Post: #1

This is wy off topic but I thought I would throw it out there. Is it cost effective/safe to get dental work done in Thailand? Any references?

Post: #2

I've heard that the health/dental care in Thailand is mostly done by European doctors/dentists and that the quality is quite high. I never went, but a friend of mine went to check out his sprained wrist when I was living there and he said the hospital was nicer than the hospitals in England and the care he got was top notch and only cost him $50.

Post: #3

I can confirm for you. My friend recently went there to get some dental work done. He goes there whenever he needs extensive dental work done because in US it's overpriced.

He went to the main hospital over there and they charged like $80 to remove his tooth. Over here they were asking $200 for the tooth and $600 to put him under to remove that tooth. That's pretty much the price of the plane ticket there.

Post: #4

Quote:Over here they were asking $200 for the tooth and $600 to put him under to remove that tooth. That's pretty much the price of the plane ticket there.

Are you serious?

Post: #5

(01-08-2011 04:07 PM)Badstuber Wrote:  

Quote:Over here they were asking $200 for the tooth and $600 to put him under to remove that tooth. That's pretty much the price of the plane ticket there.

Are you serious?

Yea, over here for dental and medical stuff they are crooks.
My cousin had a root canal for $1200 recently, and that's with insurance.

Post: #6

Bangkok has some of the best dental care in the world. This is mainly because of the oversupply of trained dentists coming out of the Thai universities. So they take the cream of the crop.

I had all 4 wisdom teeth out a few years ago, for 20,000 baht (about 650 USD) including meds. Which is about 1/3rd to a half cheaper then NZ (NZ dental is expensive). I also was running a tight schedule so I fit it in within a week (I had to get the stitches taken out once the gaps had healed) Over at the Bangkok Dental Hospital on Sukhumvit Soi 55 which has a really flash setup.

I also get my regular clean, scale and polish over there for about 2000 baht. Highly recommended.

Post: #7

(01-08-2011 03:56 PM)wolf Wrote:  Over here they were asking $200 for the tooth and $600 to put him under to remove that tooth.
...
My cousin had a root canal for $1200 recently, and that's with insurance.

Wolf, it looks like a lot of your issues come from being surrounded by people who are bringing failure. Really, they paid $1200 for root canal WITH dental insurance and 600 for tooth removal? You might want to reconsider who you hang out with.

To the original poster: I did not go to dentist myself when I was in Thailand, but I discussed it with locals. The quality varies as does the price, and for the best dentists you'll nowadays should expect to pay 80-100% of American prices. Strong baht and shitty exchange rate made it worse than it was in 2006, so any report from 2006-2007 is pretty much useless for 2011. Check with locals in the city you're going, and if you need some complex work (roots, crowns, implants) you might need to use multiple dentists as most are very good in one thing, and moderate in others.

Post: #8

(01-08-2011 04:37 PM)peterthephoenix Wrote:  Bangkok has some of the best dental care in the world. This is mainly because of the oversupply of trained dentists coming out of the Thai universities. So they take the cream of the crop.

I had all 4 wisdom teeth out a few years ago, for 20,000 baht (about 650 USD) including meds. Which is about 1/3rd to a half cheaper then NZ (NZ dental is expensive). I also was running a tight schedule so I fit it in within a week (I had to get the stitches taken out once the gaps had healed) Over at the Bangkok Dental Hospital on Sukhumvit Soi 55 which has a really flash setup.

I also get my regular clean, scale and polish over there for about 2000 baht. Highly recommended.

I agree completely. All of my friends from Thailand have had at most 1 cavity. Dental care here is a ripoff, I got 2 Wisdom teeth out recently and they didn't do shit to help my dry sockets that resulted after they stitched the extraction points. It also took them three tries with the x-ray to figure out they didn't have a cartridge to take the picture with. In total with painkillers it took up about
$1100

Post: #9

(01-08-2011 04:37 PM)peterthephoenix Wrote:  I had all 4 wisdom teeth out a few years ago, for 20,000 baht (about 650 USD) including meds.

Just to compare, I paid $140 in cash for wisdom tooth removal here in San Francisco Bay Area - one of the most expensive areas in the USA. Which would translate to $560 for four.

Post: #10

Yeah, but did your insurance cover the rest?

I read that in Thailand you can get heart bypass surgery done for less than $10k. In the US it costs over $100k. Quality of care is comparable as well.

When people ask me why I don't have health insurance, I just laugh at them.

Post: #11

(01-08-2011 04:50 PM)oldnemesis Wrote:  

(01-08-2011 03:56 PM)wolf Wrote:  Over here they were asking $200 for the tooth and $600 to put him under to remove that tooth.
...
My cousin had a root canal for $1200 recently, and that's with insurance.

Wolf, it looks like a lot of your issues come from being surrounded by people who are bringing failure. Really, they paid $1200 for root canal WITH dental insurance and 600 for tooth removal? You might want to reconsider who you hang out with.

To the original poster: I did not go to dentist myself when I was in Thailand, but I discussed it with locals. The quality varies as does the price, and for the best dentists you'll nowadays should expect to pay 80-100% of American prices. Strong baht and shitty exchange rate made it worse than it was in 2006, so any report from 2006-2007 is pretty much useless for 2011. Check with locals in the city you're going, and if you need some complex work (roots, crowns, implants) you might need to use multiple dentists as most are very good in one thing, and moderate in others.

That's $800 for a tooth removal. He didn't get his tooth removed here, he went to Thailand and removed there for $80.

The guy that got his root canal here for $1200 is my cousin. I try not to hang out with my cousin too much. He has a tendency to get drunk and run up on cops and piss right in front of them while announcing it that he needs a big piss.

Post: #12

(01-08-2011 04:56 PM)oldnemesis Wrote:  

(01-08-2011 04:37 PM)peterthephoenix Wrote:  I had all 4 wisdom teeth out a few years ago, for 20,000 baht (about 650 USD) including meds.

Just to compare, I paid $140 in cash for wisdom tooth removal here in San Francisco Bay Area - one of the most expensive areas in the USA. Which would translate to $560 for four.

Were they impacted?

Please PM your dentist.... I paid $865 for a re-route canal. No crown. Endontist cost here I guess. Thanks Oldmemisis.

Post: #13

(01-08-2011 06:45 PM)Entropy4 Wrote:  Yeah, but did your insurance cover the rest?

I didn't have dental insurance at that time, so it was cash only.

Quote:I read that in Thailand you can get heart bypass surgery done for less than $10k. In the US it costs over $100k. Quality of care is comparable as well.

I guess it costs 100K when your insurance pays for that. For example, a nearby hospital gives up to 85% "cash discount" if you pay yourself and upfront (not necessary with cash).

Quote:When people ask me why I don't have health insurance, I just laugh at them.

The obvious problem is that when you need a bypass, you might not survive those 20+ hours necessary to reach Thailand...

Post: #14

I'm 26 and in extremely good physical condition. Only thing that worries me is getting hit by a car or something.

Post: #15

(01-10-2011 04:09 PM)Entropy4 Wrote:  I'm 26 and in extremely good physical condition. Only thing that worries me is getting hit by a car or something.

A friend of mine, who is 27 and one of the healthiest persons I've ever known in a very good physical condition recently blacked out when parking his car, was brought to the hospital, and the MRI scan found a tumor in his brain. Went through brain surgery, and is doing well now. His hospital bill was $150K total, of which he paid like $900, the rest covered by insurance. Another friend broke his ankle while jogging - apparently he slipped on some piece of trash.

If you have any reasonable assets, even in form of earning potential, I'd suggest you consider getting at least "catastrophic coverage", something like $70/mo with 10K deductible. It might save you a lot of grief.

Post: #16

It's not $70/mo. I used to have it. I had the cheapest one you could get in my state. I was paying $180 and when they bumped it up to $230/mo, I cut it. I know shit happens, and if it does, hopefully I'll be able to border hop. If serious shit happens, then they'll have to save my life and if I can't pay it, I can't pay it. I'm young and don't have a ton of money. A $10k deductible isn't going to do me any good.

The whole system is one big scam. I have no interest in supporting it. I spend 6-9 months per year abroad anyway.

Post: #17

(01-10-2011 07:16 PM)Entropy4 Wrote:  It's not $70/mo. I used to have it. I had the cheapest one you could get in my state. I was paying $180 and when they bumped it up to $230/mo, I cut it. I know shit happens, and if it does, hopefully I'll be able to border hop. If serious shit happens, then they'll have to save my life and if I can't pay it, I can't pay it. I'm young and don't have a ton of money. A $10k deductible isn't going to do me any good.

The whole system is one big scam. I have no interest in supporting it. I spend 6-9 months per year abroad anyway.

I used to have really nice insurance at work. When I quit my job and started paying for that insurance it was $290 then several months later $327, then another several months later $360 a month. I canceled the policy and now pay $150 a month including dental. Every time I get sick it's a $50 including meds. I have no choice. Whenever I get sick I have to see a doctor. I feel like it's a scam too, I think they should give us free insurance, or at least make us pay a co-payment when we see a doctor or get some meds.

It's great that you're healthy. I had a friend that broke his leg playing basketball, he was healthy too, now his credit is ruined.

Post: #18

Didn't want to start a new thread as it's quite similar to this one. I'd like any info on eye laser surgery in BKK as I'd like to get one done soon. In Toronto, it would run me about 5k. My sister did it in Canada last summer for about 4.5k. A friend of mine, had his done 2 years ago in Medellin for about 800 bucks with free follow ups whenever needed. I'm hesitating between having it done abroad either in Medellin, Rio or BKK. Anyone in here has had eye laser surgery done abroad? If yes, where, how long ago and how much? Any info on the costs of doing it in BKK?

Thanks guys.

Post: #19

My friend (the one with the wrist) said it was offered at the hospital he went to for only a few hundred US. This was in Phuket City. And again, he said the care he got there was better than he gets in the UK (all European doctors), which according to every statistic, is better than we get in the US. If I needed Lasik, I'd SERIOUSLY consider getting it there.

Mexico has also become huge for medical tourism lately. Cheap and high quality there these days, I bet you could find something there. I actually read somewhere that doctors and dentists have all but vanished around the US border, because everybody just border hops and gets their shit done on the Mexican side for 1/10th the price.

Post: #20

(01-10-2011 10:40 PM)wolf Wrote:  I used to have really nice insurance at work. When I quit my job and started paying for that insurance it was $290 then several months later $327, then another several months later $360 a month. I canceled the policy and now pay $150 a month including dental. Every time I get sick it's a $50 including meds. I have no choice. Whenever I get sick I have to see a doctor. I feel like it's a scam too, I think they should give us free insurance, or at least make us pay a co-payment when we see a doctor or get some meds.

It's great that you're healthy. I had a friend that broke his leg playing basketball, he was healthy too, now his credit is ruined.

Yeah, it's fucked up. I do worry sometimes that something catastrophic may happen to me. But I guess I'll cross that bridge when/if I come to it. I'm considering moving abroad permanently, and health care (or the lack thereof) is a major factor in that decision for me.

Funny you mention your friend playing basketball. My Spanish tutor in Argentina told me that one of her former students tore his ACL playing basketball a couple weeks after he returned to the US. He was a young guy, uninsured, and the ACL surgery was going to run him almost 20k. So in desperation, he emailed her and asked her to go to the hospital and see if the doctors would operate on him in Buenos Aires. She went and the doctor was just like, "Sure, why not?"

A few weeks later, he bought a ticket to Buenos Aires and got his ACL surgery done for free. All it cost him was the price of the plane ticket. She said he was a big black dude too, spoke poor Spanish, obviously not an Argentinian citizen. But she said they didn't seem to care.

Post: #21

I agree on getting some type of "catastrophic insurance". Shit happens and it is best to have a back up plan. I can share countless stories of how people without insurance did not get the necessary medical they needed. I was also told it is best to reapply for your health insurance yearly this will save you from the unnecessary bumps in your premium.

Post: #22

On the topic of health insurance, I'm lucky that we in Canada have free health care, which is one of the best in the world! So having medical coverage is only an issue whenever I'm on the road. For my current mini retirement, I paid about 400 bucks for all inclusive universal medical coverage for the duration of my trip (3 months). Were I to extend my trip, I can easily extend that coverage by paying a little bit more.

But I'm intrigued, why is health care so freaking expensive in the US? Why don't they make it free there like in Canada and most of the civilised western world? I sincerely and really feel for you guys south of the border with all these restrictive and big brotherly laws in the name of "homeland security". The more you look at it, the more the US appears to be void of any real freedom and is one of the most, if not the most oppressive society in the Western world. So long about Home of the free and brave...

Post: #23

(01-10-2011 07:16 PM)Entropy4 Wrote:  It's not $70/mo. I used to have it. I had the cheapest one you could get in my state. I was paying $180 and when they bumped it up to $230/mo, I cut it. I know shit happens, and if it does, hopefully I'll be able to border hop. If serious shit happens, then they'll have to save my life and if I can't pay it, I can't pay it. I'm young and don't have a ton of money. A $10k deductible isn't going to do me any good.

The whole system is one big scam. I have no interest in supporting it. I spend 6-9 months per year abroad anyway.

If you only present in US three months a year, you may get travel insurance instead. Consider it protection if shit happens. You might think you can't pay, but the system doesn't work that easy. You might find out your assets (including bank accounts) frozen or liquidated to pay your debts, and when you appear in front of bankruptcy judge he might consider that if you had money to spend nine months abroad, you were able to afford health insurance as well. But again, it is up to you.

Sure, if you don't have one, they will save your life - but nothing more. No rehabilitation, for example. However major health issues are not immediately life-threatening, and they are not required to treat you either. A broken leg, for example, is not life-threatening, so don't expect them to fix it for you without a payment.

Post: #24

(01-12-2011 01:58 AM)Vacancier Permanent Wrote:  But I'm intrigued, why is health care so freaking expensive in the US? Why don't they make it free there like in Canada and most of the civilised western world?

I lived in a "free healthcare" country most of my life, so I can compare. And I can even answer your question.

First, we need to make it clear that there are no free services, someone is always paying. In your case they are covered by taxes, including HST/GHT, and by oil revenues. Some provinces (Ontarion?) even have special health tax. So it is definitely not free, and by "making it free" you basically saying "tax everyone more, and pay premiums out of it".

Second, the cost of healthcare. It comes from four things - doctor income, equipment, drugs and legal stuff.

As you know, doctors income in US are much larger than everywhere in the world (where doctors make similar to teachers). As a consequence, the best doctors often move to practice in US. Being self-employed, doctors are often willing to work longer hours, and not your regular 9-5 schedule. This also means when you need a neurosurgeon, he's more likely to be here and available. Sure, he'll collect $50K instead of nothing in Canada - but if you're dead because he was not available, a thought of saving $50K won't make you happy.

Second one is equipment. Modern healthcare equipment (like MRI machines) tend to be very expensive. This results in just Pittsburgh alone having more MRI machines than whole Canada. Have you ever tried to get MRI in Canada? If you did, you probably heard about "waiting lists". Every country with "free healthcare" has those, which is . US does not - if my doctor needs me to do MRI, I will get it next day. Those costs are factored too - if you go to a doctor in USA with a headache, he might send you to MRI scan - which is expensive, but available, and might uncover a lot of potential issues. Same doctor in Canada - you'll get a strong painkiller prescription, MRI is reserved for those with head traumas.

Third is drugs. What I remember is that US companies spend more on drug research then the rest of the world combined. And drug research is extremely expensive, just because vast majority of drugs either do not work on humans as expected, or have worse than expected side effects. Read some HIV vaccine trials, and you'll get an idea how much effort has been spent on just that during last twenty years - with no visible results so far. Note that we're talking about some of the best scientists in the world, who rightfully expect to make more money than "average household".

And, of course, there is litigation. While I'm somehow split on that, I do see some positive consequences. For example, recently someone who lost vision because of medical error got compensated for that, so he can still live a decent life. In Canada they'd tell you "sucks to be you, now apply for disability" and that's it. Sure, they may revoke the Dr's license, but how would it help one to live as blind? Think of it as insurance that if something goes wrong, at least you'll get some money.

So, as you see, the costs we pay represent quite fairly the better quality/availability we're getting.

Post: #25

oldnemesis, a lot of your information is inaccurate or just regurgitated talking points.

Spending more does not equal higher quality care. In fact, the US health care system is incredibly inefficient when compared to just about any other developed country. We pay far more and receive far less for fewer people.



In 2000, The World Health Organization rated the US health care system 37th in the world in terms of quality and efficiency, coming in behind such powerhouses as Morocco, Chile and Costa Rica. http://www.photius.com/rankings/healthranks.html

Statistically, we perform worse in almost every single category while paying more and dying earlier: http://www.huppi.com/kangaroo/L-healthcare.htm

Wait times in places like Canada or the UK are also blown out of proportion in comparison the wait times many of us already experience in the United States.

Quote:In 2007, the Commonwealth Fund released a report that compared U.S. health care against several other countries based on a variety of benchmarks. The data were principally derived from statistically random surveys of adult residents and primary care physicians from 2004 to 2006, in the following countries: United States, Canada, New Zealand, United Kingdom, Germany, and the Netherlands. This is what the researchers found:

* Canada had the highest percentage of patients (36%) who had to wait six days or more for an appointment with a doctor, but the United States had the second highest percentage (23%) who reported that they had to wait at least this long. New Zealand, Australia, Germany, and the U.K. all had substantially smaller numbers of people reporting waits of 6 days or longer. Canada and the United States, in that order, also had the lowest percentage of persons who said they could get an appointment with a doctor the same or next day.

Source: http://www.commonwealthfund.org/Maps-and...s+++Equity

Statistically speaking, the US only out-performs other developed countries in extreme situations. We have the most cancer survivors, for instance. But by almost every other metric, we lag behind or are about equal... yet we pay 3-4x more and almost 20% of our population is uninsured.

Just to give you another idea, here's a chart comparing how many Canadians come to the US for health care...


Yet, almost a million Americans travel abroad for medical tourism each year and that number is increasing.

As far as me being bankrupted by a judge... yes, but considering a 10k deductible would bankrupt me anyway, then it's a moot point. Breaking my leg, yes, that's basically the worst case scenario. But Mexico is only a $300 flight and six hours away, and they can take care of it for less than $1k.