Was Chiangmai Ram officials BSing me?

[dean]

I'm still in the process of meeting U.S. state Depart. requirements for applying for permanant residency visa for wife and kids. I think that I have the sponsorship problem resolved but when to Chiangmai Ram hospital for the physical for wife and kids. I thought it was a process of paying them 1,000-2,000 baht per person for the paperwork and then a chest x-ray to check mainly for TB, and then to run test for things like AIDs and social deseases. I figured maybe I would be paying 12,15,000. I ended up paying 38,500 baht, mainly for immunization shots, six for each kid and four for my wife. And it doesn't end there. They have us scheduled to come back in June (not expensive, according to doctor), July and early November to finsih the shots. I talked to a lawyer with Siam Legal and he said I was over charged. ChiangMai Ram was one of the hospitals approved by the State Department. I realize that most of you just have to get medical approval for your Thai wife (and not kids, which I guess requires more shots than adults) but did I get hosed by Chiangmai Ram? If I did, I won't be back there for the later visits. I guess that I can look on the bright side; my kids should be the healthiest persons in the U.S. on their arrival.

[HSTEACH]

Jeeze, I think you were overcharged. My wife had her exam at Bumrungrad and if I remember right, I paid about 3K Baht. That included 4 shots. The doc at BG said some of the shots listed on the med form were medically inappropriate for my wife, and this was accepted by the embassy. Said the hep shots were not necessary and those require return visits over several months which equals more $$. Think maybe the doc in CM is going down the list on the med form and giving your family the entire series. BTW... keep ALL the forms(copies) the doc returns as you will need them again in the US when adjusting status.

[dean]

I'd say the Doctorisgoingdownthe listof required shots, and not really asking much on medical history to see if the shots are necessary. I droped the wife and kids off at the hospital and went to get the photos that are required on the exam sheet. Bythe time I got back, the Doctor was half way through the shots and, after calming down, I decided to gothrough with them for that day anyway. So far, between the $3,100 paid to Homeland security for 4 persons, $3,200 which will be paid to State Depat.for the interview, $1,200 paid to hospital last week and having to make three visits to Bangkok from Chiang Mai (including transportation and hotels; about $1, 300.00), I figure that this has cost me $8,800 so far, and I haven't even bought the airline tickets to the U.S. yet.

[HSTEACH]

I thought the fee paid before the interview was $131 for each person applying for a K visa? Is that the current price?

[dean]

Its $400 now or the equivalant in baht (at 34 baht per dollar). It was raised to this amount on January 1, 2008. I don't find the $400 offensive but when you have to pay $1,600 for a wife and 3 kids and you know the questions will be the same and the interview won't be four times longer than for one person because it is a family with the same information listed on each 230 form, I get extremely pissed off thinking about it. To put the charge at the hospital in perspective, I paid 26,000 for my wife to stay 4 days and 3 nights in C.M. hospital and covered all fees, including Doctor's, involved with her c-section. Last Tuesday, we were at hospital for 4 hours, not checked into hospital in a room, and the charge was 38,500 baht. I was thinking about it last night and maybe the hospital had some of the more expensive drugs on stock for this exam near their expiration date and wanted to get rid of them.

[HSTEACH]

If all the paperwork is in order, the interview part will take 10 minutes max. It'll take longer to do biometric fingerprints for the wife and kids than the actual interview. I don't mean to rain on your parade, but once they get here, the amts of money the USCIS wants for AOS, more biometrics, and finally naturalization are staggering. On my part, or my wife's part, all we have left is naturalization, which starts in about six months. Thank God this whole ordeal is almost over after almost four and a half years.

[dean]

At least, starting November 1, I'll be working again after a 3 year hiatus, and so will the wife and the oldest child (although most of the money she makes will go toward her college education). Its a good thing that taking care of parents is imbred into Thais. By the time that my youngest graduates from college, I'll be 77 and hopefully will have four college educated children (at lesst bi-lingual and maybe tri-lingual) with high paying jobs. I fully expect to go through $30-$40,000 quickly next fall by buying a mini-van or SUV that holds 6 people and to buy some furniture, mainly beds. I'm assuming that I can send off to the Phillipines for social security cards for my wife and eldest child once the visas are approved, hopefully in July.

[dean]

I forgot to mention that i or my wife have no intentions of her and the kids becoming naturalized citizens. Only the green card will do. We plan on moving back to LOS within 6-10 years. If the 3 kids want to stay and become citizens, that up to them. I hope this means all we have to deal with after getting the green card/visa, is re-newing it every couple of years.

[HSTEACH]

The regular green card is good for 10 years. The conditional green card, for those married less than two years when permanent residence is granted, is for two years. A petition for removal of conditions must be filed I think a year or so after getting a conditional card, and if approved a standard 10 year card is issued.

[cardinalblue]

Absolutely you were overcharged. I wouldn't call it a case of BS but of fraud....

 

The problem is if you have any rights and whether the hospital has an appeal process or if a consumer rights advocate org being willing to take your case.

 

This is not one of Thailand's strength - that justice amd equality is served; due process, etc

 

The first problem with your case (as well as mine - 15k baht for overnight admit/case of diarrhea same hospital) is finding people who are educated and knowledgeable of what transpired and how to work/understand the Thai system of injustice and inequality and get a fair shake/settlement

 

The second problem is the additional cost one incurs to gat a fair shake. Everyone has their hand out...

 

You could start by getting a cost estimate at a similar hospital for the same services provided. The other issue could be getting another cost estimate but for a thai family and see if there is a two tier pricing system in effect at this hospital....

 

Hope you poke your nose around some and ruffle a few feathers but not to the point that they hire hitmen to take you out...

 

I have heard other similar horror stores of incredible bills from RAM 1.

 

Hey maybe we can get a class action suit going if there is enough of us.....

 

CB