Why Thailand's Healthcare Surprised Me: My Honest Review

I would caution anyone about getting medical advice from a Pharmacist in any country. I know that people rave about the red carpet treatment they get for a wellness check in Hospitals there ; with many tests for a small amount of money, but this is quite different than going into a hospital with an unknown ailment and getting a correct diagnosis and treatment. Respectfully; having to see an Optometrist and an Ophthalmologist for a stye may be an example of this. Styes are usually treated with a warm wet compress applied several times per day and rarely require antibiotics. Something any nurse should know. I wonder if you can view the credentials/ bios of providers on the websites of the Hospitals there. That would be a lot more reassuring for me than having a doctor tell me my test results are in the normal range. Thank you for another informative video. 🙏

Fantastic service , quick , efficient , great knowledgeable staff & price ok. Hospitals & dentists 🦷 I have Pacific Cross cover too .

About the prescriptions, given the rampant prescription counterfeiting that goes on, how do you know what you got was the real thing?

Thank you. That was very informative.

Thank you so much for your information, your saving lives!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!😇

Very insightful thank you

I am currently living in the US on an E2 investor visa. I am paying $500 per month with a $25000 deductible for $1,000,000 coverage. Basically only covered for a disaster.

Excellent ramblings today my friend, actually very good information this is a big part of retiring to Thailand I have more comfort knowing more now thank you

Typically, how much would you expect to pay for major invasive surgery, or treatment for a life threatening condition?

If traveling here I recommend safety wing

I agree with you that insurance should be true emergencies. Like you, I can handle a $35k expense. However, I insure for those 5% tail risks. For example, specialized neurosurgery or cardiac surgery, that can run $100k+. Or being stuck in the ICU / Coma for months. So I buy super high coverage with a high deductible. For example, if I would buy Pacific Cross, I would consider the Ultima Plus plan (50 million baht cover) / no vision / no dental / no outpatient / 300k thb deductible for 39 yo male = 29,821 baht ($880 usd). 49 yo male = 37277 thb ($1100). I would plan to never use it. It's like buying fire insurance for your house - you plan to never use it, but when you need it, you NEED IT! If you want some ideas of costs, look up the room rates for ICUs etc at Bangkok Hospital or equivalents. Also, consider accident insurance in Thailand that covers motorcycle accidents - it's dirt cheap and will cover the low end of injuries.

Wonder how much a full body MRI would cost out there. I would be expensive, but I'm guessing a fraction of what it would be in the US. I'd like to make sure I didn't have any of the abdominal cancers that don't get symptomatic until there fully metastasized.

One thing to consider regarding dropping your insurance. Pacific Cross will cover you up to age 100 if you stick with them. If you try to buy again when you are older then it will cost more and be more restrictive. Probably not an issue at your age but if, 5 years from now, you know Thailand is going to be where you live long term then you might want to consider buying back in when you are relatively young.

I’ve lived 7 years in Thailand, Bangkok and the Isaan countryside and I’ve had the same healthcare experience as you.

Insurance - When you come here check to see if your current home country insurance will cover you as a permanent resident overseas. My US insurance covered me as a traveler but not as a full time resident in Thailand. At age 62 I purchased Pacific Cross insurance. I have a 10 million baht policy with a 40,000 baht deductible. Be aware that pre-existing conditions will be excluded. I still have my insurance at 68 years old. It costs me 78,000 baht($2,300) per year and that includes a no claim discount. I am basically self insuring for routine care.

I came here from the San Francisco East Bay so I am familiar with high quality health care. I can say that the quality of health care here, in the private hospitals, is equally as good as what I experienced in the US. What is truly amazing is the accessibility. I always get same day or next day appointments. I can go online and schedule an appointment with a dermatologist or oral surgeon myself for the next day. Once I walked into a hospital to see a neurologist. I saw the doctor an hour later, got a head scan, and met with him again and was finished by noon. (I was OK).

Costs - I’ve had several visits to the emergency room for kidney stone attacks in the US and Thailand. They admit you and give you pain killers and it’s over a couple of hours later. Nothing complicated. In Thailand those ER visits cost $75. In the US my ER copay was $150. Another ER visit required stitches and a head scan and that one cost $150 including meds. The most I’ve ever paid is 20,000 baht ($590) that included 2 nights in a private room in a private hospital. I was recovering from Dengue fever.

Dentisty - I’ve had teeth cleanings, some small fillings, and a crown done at my dentist in Thailand. Unlike the US the work is being done by a dentist and not a dental hygienist. They speak fluent or passable English. The office is very modern. Once again, next day appointments. The costs are as Ramze describes.

Health checkups - I love the full health checkups here. I don’t remember anything like it in the US (where I was). My checkups lasted about 3 hrs and included the x-rays, blood work, sonograms, heart stress test, dental and eye exams, etc. I used a health checkup to evaluate a new private hospital near where I moved in the countryside.

Medical clinics - throughout Thailand there are small medical clinics. They are staffed with a doctor who speaks English and you can use them for drivers license medical certificates. I used them for ear aches and one time for an infected cut on my foot. They cost about $10-15. I remember getting my stitches removed for $5.

Some things are different (not unique to Thailand). I couldn’t get the (new) Shingles vaccine here. I did that in the US. You can’t get full strength aspirin here but I’ve discovered better alternatives.

My opinion is that the health care here is better than in the the Bay Area in the US.

This is a big plus for deciding to move to/ retire in Thailand. Especially major cities. My dental tourism experience in Jomtien was excellent. It did cover my travel cost and still less than copays etc. in US. I also got opportunity to put boots on the ground and experience the place, while getting dental work done. Thanks for the important discussion.

Great video and info. Your medical ranking of SE Asian countries was a little stale, but probably not too much has changed in 5 years. But, we get what we pay for. Thanks for sharing.

I did get a free 45 day trip,all expenses paid, with what I saved on dental work in Chiang Mai in 17 .😊 Just gotta do research and pay the extra, for the best !😁

Do you know if it's a problem at all getting prescription pain meds there , as I've been prescribed for years, unfortunately, but it gives me a life(back disability)? And do you know anything about veterans and health insurance? Think I've heard that Bangkok hospital accepts but not certain? Thanks for another great video !🤙😎

Government hospitals are great. Far superior to any healthcare I have gor in New Zealand

You said $2500 mo ? Then you said $200 mo ! ??

Is jomtien hospital just as good but cheaper than the big hospitals in Bangkok and kuala lumpur?

Nice information 😊👍🎉🎊

It's so refreshing listening to your perspective. Great ideas in this video. Keep the content coming. Have fun hosting your first event!!!!

I’m looking at Cigna global plan. Covers all countries no restrictions and allows u to go back to USA. If I wanted to get the best cancer care.

My experience is exactly the same. I have spent a few months in Chiang Mai for the last 20 years and have been impressed with both medical and dental there. I had an executive physical done once and my USA doctor was impressed with the package I was given by the attending physician.

Thanks for another informative video. My wife hates US healthcare, and has been telling me how good Thai healthcare really is. She wants Thai Healthcare ASAP. We have to endure a few more years. If we continue to have healthcare issues we may move earlier...

What if you had a heart attack? Would you $35000 budget cover the cost of that?

I'd like to see a Bangkok vs Kuala Lumpur private hospital comparison anyway do you know percentage of Thais on private Healthcare insurance plans?

Bangkok Hospital is the best! It's a full service hospital.

Insurance companies love people like you. Middle age, not old, not too overweight, may be blood pressure creeping up but still a long way from having a stoke or a heart attack. They'd love to have you, and unlike in America, they will rarely quibble when you need health care. If you are 80+, you have been living with type 2 diabetes for a while, try to get health insurance. Very different. Insurance companies won't want to know, not at any price.

It's very easy to be very impressed with private hospital health care in Thailand. Modern, clean facilities, prompt service, courteous staff etc and if you are basically fairly healthy, and insured, you are gonna love it. But beware, things can start to go wrong when you go in for more than a check up or a sniffle. Remember these are commercial enterprises, and they will have no compunction against making as much money off of you as possible. Unnecessary, unhelpful tests, unnecessary treatments, sometimes interventions that will do you more harm than good, these things are not uncommon. Antibiotics when you don't need them, hospital admissions when all you need is some Tylenol at home, intensive care admission for the terminally ill, all these things happen. Many people, too old or sick to be able to buy health insurance, end up spending their entire life savings on health care and when the money runs out, have to go to government hospitals which can be horrendously overcrowded.

Thanks for the great information and the details of your experience. Good video!

Having listened to your rambling about healthcare and been here for about the same time as you, I have to completely agree…….. my experience has been pretty much identical

Yes, I know where you’re coming from. I went to Bangkok hospital Hua Hin and couldn’t believe the service I got 👌

I have not heard about good things regarding Pacific cross insurance, especially when it comes to filing claims or getting certain things covered.