been to Cuba and speak from experience, you must know what you're talking about. But I'm inclined to think that Cuba treats all of its citizens well.

I wouldn't assume he's been there or has taken the trouble to investigate the claims.   After all, we were recently told the NHS is the envy of the world,  but he refused to provide a shred of evidence to back up that claim.   

According to many independent journalists, Cuba is another failed communist state where people are repressed and public services are diabolical.   

Excessive state control rarely results in citizens being treated well.  You only need to compare West v East Germany or North v South Korea.   

 

[vinapu]

2 hours ago, reader said:

But you forget that it was America that bailed you out of two wars and will be the first nation you go to if shit hits the fan again.

 

You are 127.63 % right but Germany and Japan were REAL threat. 

What threat  small island 90 miles from Key west poses to mighty USA 60 years after warheads  were removed ?

[vinapu]

1 hour ago, z909 said:

Excessive state control rarely results in citizens being treated well.  You only need to compare West v East Germany or North v South Korea.   

 

another case of being 127.63 % right, "rarely ' is good word because exceptions apply ( Singapore )

And being right doesn't hide fact that wisdom is not universal as issue is more complex than just full shelves in supermarkets. A lot of people in former East Germany and indeed in former east block feel "Ostalgia'" and we can't  accuse them of being uniformed.

Even in UK just recently you had real threat  of electing quite leftist prime  minister.

Broadly speaking sense of unfairness is very little mitigated by full stomach.

Which brings us to original subject- it's  great  that medical care in Thailand  costs 1/4 of what Westerners  pay at home but it's still affordable to ordinary Thais ? It's great that a lot of people have great insurance paid by employer providing access to a best treatment but is it fair that many don't have insurance at all? 

[reader]

4 hours ago, vinapu said:

What threat  small island 90 miles from Key west poses to mighty USA 60 years after warheads  were removed ?

Point taken. I should have explained in previous post that the sanctions originally date to 1958, four years before missile crisis. The sale of arms was blocked when Batista was still in power. More sanctions followed in 1960 when Cuba nationalized American oil refineries with compensation. In 1962, following the missile crisis, everything with the exception of food and humanitarian supplies were sanctioned.

Obviously Cuba doesn't pose an overt military threat but it does pose a political one. Although travel to Cuba has been liberalized and remittances from families in the US allowed, sanctions remain in place principally because of the overwhelming support they receive from the Cuban-American community in Florida that number 1.53 million. Florida is a crucial state in presidential elections with 29 electoral votes that no candidate is eager to risk losing them. The bottom line is that it's tough to win without taking Florida (just ask Al Gore).

 

[reader]

Correction

Above sentence should have read: "... when Cuba nationalized American oil refineries without compensation."

 

[kokopelli]

On 12/17/2019 at 6:35 PM, reader said:

 

We both know if the UK had nukes when bombs were falling on the island they would have used them.The US was the first to use them because they were the first (barely ahead of the nazis) to develop them. Or perhaps you would have preferred that the nazis got them first?

 

reader, I do agree with most of what you posted, however the Nazis were far from developing an A bomb and never posed a threat it that way. There are many sources regarding that fact.

The USA did develop nuclear weapons for the purpose of using then on Germany, however the war ended with the Germans prior to these weapons becoming operational. They were then used on the Japanese.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_nuclear_weapons_program

[Guest]

On 12/3/2019 at 9:19 PM, vinapu said:

we pay because it's what money is for and we as societies have it so far

There is wisdom, particularly in the "So far" part.

Other random observations.   

I don't entirely understand why Cuba has sanctions still in place.   Compare with other former foes and I don't quite get it.   Would be interesting to hear from anyone knowledgeable on the subject.

Apparently Hitler's chief nuclear scientist miscalculated the critical mass, to be much higher than it really is.  He'd been working with Birmingham University (UK) before the war and their people say it's inconceivable that he could have made a mistake.  They reckon it was deliberate.

[vinapu]

7 hours ago, z909 said:

 

I don't entirely understand why Cuba has sanctions still in place.   Compare with other former foes and I don't quite get it.   Would be interesting to hear from anyone knowledgeable on the subject.

 

most likely nobody does but explanation of reader above about 29 electoral votes in swing state of Florida sounds reasonable  ( not to people of Cuba of course )

[anddy]

On 12/19/2019 at 12:36 AM, z909 said:

Apparently Hitler's chief nuclear scientist miscalculated the critical mass, to be much higher than it really is.  He'd been working with Birmingham University (UK) before the war and their people say it's inconceivable that he could have made a mistake.  They reckon it was deliberate.

that's interesting, and if true the guy deserves at least 10 Nobel Peace prizes....