As some of you may know I recently went in for a knee replacement.
The left knee has been troubling me for quite a while now & it really packed up when I was in Laos earlier this year. I was alone, stuck in Xam Neua for 4 days, unable to walk on two legs & was eventually able to make an escape out of Laos+ that I wrote up here
Escaping From Xam Neua & Laos.
My original plan had been to hold off until the end of the year, until after I had renewed my GTR insurance in October, but the knee really did start to cause a lot of trouble such that I’ve been struggling physically most of the year. And it does tend to drag your down mentally then as well I can tell you. So it was time to bite the bullet & commit to Dr Nantawit & get the op done a.s.a.p.
I double checked with the GTR Insurance policy & yes, they confirmed they would pay 90% of the bill. The quote I had from Dr Nantawit that was for about 250,000 baht depending on how many days in hospital & how straight forward the op was. 230-270,000 baht would be the price range.
Hospitals (Ram, Lanna, Sriphat) were discussed with Nantawit & he said he could do the op in any hospital, but perhaps Sriphat was the most convenient. We agreed on Sriphat to keep the insurance company from being fleeced by Ram.
Part of the problem that continued high medical bills is that they may influence the insurance company from not renewing your policy at a later date & dropping you in the poo getting new insurance if you are over 60. I am 64 now & don’t wish to be kicked out & seeking new health insurance coverage at my age.
At Sriphat the procedure was for a 100,000 baht cash deposit on check in. Every 3 days the hospital provided a financial statement on the bill status.
The op took 2.5 hours & after only 2 days I found I was actually able to stand & take a few steps unaided, much to the dismay of the hospital staff. Please use the walker for up to 6 weeks was their general advice.
After 6 nights in hospital I was “mobile” enough to be discharged with a walker.
For the record the hospital bill was 251,000 baht.
The knee cost 85,000 baht.
The doctor’s fee was 35,000 baht = extremely generous I thought.
The balance was made up of hospital & medical fees.
The private room at Sriphat cost 2,400 baht a night.
On check out, the final bill was faxed through to the insurance company & accepted. The hospital refunded 81,000 baht of my 100,000 baht cash deposit.. My share of the bill = 19,000 baht = I am a very happy customer in the GTR group insurance policy.
GT Rider Motorcycle / Health Insurance
I am having daily therapy at Lanna hospital. I opted for Lanna rather than Sriphat because of the greater ease of access.
10 days later the stitches+ are out.
2 weeks down the road I am walking around unaided, apart from the leg brace, + riding the automatic scooter.
In another 10 days I reckon I will be on the Vstrom.
See you all back on the road, sooner than later.
The left knee has been troubling me for quite a while now & it really packed up when I was in Laos earlier this year. I was alone, stuck in Xam Neua for 4 days, unable to walk on two legs & was eventually able to make an escape out of Laos+ that I wrote up here
Escaping From Xam Neua & Laos.
My original plan had been to hold off until the end of the year, until after I had renewed my GTR insurance in October, but the knee really did start to cause a lot of trouble such that I’ve been struggling physically most of the year. And it does tend to drag your down mentally then as well I can tell you. So it was time to bite the bullet & commit to Dr Nantawit & get the op done a.s.a.p.
I double checked with the GTR Insurance policy & yes, they confirmed they would pay 90% of the bill. The quote I had from Dr Nantawit that was for about 250,000 baht depending on how many days in hospital & how straight forward the op was. 230-270,000 baht would be the price range.
Hospitals (Ram, Lanna, Sriphat) were discussed with Nantawit & he said he could do the op in any hospital, but perhaps Sriphat was the most convenient. We agreed on Sriphat to keep the insurance company from being fleeced by Ram.
Part of the problem that continued high medical bills is that they may influence the insurance company from not renewing your policy at a later date & dropping you in the poo getting new insurance if you are over 60. I am 64 now & don’t wish to be kicked out & seeking new health insurance coverage at my age.
At Sriphat the procedure was for a 100,000 baht cash deposit on check in. Every 3 days the hospital provided a financial statement on the bill status.
The op took 2.5 hours & after only 2 days I found I was actually able to stand & take a few steps unaided, much to the dismay of the hospital staff. Please use the walker for up to 6 weeks was their general advice.
After 6 nights in hospital I was “mobile” enough to be discharged with a walker.
For the record the hospital bill was 251,000 baht.
The knee cost 85,000 baht.
The doctor’s fee was 35,000 baht = extremely generous I thought.
The balance was made up of hospital & medical fees.
The private room at Sriphat cost 2,400 baht a night.
On check out, the final bill was faxed through to the insurance company & accepted. The hospital refunded 81,000 baht of my 100,000 baht cash deposit.. My share of the bill = 19,000 baht = I am a very happy customer in the GTR group insurance policy.
GT Rider Motorcycle / Health Insurance
I am having daily therapy at Lanna hospital. I opted for Lanna rather than Sriphat because of the greater ease of access.
10 days later the stitches+ are out.
2 weeks down the road I am walking around unaided, apart from the leg brace, + riding the automatic scooter.
In another 10 days I reckon I will be on the Vstrom.
See you all back on the road, sooner than later.
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