Dear All,
I was not going to mention this but I think my experience will be helpful to save any of you falling into the same trap.
At Christmas/New Year 2005/2006 I was very under the weather with a sore throat that would not go away.I have always ensured that I was adequately covered on Health Insurance throughout my time living in Thailand with an International company covering worldwide. I had the emerald policy as I had been told that would cover me well and truly for any emergency in Thailand.
I went to a reputable Pattaya Hospital as an out patient and was prescribed Anti Bio tics for Laryngitis.I followed Doctors advice to the letter, however, I returned two weeks later, with the same condition. I was again prescribed Anti Bio tics, but a different brand and a longer course.
This still did not work. I sought a second opinion and went to A Bangkok Hospital. I told them the symptoms and showed them the medicines I had been prescribed. They organized a X-Ray, and it came back, they told me it was perfectly normal, and maybe it was anxiety as to why my problem was persisting.
Feeling no better, and by now, people around me could no longer understand my speech correctly, I was in company , by accident, with Dr Peter Morley, Medical Director of the famous Bumrungrad, who advised me to visit him and he would get to the bottom of it, once and for all.
By this time, We are moving into February, I was immediately sent to a specialist in Their ENT division at Bumrungrad. He, within, five minutes after examining me informed I had a 'vocal mass' on the Left vocal chord and advised an immediate Biopsy. I told him the previous Hospital had told me the X-Ray was normal. He told me ' Cancer does not show up on the type of X-Ray given of the Head!'
The Biopsy was done the following day and the result the day after.
BAD NEWS. I was told I had cancer of the vocal chord and it was malignant.
The next two months, I travelled daily from Pattaya to Bangkok for Radiation treatment whilst continuing my role in Throb/Splash and the Hotel business. A daily round trip of five/six hours for two months!
A period of time was allowed to elapse after completion of the Radiation Treatment as the swelling was immense due to Radiation and they had to wait again.My Insurance company was covering the costs as I expected under my policy.
In August 2006, I was informed all efforts to save the Larynx had failed, My body had not responded to the Radiation treatment and by this time, the cancer was blocking my windpipe.
A triple operation was required immediately under 'emergency procedure' I was also informed that the surgeon was so worried, he did not wish to put me under General Anaesthetic until the Stoma/Hole in my throat, enabling an alternative source of breathing, was made, whilst I was awake, as they feared I may die.
So guys, We have the time lost/wasted by misdiagnosis from two Hospitals and if that was not enough, I was having my voice box removed, to then be informed by my insurance company that I had reached the limit of 500,000 baht and would now have to pay all further expenses myself!!
I was shocked. These procedures were very substantially more than this, and I, like many people who take out Health Insurance had not read the small print and just accepted as fact, the advice given.
The small print had fees covered per schedule.
So, sometimes when you are seeing millions of bahts worth of cover, they are giving you the total cover for all different types of ailments and operations!!
The key is 'Amount per schedule' that is the amount covered for your operation/condition at that time.
Also, once you have reached this schedule level no funds now or in the future can be drawn for that condition. I am no longer covered for this cancer, but never mind, roll on a Heart attack and I am covered again!!!
BUYER BEWARE.Check and scrutinise your policy!!
What would have happened if you didn't have enough private funds to cover this?? I think you all know the answer.
Finally, My deep respect and appreciation to all the Doctors and Nursing staff of Bumrungrad Hospital, without whose help, I would not be writing this today.