Thai government says Covid treatment is free, but patients report hefty bills
Despite the Thai government repeatedly saying all Covid-19 patients will receive free treatment, hefty bills are being posted on social media. Tares Krassanairawiwong, director-general of the Health Service Support Department, insisted again that the treatment for Covid is free at any state or private hospital, but listed maximum amounts on coverage for individuals. The National Health Security Office says it will pay 7,200 baht in medicines for each patient, 1,500 baht per night in a hospital, field hospital or hospitel, and 3,800 baht for other items related to the virus treatment.
But the NHSO secretary-general cited bills as being much higher on average per person, insisting that even those bills will and have been paid.
“Patients don’t have to pay even when being treated in a private hospital because the NHSO will reimburse the cost. On average, we pay private hospitals about Bt100,000 per [Covid] patient with moderate symptoms, and have paid 800,000 baht to 1 million baht for severe cases.”
1 patient reported being hit with a bill of 937,979 baht for 16 days in a private hospital, which included 3 days in intensive care. Another reported a bill of 989,670 baht for 17 days in hospital, 13 of which were spent in ICU. Another person, Danai Rung, says he called the NHSO hotline, after being given a large bill, and said the hotline representative told him his hospital wasn’t covered under the NHSO.
“The claim that Covid-19 treatment is free at all hospitals is definitely untrue,” he said on Public Health Ministry’s Facebook page for Covid-19 updates. “I have had to pay 340,000 baht of the 480,000 baht bill. The insurance only covered about 140,000 baht.”
Even private hospitals are claiming that the difference in specialists’ fees and medical supplies make the cost of treatment higher compared to those getting treatment at public hospitals. The difference, unlike what the NHSO has stated, will be paid by the patient.
Thonburi Healthcare Group’s chairman, Boon Vanasin, said recently that when a patient is diagnosed with Covid-19 in a private hospital, they may either be admitted or transferred to another designated medical facility. In this case, the treatment will be free.
“But if the patient refuses the process prescribed by the government and chooses to be treated in their own hospital, then they will have to pay the difference between the medical cover provided by the government and fees charged by private hospitals.”
Patients are advised to call the NHSO 1330 hotline if they are asked to pay for Covid-19 care. So far, the Public Health Ministry says it has resolved 44 complaints involving 75 patients. All these patients have been refunded the money taken from them by private hospitals, who said the money was collected by mistake or taken as a guarantee.
The NHSO says operators of medical facilities who illegally charge for Covid care can face up to 2 years in jail or a maximum fine of 40,000 baht.
SOURCE: Thai PBS World
Join the conversation and have your say on Thailand news published on The Thaiger.
Thaiger Talk is our new Thaiger Community where you can join the discussion on everything happening in Thailand right now.
Please note that articles are not posted to the forum instantly and can take up to 20 min before being visible. Click for more information and the Thaiger Talk Guidelines.
My guess this is only for Thai nationals?
Tell me lies, tell me lies, tell me lies, tell me sweet little lies. The Fleetwood Mac
They really need to get their act together on this. There’s already a severe trust deficit towards authorities in this country. Even rumours of hospital bills will keep a huge number of people away and so spread the virus further. And that in turn will keep the economy from recovering. The lost revenue from a crashed economy will dwarf any expenses covering Covid patients. Try to see the big picture for once Thailand.
“But if the patient refuses the process prescribed by the government and chooses to be treated in their own hospital, then they will have to pay the difference between the medical cover provided by the government and fees charged by private hospitals.”
That doesn’t sound unreasonable. I can’t think of any country where you can turn down treatment by and in a government hospital and choose to be treated in a private hospital instead, with treatment and accommodation of your own choice, and the government will pay your bill in full.
“Even private hospitals are claiming that the difference in specialists’ fees and medical supplies make the cost of treatment higher compared to those getting treatment at public hospitals”
Well, if private hospitals charge more for the same “specialists” and the same “medical supplies”, and in my first-hand experience private hospitals charge at least ten times as much for the same specialists and same medical supplies (literally ten times as much) then it’s hardly surprising the costs are higher!
How could it be otherwise???
Maybe the 40,000 baht fine is not a high enough detterent. Otherwise no hospitals would be trying to fleece customers or charge direct.
Intersting to see the bills at just under 1 million, which is coincidentally close to the 1 million government limit. Worryingly, that is only for 16 or 17 days, so if you need 1 month internsive care then most farangs and low/middle class will be financially wiped out.
“Worryingly, that is only for 16 or 17 days, so if you need 1 month internsive care then most farangs and low/middle class will be financially wiped out.”
If they choose a private hospital and non-standard treatment at massively inflated cost, that’s their choice.
Why should Thailand pay because someone wants a private room in a private hospital rather than to be in a public ward in a public hospital? Or even a private room in a public hospital, if available, which costs around 750 baht extra per day instead of 10 – 15,000 extra per day, + +?
What other countries will foot the bill if you turn down treatment by and in a government hospital and choose to be treated in a private hospital instead, with treatment and accommodation of your own choice?
If you were asymtamatic and feeling quite well and forced to go to hospital what treatment would be necessary ? A hospital bed would be taken from someone who really needs it. At least a quarter of the hospitalised Covid patients could be discharged.
Ah, but has been announced by some private hospitals, the money was collected by mistake, and maybe especially from ferangs.
But that could be due to language difficulties. or it could be they are just scamming rats making money out of misery.
However, this has rightly created a severe trust deficit, as quoted by Buttaxe.
I like that phrase: “severe trust deficit”
I freely admit that I am afflicted by: a severe trust deficit.
Every time I receive change from a Thai.
This article does not say whether this is applicable to Thai nationals or those living here who are not Thai nationals. So my question is not about how true it is or not but are we as foreign people living in Thailand able to get free treatment for Covid? Most insurance policies will cover your expenses if you are actually sick from Covid but if you have zero symptoms but test positive then the insurance does not cover you for the 14 days required to spend in hospital. Imagine being forced to stay in hospital for 14 days even though you don’t feel sick and then being asked to pay for it!
Just when you receive change @Toby? I suffer from severe trust deficit if they told me it was dark outside at 9pm!!
Simon Small aka Issan John
You always make it sound so simple when dealing with your beloved, butter wouldn’t melt in my mouth Thailand.
Many government hospitals are full and can not cater for covid patients who need specialist care.
For example just look at the report about Phuket which has to use private hospitals to cope as the government hospitals are full.
In contrast my sister in law who is Thai was in intensive care for a month in an induced coma here in the UK due to the virus, the standard of government hospitals here are the same standard as the private hospitals in Thailand, it was all totally free.