As US citizens we have on numerous
occasions had the opportunity to get to know the health care system
intimately. We count ourselves very fortunate to have medical
insurance provided through our employers, however, there are over 45
million without insurance. People can not afford even the most
simple of medicines let alone major surgeries to save their life, or
the prescription drugs needed to sustain life. Even one pill costs
hundreds of dollars per day!
Well......that was depressing! Let's
move on shall we? Coming next is a true story of one woman's
experience with the Thai health care system and like me, you will
be.................
Shocked, Amazed, Speechless,
Astounded, Surprised, Impressed, Flabbergasted, Blown Away,
Utterly Astonished, and last but not least................Completely
Gobsmacked!
She had a fever and stomach pain and
thought it probably was a food borne bacteria. Which is not unusual
even in countries with “Food Safety Regulations” This pain
lasted several days and so she went to see a Doctor. While she was
there she decided to have a complete physical.
Doctors work out of hospitals and she
was given a sheet of paper with choices of tests listed under age
groups. She choose the 40 year and up category which included:
EKG, Urinalysis, Ultrasound, Chest
X-Ray, Female Exam, Complete Blood Work, 1 Hour talk with the
Doctor, and a personal Nurse to follow her through each test and
explain what was happening.
English was spoken and her day lasted
from 8 am till 3 pm. She received a booklet with ALL of the test
results along with the Doctor's notes to take home with her. She
was given antibiotics for her illness and was feeling in tip top
condition in a couple days.
What she paid for the above was 3, 600
Baht = US $112.00 This was not a typo! One Hundred and Twelve
Dollars!
For those of you that have not lived in
the US this is what happens if you are sick.
First you call your Doctor's office to
make an appointment. It will usually be a week or more out and if
you can get in the same day it is a miracle. After several hours of
waiting past your appointment time the Doctor sees you for 15
minutes and sends you on your way. If you need a test, his nurse
will call to make an appointment for the test which usually is
another week or so. Then you have to wait for the lab results which
take another week or two. The nurse calls to tell you the results.
You are not allowed to have your records in your possession and if
you do need them you have to sign many papers before they give them
to you.
Then you get the bill ! Not one price,
that would be too easy. The Doctor, the person that reads the lab
report and the lab work are all billed separately.
I did a bit of calculating from
research on the web and found the following data from 2011 to 2013
for the cost of what she received if this were done in the US. These
prices are for someone with no insurance and are on the low end.
EKG - $4,000 Urinalysis - $200
Ultrasound - $500 Chest X-Ray - $600
Female Exam - $600 Blood Work -
$200 1 Hour Consult with the Doctor - $600
7 Hours with a Nurse Coach - $1,400
This does not include Lab costs and medication.
Thailand $112
US $8,100 NO CONTEST!
