# Health Care expense?



## hooch (Aug 29, 2011)

Can someone please explain how expensive it is to go to a doctor if you get sick? Do you have to have medical insurance?

Thanks


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## Mweiga (Sep 24, 2010)

hooch said:


> Can someone please explain how expensive it is to go to a doctor if you get sick? Do you have to have medical insurance?
> 
> Thanks


As long as it's not some high flying specialist , doctor's consultations tend to be very reasonable - it's what happens after this that may turn out expensive , determined by what's wrong with you and whether you utilise public or private treatment. 

Here's an example from my own personal experience. About four years ago I did something stupid in my swimming pool splitting my head open - off to A and E at Queen Sirikit hospital in Sattahip which is the Navy hospital and subsidised making it more or less public. Got checked (immediately) , cleaned up , stitched (nine) , x-rayed , prescribed medicine and paid for everything (950 baht = US$ 30 approx) all within 45 minutes of arrival at A and E. Daily dressing changes and stitch removal was handled well at my local clinic for 30 or 40 baht per visit.

Another experience from a Thai friend , also some four years ago, who entered the service elevator on the third floor of a large motorcycle dealership he worked for and just as he pressed the button the hook on top attaching the main cable to the car broke sending it crashing to the ground floor with him inside. He broke his back and both legs including a completely smashed heel on one foot. Luckily his spinal cord was not permanently damaged. He spent about a month in the private Bangkok Hospital in Pattaya running up a 350,000 baht bill (approx US$11,650) which his employer paid. Today he is OK, completely mobile and can even run a bit.

Either way , I would strongly advise you get decent medical cover for those unexpected incidents that can work out extremely costly , although for routine and non-serious aliments medical services in Thailand are generally very good and inexpensive.


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## hooch (Aug 29, 2011)

*Travel Insurance*

Thanks for your reply.

I have been googling Travel Insurance. From what you said, I think a $50,000 (USD) Medical Policy might be sufficent. What do you think?


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## Mweiga (Sep 24, 2010)

hooch said:


> Thanks for your reply.
> 
> I have been googling Travel Insurance. From what you said, I think a $50,000 (USD) Medical Policy might be sufficent. What do you think?


... sounds alright - make sure whatever policy you go for is fully negotiable in Thailand and not just a domestic policy for one country.


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## Song_Si (Jun 11, 2010)

differences between sick and accident

I've found the doctors for routine medical visits cheap, had to see an ENT specialist it was 900b including prescription and one follow-up visit, and have paid 200-400 for standard GP visit incl prescription.

It is accidents that are the problem, eg motorbike/vehicles especially - three in the local news now:

There is a case in the news now of UK parents flying out to see their son in a coma, his travel ins had expired, and also I understand some travel policies exclude coverage for motorbike accidents. Parents have mortgaged their house to pay the GBP 1200 US$2000 per day hospital costs. Huge expense if they have to fly him home while still in a coma. 

There was a fundraiser for an expat with no medical insurance held on Saturday - looks as though he will survive as is now off life-support, lucky to have friends here trying to pay his hospital bills

5 hospitalised after a minivan from Samui crashed on Saturday on a visa run for expats, including one man in a coma, a lady with internal bleeding in her head, a lady with a broken neck, a man with a fractured back, woman has facial fractures and a broken shoulder and her husband has broken legs

. . . . accidents happen - not limited to Thailand.


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## Bopc1996 (May 16, 2011)

hooch said:


> Can someone please explain how expensive it is to go to a doctor if you get sick? Do you have to have medical insurance?
> 
> Thanks


One of the most important insurance you should get is emergency medical evacuation,. If the local hospital does not have facilities to treat you you can be medically evacuated back home to where there are facilities to treat you instead of you dying. With no insurance such cost are extremely expensive.


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## jb44 (May 21, 2010)

If you look at the exclusions ,especially with age ,I would say forget it. Surgical intervention here in Thailand is going to cost,my case keyhole @ 8000 bucks, and that is at a semi state hospital. Take a one hour flight to Malaysia (about 100 bucks return ) half that amount, take a two hour flight to Goa,(about 2 to 300 bucks)about 500 bucks.

Emergency no option,but if flexible and can at least crawl to an aircraft there are cheaper options.

Looked at an AXA policy recently,no emergency evacuation on it, just overpriced,under resourced options. One guy I knew overcame this problem,booked two business class seats and the airline flew him on a stretcher


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## surpoob (Aug 17, 2011)

As an expat, how do you get medical insurance when living in Thailand?


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## Mweiga (Sep 24, 2010)

surpoob said:


> As an expat, how do you get medical insurance when living in Thailand?


I use BUPA International and although arranged my policy when living in another country several years ago , they have offices around Thailand - my local one is in Pattaya on Sukhumvit Rd next to and just before Bangkok Hospital on the left as you go towards Chonburi. BUPA International policies are negotiable worldwide.


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