Cost of HIV treatment

Hi,

Was wondering if someone could give me some advice about the cost of HIV treatment (for a Westerner) in Bangkok? I appreciate this is a тАЬhow long is a piece of stringтАЭ type question тАУ but just some thoughts would be helpful. For instance, I guess all the different hospitals have different billing models? тАУ where offerтАЩs good value for money?

I plan to move to BKK within the next 18 months. IтАЩm presently not on Meds тАУ and think it will be some time before I am. So, for now тАУ IтАЩm just looking for somewhere to monitor my counts. If and when I do start needing medication тАУ I guess hospital bills will start to rocket? My doctor in the UK had suggested that if I can return home on a regular basis, they can still treat and monitor my condition from here тАУ but I donтАЩt want to count on that. If anyone has some advice they could offer me on how they manage the condition while living in Thailand тАУ either publicly, or privately, I would be very very grateful.

Thanks in advance

I can only give you a little information but the cost of meds that most of the boys take is about 2500/2600 baht monthly. This is the meds for keeping the CD4 and viral load under control. I don't know the costs of additional meds dealing with specific problems one might have related to HIV. I know one guy going to Dr. Philippe in Pattaya and another going to a hospital in Bangkok. Price about the same per month. For blood tests in Pattaya I believe Dr. Philippe sends them to a hospial in Chonburi and I believe tests run also about 2500/2700 baht (don't quote me on that).

It will probably vary with the place you get treatment. A hospital like BNH in Bangkok will probably run you more than a smaller hospital or clinic. There are places you can go to get testing and they can probably refer you to doctors of hospitals where you can receive your blood tests and meds if needed.

No clue as to the cost for westerner, sorry.
Good luck.

It is all pending on what you need. If you can handly local made medicine you might expect something around 2000 to 5000 tbt, if you need more specific drugs it can run endlessly. I new this from an very lovely Thai friend of mine he need now about 20000 per month for his medicine.

I would suggest to talk to Ulf from Connect Guesthouse in Patong, Phuket. He is a nice, open minded Swedish guy, very much involved in HIV prevention and knows more ore less all answers of your questions. And he is also working at a very good international Hospital Phuket (patients liason). I am pretty sure he can introduce you to some of the advisors there. Since the HIV rate in Phuket is expremely high, the medical team is well up to date with any information needed. This hospital belongs to a chain which is also operating Pattaya-Bangkok and many others in Thailand and abroad. The Connect Guesthouse is one of the best places to stay in Patong if you are looking value for money.

Doctors fee do not vary that much. But at an good hospital the quality of treatment can be better due to better information and education policies.

Some good centres in Bangkok can help you at very little cost compared with elsewhere.
The Red Cross Centre by Water Towers for one in ratchada road (extention of Silom Road by side of park) I cant find the web site off hand now but have seen it before when i needed to find times of treatment clinics for a boy i knew.
www.aidsaccess.com hand out booklets with meds. costs not sure if web site has that updated.
www.silomclinic.in.th is for MSM Men having Sex with Men.
Many offer CD4 tests for a couple of hundred baht and there are other sites do a google search.
All the best.