Some Private Hospitals to Publish Medication Prices

[Big Boy]

IN A move to tackle the issue of overpriced medicines and treatment, the Commerce Industry has garnered cooperation from 100 private hospitals nationwide to reveal the prices they charge for 1,000 medicines and some key medical treatments.

These prices will be displayed on the hospitals’ own websites as well as a central website. This information, which will allow consumers to compare prices, will be released on April 13 as a Songkran gift to the public, said Prayoth Benyasut, deputy chief of the Department of Internal Trade (DIT). He said DIT had no authority to have private hospitals to lower their prices, adding that private medical facilities procured medicines and equipment at a higher cost, unlike state hospitals, which can buy supplies in bulk.

Full story: The Nation

[handdrummer]

Every med that I've been prescribed was about 1/2 the hospital price at any pharmacy.

[Nereus]

Price controls may be placed on soaring medical costs

https://www.bangkokpost.com/news/genera ... recent_box


The Commerce Ministry is considering putting medicine and medical treatment on the list of controlled goods and services amid concerns over the high cost of private medical care.

Commerce Minister Sontirat Sontijirawong on Wednesday promised that he would address the issue of prices of medicine and medical care at private hospitals. The Foundation for Consumers is pushing for the ministry to regulate and control the cost to patients.

The minister said he has ordered the relevant agencies to finalise a price ceiling for medicine and medical treatment and services for presentation to a meeting in January. Afterwards, he would call a meeting of the ministry's central committee on prices of goods and services prices to put medical costs on the list of controlled goods and services.
Legal measures may be necessary to put the final prices in place, Mr Sontirat said.

“This does not mean the price of medical care at private hospitals will be the same as at public hospitals. We have to ensure justice for private hospitals too," he said.
"All concerned agencies will have to consider a price ceiling and reach a conclusion before bringing it to the next meeting.’’

The ministry’s plan was short-term. Long-term measures would rest with the Public Health Ministry, he added.
Mr Sontirat spoke after a meeting with representatives of the Pubic Health Ministry, the Foundation for Consumers, private hospitals and the Thai Life Assurance Association, seeking their views on medical care prices.

Wichai Phochanakij, director-general of the Internal Trade Department, confirmed that the agencies had agreed to put medicine and medical treatment on a list of controlled goods.

He said the issue would be forwarded to the central committee on Jan 9 and a sub-panel would be formed to set the standard charges, taking into consideration the capital costs and cost differences of each hospital.

[Socrates]

At least it will be same than at a car repair...

Costs for to renew the clutch and additional costs for more and heavy work about rusty screws.

[Nereus]

Patients deserve better

https://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opi ... rve-better

The government's plan to put medical supplies and medical service charges on the state price control list in order to deal with price gouging is a long-overdue effort that should be completed in no time.

According to Commerce Minister Sontirat Sontijirawong, the plan will be tabled at a meeting of the central committee on prices of goods and services early next month. The panel is due to meet on Jan 9.
If approved, the proposal will be forwarded to the cabinet for passage.

Private hospitals emerged as an option for a number of people in recent years given their quality and time-efficient services, compared to state-run hospitals which often cannot sufficiently meet patients' demands. Some health establishments invest heavily in luxury services, that are not core to the business, to attract customers.

But complaints about overcharging by private hospitals have forced the state to step in. It's unfortunate that people who suffer from illnesses have to such face rip-offs by greedy individuals in the healthcare sector.

Mr Sontirat on Wednesday chaired a joint meeting that was attended by Commerce Ministry officials and representatives from the Public Health Ministry, private hospitals, the Foundation for Consumers, and insurance companies.

The Foundation for Consumers last year gathered over 50,000 signatures on a petition calling on the government to impose regulations on the price of procedures at private hospitals.

The price control list is an initial step. The Internal Trade Department said that once it is approved, state officials will be allowed to exercise the power to issue measures to regulate medical supplies and medical services, such as recovery room charges, food charges, and x-ray and patient care charges.

There is also an idea of forming a subcommittee to study, develop and implement measures on profit margin limits, which can help ensure reasonable rates for medical service charges. Such a sub-panel or working group must include all stakeholders, especially advocates of consumers' right, to guarantee that all decisions are transparent and of public benefit.

At the same time, the authorities should go ahead with the plan to require private hospitals to post medicine prices and other charges that will enable prospective clients to make an informed decision. There must be measures to ensure that there are no hidden costs.

These steps should be taken without further delay once the price control plan gets the greenlight from the government.

It is known that some hospitals sell medicines, even those of generic type, at higher prices, sometimes 200-300% higher than those sold in pharmacies.

This must be stopped. At the same time, there must be a system that allows patients and their families to purchase medicines from other pharmacies, not only from hospitals where they receive treatment.

Similar price control mechanism is also needed for pharmacies.

Mr Sontirat told the media that the price control proposal is only a short-term measure that allows the government to exercise measures to take care of people with regard to public complaints about overcharging by some private hospitals.

In the long term, the minister said, the government needs to hold talks to form policy directives to regulate professional medical services, as well as doctor consultation fees.

Mr Sontirat's move is worthy of the government's support.

Regulating medical services, including through price controls, is a necessary. It's true that private hospitals are for-profit organisations, and not a charity.

But those medical establishments must also stick to moral principles, as well as good governance, and avoid unfair rip-off practices that traumatise the patients and their families.

Unfair price gouging will adversely affect the medical sector as a whole. Unless properly addressed, such unethical practice will ruin the government's goal of turning Thailand into the region's hub for medical tourism.

[Nereus]

Commerce Ministry stands by price control list

https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/ne ... ntrol-list

Despite growing opposition from private hospitals, the Commerce Ministry is standing by plans to find appropriate measures to keep a lid on medical supplies and medical service charges to prevent price gouging.

Commerce Minister Sontirat Sontijirawong on Friday said the public could rest assured that the ministry will proceed with putting medical supplies and medical service charges on the state price control list.

But he acknowledged that the plan to forward the proposal to the cabinet for approval this coming Tuesday could be delayed after growing complaints from private hospitals that their business will suffer under the new regime.

SET-listed private hospitals cried foul after their share prices plunged following approval of the proposal by the central committee on prices of goods and services on Wednesday.

Once items are approved for the price control list, state officials will be allowed to exercise power to issue measures to regulate medical supplies and medical services, such as recovery room charges, food charges, and X-ray and patient care charges.

Wednesday's meeting also approved setting up a subcommittee to find appropriate measures concerning domestic medical supplies and medical service prices.

The subcommittee will include representatives from the Public Health Ministry, the Commerce Ministry, the Thai Life Assurance Association, the Thai General Insurance Association, consumer protection organisations and private hospitals.

on Friday, the Commerce Ministry called a special meeting with representatives from the Public Health Ministry, the Foundation for Consumers, the Thai Life Assurance Association, the Thai General Insurance Association and the Private Hospital Association after private hospital operators asked to meet the minister to explain the impact of the proposed measures.

"The meeting discussed the approval by the central committee on prices of goods and services to put medical supplies and medical service charges on the state price control list," Mr Sontirat said. "Participants showed both support and disagreement with the approval, with some private hospitals arguing that medicine, medical supplies and medical service are a complex issue. The same illness may have different treatments and different prescriptions."

According to Mr Sontirat, private hospitals are also concerned about the impact and need more clarity regarding the measures.

The Commerce Ministry needs to hold more discussions with all stakeholders to ensure that the measures, once put in place, will be fair to all parties, whether consumers or private hospitals, he said.

Pongpat Patanavanich, president of the Private Hospital Association, said his group disagrees with the Commerce Ministry's idea. He said private hospitals are already supervised by the Public Health Ministry.

"Currently, all Thai people are eligible for free basic medical services under the universal healthcare scheme," Dr Pongpat said. "They don't need to buy medicines or seek treatment from private hospitals. And in the event of an emergency, there is the Universal Coverage for Emergency Patients plan, which offers compulsory emergency healthcare for up to 72 hours."

According to Dr Pongpat, private hospitals' service charges also include investment in high technology and advanced medical devices that have led to Thailand becoming one of the world's top medical tourism destinations.

The proposed measures may affect the government's goal to develop Thailand as Asean's medical hub and hit medical tourism, which brings in more than 100 billion baht a year, he said.

[Lost]

The healthy fight over medical prices

Regulating private care for the sake of consumers comes with a balancing act required to maintain the industry

Controlling medical and healthcare service prices remains a hot topic in Thailand's healthcare industry, with the move poised to become an epic struggle between private hospitals, state officials and consumer representatives. On Dec 27, the Commerce Ministry announced plans to put medical-related fees, including drugs, supplies and service charges, on the price control list.

After listing this category as under price control, a subcommittee will convene to decide reasonable rates for services and establish price ceilings. The Commerce Ministry needs to hold more discussions with all stakeholders to ensure that the measures, once put in place, will be fair to all parties -- consumers and private hospitals, said Commerce Minister Sontirat Sontijirawong.

Full story...

https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/ne ... cal-prices

[handdrummer]

I wonder how many Thai doctors will be moving to other countries?

[Nereus]

Price tags en route to private hospitals

https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/ne ... s#cxrecs_s

The Commerce Ministry is set to issue an official announcement requiring private hospitals to show the price tags for medicine, medical supplies and medical service charges so that consumers can be aware of prices before deciding to use services.

Commerce permanent secretary Boonyarit Kalayanamit, who chaired the first meeting of the subcommittee handling supervisory measures for medicines, medical supplies and medical services, said an announcement on price tags is likely next week.

"The price tags must be easily visible and understandable," he said. "They may start with 1,000 items in the initial period."
According to Mr Boonyarit, the meeting Thursday agreed to set up a working group to study the production costs of medicines and medical services.

The working group, chaired by the director-general of the Internal Trade Department, is required to submit the study within 60 days, or by late March.

Mr Boonyarit said private hospitals' production and operating costs vary based on their size and grade.
He said the meeting agreed that private hospitals should disclose and provide clear details of medical service charges, as well as additional charges if hospitals detect other diseases later on.

The hospitals should also separate medical charges from other additional charges such as room rates, he said.

The subcommittee, which includes representatives from the Office of Insurance Commission, the Commerce Ministry, the Thai Life Assurance Association, the Thai General Insurance Association, consumer protection organisations and private hospitals, agreed to let patients at private hospitals buy medicine from drugstores using prescriptions given by doctors.

The Health Service Support Department has accepted the decision and will call a meeting of the committee supervising the hospitals and health service operators before making further announcements.

On Jan 22, the cabinet approved the Commerce Ministry's proposal to put medical and healthcare expenses on the state price control list as part of efforts to deal with price gouging amid growing concerns over the high cost of private medical care.

The proposal was endorsed by the Central Committee on Prices of Goods and Services in line with the 1999 Prices of Goods and Services Act, which demands a review of goods and services prices every two years.

[PeteC]

Most private hospitals overcharging
Ministry says prices are 30-300% above production cost
Published: 6/04/2019 at 07:10 AM
Newspaper section: Business https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/ne ... ercharging

The Commerce Ministry has found that more than half of private hospitals overcharge for medicines and medical services.

Whichai Phochanakij, director-general of the Internal Trade Department, who chaired a meeting of the working group tasked with studying the production cost of medicines and medical services, said 295 of a total of 353 private hospitals in Thailand had submitted production cost information for their medicines and medical services to the working group as of Thursday.

That leaves 58 private hospitals that have yet to provide any information to the panel, mostly smaller hospitals.

The government set an April 4 deadline for all private hospitals, regardless of size, to submit the data or face penalties under the 1999 Prices of Goods and Services Act.

According to the act, those that refuse to supply information to the regulator violate Section 18 and are subject to up to three months in jail, a fine of up to 5,000 baht or both.

Mr Whichai said the group studied the production costs of 10,146 items covering medicines, medical supplies and medical services, comparing them with appropriate cost structures available from a variety of sources, including importers, wholesalers, big drugstores, manufacturers, the Office of Insurance Commission, the Thai Life Assurance Association, the Thai General Insurance Association and the Comptroller-General's Department.

Of the private hospitals that overcharge, the overcharge rate ranges from 30% to 300% above actual production costs.

Mr Whichai said that once information is filed by all private hospitals and a cost structure analysis is conducted, the working group will propose solutions to the subcommittee handling supervisory measures for medicines, medical supplies and medical services, chaired by commerce permanent secretary Boonyarit Kalayanamit.

Once endorsed by the subcommittee, the solutions will be submitted to the Central Committee on Prices of Goods and Services, chaired by the commerce minister, to approve the measures.

Initially approved measures will be announced on the Internal Trade Department's website. Information on medicines, medical supplies and medical services from each private hospital will also be disclosed on the website.

Mr Whichai said the Internal Trade Department will later call a meeting with private hospitals that exaggerate the prices of their medicines, medical supplies and services and ask them to adjust prices to align with production costs.

If they refuse to lower the charges, the department will ask for cooperation from patients or those who are affected by the overpricing to file complaints with the department so that state units can proceed with legal action.

[handdrummer]

A prescription from Bangkok hospital in Hua Hin costs 50% less at Boots in MV.

[caller]

A prescription from Bangkok hospital in Hua Hin costs 50% less at Boots in MV.

I regard Boots as expensive!

[handdrummer]

A prescription from Bangkok hospital in Hua Hin costs 50% less at Boots in MV.

I regard Boots as expensive!

You may shop wherever you like, I was just making a comparison.

[caller]

A prescription from Bangkok hospital in Hua Hin costs 50% less at Boots in MV.

I regard Boots as expensive!

You may shop wherever you like, I was just making a comparison.

Oops, apaologies, I didn't mean to post this, deciding it was a but crass. It seems I did after all. If I had known that, I would have come back and deleted it - lol!

[handdrummer]

I regard Boots as expensive!

You may shop wherever you like, I was just making a comparison.

Oops, apaologies, I didn't mean to post this, deciding it was a but crass. It seems I did after all. If I had known that, I would have come back and deleted it - lol!

Apologies accepted. No harm, no foul. Thank you.