Specialist Posted April 3, 2013 Report Share Posted April 3, 2013 I was in town a few weeks ago, and wound up having to take an acquaintance to Police General Hospital ER, at about 1 AM. She rejected Bumrungrad, saying "too much money". What I saw there had all the earmarks of a first-rate ER, that knew what they were doing, in a hospital that was absolutely not spending money on anything that they considered "unnecessary". The toilets were one floor down from the ER admitting desk and waiting area. The pharmacy and cashier's office was one floor up. If the patient was ambulatory, he/she was expected to walk (or ride the elevator) up to the pharmacy and cashier. There was no air conditioning in the waiting area. (There was aircon in the ER proper.) There was no paperwork that I saw, except for the final invoice, and the nurse at the ER admitting desk knew exactly what questions to ask before sending her into the ER proper. When all was said and done, the total charge was just under 100 baht. I saw the invoice. I can't read Thai, but the numbers were Arabic numerals, not Thai, and that matched what I'd paid, and the change she handed me. This apparently covered the initial exam, an injection into her hip (she commented on it), two prescriptions that went home with her, and an IV into the vein in the crook of her elbow (using something from the pharmacy). (OK, it might've been a blood draw, but I don't think it was. Either way, the bill was just under 100 baht.) So I have to ask: Are Thais covered by state-issued medical insurance, that picks up most of the cost of this, or is Police General really that inexpensive (by farang standards, that is)? Reason I ask: Long-range planning. I've had to be hospitalized a couple of times for acute gastroenteritis, and I've had one treat-and-release ER trip, all at Bumrungrad. For what I'm likely to encounter, Police General is well within safe transport distance, apparently just as good, and apparently a LOT less expensive than Bumrungrad (which is already a LOT less expensive than a comparable US hospital). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted April 3, 2013 Report Share Posted April 3, 2013 I have heard mixed reports about Police General. I do know that Bamrungrad double charges. Anyone remember Been There, an original BM? He quit using Banmrungrad when on his 3rd visit he got a much higher bill. He asked why. They told him before they thought he was Thai Chinese. They'd just discovered he was Chinese American! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plainsdrifter Posted April 3, 2013 Report Share Posted April 3, 2013 From one farang to another, my opinion is you should not assume you will be paying the same prices as Thais. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted April 3, 2013 Report Share Posted April 3, 2013 Yanhee does not double price ... if you can conduct your business there in Thai! On the downside, Yanhee is best known for "gender reassignment surgery". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dexi Posted April 3, 2013 Report Share Posted April 3, 2013 100 bt is ridiculously cheap for that treatment.I had to go to see the doc. at the central Pattaya hospital a couple of yrs ago for an ant bite that became infected.Saw the doc.( 5 mins ) given antibiotic jab and picked up a couple of sets of pills from the pharmacy.Total cost about 2000 bt.Had travel insurance but didnt bother to claim for a small amount . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheCorinthian Posted April 3, 2013 Report Share Posted April 3, 2013 Buddy of mine just got done with out patient care at one of them for some skin cancer spots. I'll find out what his bill was tomorrow and where he got it done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cavanami Posted April 4, 2013 Report Share Posted April 4, 2013 Old George had two hip replacements, 50,000 Baht...cheap enough! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Specialist Posted April 4, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 4, 2013 Bt 50K for bilateral hip replacements is not bad at all! I have two artificial hips that are eventually going to have to be redone. No rush, yet... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted April 4, 2013 Report Share Posted April 4, 2013 For comparison ... http://www.whatclinic.com/coronary-vascular/thailand/heart-bypass Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheCorinthian Posted April 4, 2013 Report Share Posted April 4, 2013 Old George had two hip replacements, 50,000 Baht...cheap enough! For comparison, my father had that in the mid 90s in the USA. One was $95,000 (us) as I recall. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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