Thai patients not affected by increased medical fees

BANGKOK, February 2 (TNA) - Thai patients will not be affected by the government's policy on raising medical fees, after they have been kept unchanged for several years. Public Health Minister Dr. Pradit Sintavanarong said during the weekly radio and TV programme of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra this morning that only foreign patients will be affected by the increase in medical fees; while Thai patients who use medical services through three channels, including welfare for government officials, the social security fund sponsored by the Ministry of Labour and the 30-baht universal health guarantee programme, will not be affected from the increase. Dr. Pradit acknowledged that a recent decision by government-run hospitals to raise their medical fees is considered justified, as they have not raised the fees since 2004, and that the hospitals need to increase the fees to be in line with rising costs and inflation. The public health minister cautioned, however, that private-owned hospitals should not take the opportunity to raise their medical fees, as their charges are already high presently. Government-run hospitals have, meanwhile, cited increased daily minimum wage to 300 baht, which has come into effect nationwide since January 1, 2013, as the main reason for raising their medical fees, claiming that their operational costs have risen. (TNA)