Bangkok Hospital Pattaya, Blue Cross and the Thai D.L.

[nkped]

I'd known for some time that the web site for my flavor of Blue Cross insurance said Bangkok Hospital Pattaya could bill them directly for in-patient care. The BHP site said the same thing. This week, the wheel of life turned another couple of notches and I can confirm that it is true. BHP can and does bill Blue Cross directly for in-patient care. Even had a nurse who worked for Blue Cross call to see how I was doing and whether I had any questions she could answer.

 

I have a BHP number so I don't take my passport when I go there. However, the dragon lady from billing said she needed to see it as well as my health insurance card. I could have eventually found the photo of it on my phone, but it would have taken a while. But then she said "Do you have driver's license?" Praise Buddha, I do have my Thai driver's license and that filled the square.

 

Things are fine, although I now get to take a couple more daily pills.

[Bullfrog]

^{BHP have summer and winter offers for health checkups...I did mine in the Summer and am very glad I did......}

Edited December 12, 2016 by Bullfrog

[sailingbill]

Good to know about BHP. I was treated at Bumrungrad in July , but the Federal BCBS required I call them first. They then faxed a guarantee letter to the hospital.

[Bullfrog]

Good to know about BHP. I was treated at Bumrungrad in July , but the Federal BCBS required I call them first. They then faxed a guarantee letter to the hospital.

 

I was treated in Bumrungrad ..phew..probably 17 years ago with verbal consent by Bupa....but after the lump was removed and wasn't cancer they said it was "cosmetic" and didn't pay...

[Bullfrog]

Good to know about BHP. I was treated at Bumrungrad in July , but the Federal BCBS required I call them first. They then faxed a guarantee letter to the hospital.

 

For everything else BPH is extremely expensive for out patient if you are paying for it yourself..

[BigDUSA]

Good to know about BHP. I was treated at Bumrungrad in July , but the Federal BCBS required I call them first. They then faxed a guarantee letter to the hospital.

They told me a few years ago to pay the bill. Get a copy in English and they would reimburse me.

[js007]

Good to know about BHP. I was treated at Bumrungrad in July , but the Federal BCBS required I call them first. They then faxed a guarantee letter to the hospital.

 

The last time I looked, the federal BCBS has a website that has links for just about every country in the world. Click on the Thailand link and you can download a PDF file listing all the "preferred providers" in Thailand as well as the phone number for a Thailand care coordinator. Supposedly, BCBS will pay directly to the preferred providers for any necessary care, although I've never tried it. I guess it would be a good idea to download that file to your phone along with the phone number of the Thailand coordinator.

[nkped]

It varies over time. Last time I looked, PIH and Pattaya Memorial were on the list as well. Previously it had only been BHP in Pattaya. Definitely no direct billing for outpatient care.

[sailingbill]

Fortunate that i have been healthy , my last primary care doc was a pediatrician. Now in my 60's im seeing issues. Nothing to keep me off Soi 6, but appreciate what to expect cost/quality/insurance. Downloaded the preferred providers list and was surprised Bumrungrad was not on the Bangkok list. Best advice was from a BM some time ago , he was in an Icu in Bang Chang or Rayong , advised having a high limit CC , the federal BCBS will reimburse before the CC bill hits.

[js007]

Fortunate that i have been healthy , my last primary care doc was a pediatrician. Now in my 60's im seeing issues. Nothing to keep me off Soi 6, but appreciate what to expect cost/quality/insurance. Downloaded the preferred providers list and was surprised Bumrungrad was not on the Bangkok list. Best advice was from a BM some time ago , he was in an Icu in Bang Chang or Rayong , advised having a high limit CC , the federal BCBS will reimburse before the CC bill hits.

 

Last time I looked, which was a while ago, Bumrungrad in Bangkok was definitely on the list. I'll have to look again, I guess.

[js007]

Here's the current BCBS list of inpatient hospital providers for Bangkok. Which place is best?

 

 

• 1 MISSION HOSPITAL
  Bangkok
• 2 YANHEE INTERNATIONALl HOSPITAL
  Bangkok
• 3 PIYAVATE HOSPITAL
  Bangkok
• 4 PHYATHAI 1 HOSPITAL
  Bangkok
• 5 CHAOPHYA HOSPITAL
  Bangkok
• 6 VICHAIYUT HOSPITAL
  Bangkok
• 7 THE BANGKOK CHRISTIAN HOSPITAL
  Bangkok
• 8 BANGKOK CHRISTIAN HOSPITAL
  Bangkok
• 9 VIBHAVADI HOSPITAL
  Bangkok
• 10 KING CHULALONGKORN MEMORIAL HOSPITAL
  Bangkok

[jacko]

^{BHP have summer and winter offers for health checkups...I did mine in the Summer and am very glad I did......}

Yes they normally have a King's Birthday special, sadly I chucked the flyer away.

One option is a pretty comprehensive all day thing.

Edited December 12, 2016 by jacko

[Bullfrog]

Yes they normally have a King's Birthday special, sadly I chucked the flyer away.

One option is a pretty comprehensive all day thing.

 

I did the morning session with the Missus ( buy one get one free ) which came with lunch vouchers to be used whilst they are collating the results into a little booklet.

 

When it came to changing my health insurance and getting another health check 3 months later I was able to show substantial improvements even though I still had high BP and BMI..... and I got the policy I wanted...

[jacko]

 

I did the morning session with the Missus ( buy one get one free ) which came with lunch vouchers to be used whilst they are collating the results into a little booklet.

 

When it came to changing my health insurance and getting another health check 3 months later I was able to show substantial improvements even though I still had high BP and BMI..... and I got the policy I wanted...

That is actually pretty good, using the check up results to get a better insurance package and possibly remove exclusions. High BP often brings forth a whole host of exclusions which in reality, if under control and medicated, is surely less risk than not.

[forcebwithu]

...

I have a BHP number so I don't take my passport when I go there.

...

 

I'm guessing the "BHP number" is a way to preregister your insurance information with the hospital? If so, is it just a matter of going to the admitting counter and presenting insurance and passport documents?

[nkped]

 

I'm guessing the "BHP number" is a way to preregister your insurance information with the hospital? If so, is it just a matter of going to the admitting counter and presenting insurance and passport documents?

Not exactly. First time I ever went to Bangkok Hospital Pattaya in 2013, they wanted to see my passport which I had the good sense to have with me. They entered my information and at some point I ended up with some paperwork with a 10 digit number on it. With that number, you avoid having to present your passport on subsequent visits. The staff can probably find you in their computer without it, but they, and you, will be happier if you have the number. I have it in my contact list on the phone now. Had never given them my insurance information before because there is no direct billing, with my insurance, for outpatient care. No idea whether they would preregister insurance just in case. It would be a thought as you don't know when the elephant is going to sit on your chest.

[JONPAT]

They told me a few years ago to pay the bill. Get a copy in English and they would reimburse me.

did they reimburse you? was it much red tape to jump thru ?

[nkped]

did they reimburse you? was it much red tape to jump thru ?

I've done a few claims by submitting bills from Thailand to Blue Cross Blue Shield and been reimbursed. You really need a scanner, particularly with the virtual extinction of the internet cafe. At Bangkok Hospital, you need to get the long form, detailed bill. The pink receipt which you normally get may not have sufficient detail. Any of the cashiers can print it out, but it may be a challenge to get across what you need.

[forcebwithu]

Not exactly. First time I ever went to Bangkok Hospital Pattaya in 2013, they wanted to see my passport which I had the good sense to have with me. They entered my information and at some point I ended up with some paperwork with a 10 digit number on it. With that number, you avoid having to present your passport on subsequent visits. The staff can probably find you in their computer without it, but they, and you, will be happier if you have the number. I have it in my contact list on the phone now. Had never given them my insurance information before because there is no direct billing, with my insurance, for outpatient care. No idea whether they would preregister insurance just in case. It would be a thought as you don't know when the elephant is going to sit on your chest.

 

Good info. Just checked two invoices from past trips to BHP and see where they've recorded my patient number.

 

Always carry a copy of my passport and insurance card, even on exercise runs, so hopefully prepared if the elephant ever sits on my chest, or more likely somchai runs me off the road.