Patients in panic

He said as the NHSO would start providing hemodialysis therapy to patients on October 1, and had appointed hospitals to charge patients not over Bt500, the Private Hospital Association of Thailand had sent a letter to recommend private hospitals nationwide not to sign contracts with the NHSO as the hospitals would receive NHSO reimbursement of only Bt1,500, which is lower than the civil servant medical benefit scheme.

He said this action by the Private Hospital Association is aimed at bargaining to increase the reimbursement for the kidney treatment from the government, which was not fair for patients. The Private Hospital Association's president, Dr Auechart Kanchanapitak, said the association had advised all private hospitals not to sign contacts with the NHSO because most private hospitals have to shoulder the financial burden themselves.

He was afraid that if the price of treatment was reduced to Bt1,500 from Bt1,900 it would affect the quality of services and treatment and ultimately harm patients.

He said the price of Bt1,900 for treatment is the charge recommended as  reasonable by the Nephrology Society of Thailand.

NHSO secretary-general Winai Sawasdiworn said this was just an opinion from the Private Hospital Association and he was not sure whether or not its recommendation would be complied with by the private hospitals. However, the NHSO is opening the opportunity for private hospitals that are interested in contracts with the NHSO.

He said the NHSO had consulted with the Nephrology Society of Thailand and the price of Bt1,500 was reasonable for treatment at a private hospital.