Why do I love Thailand? Let me count the reasons . . .
For one thing, you can get this very nice private room in the cardiac ICU unit of a highly rated "international" hospital for only $370 per day. If you'd like a relative to stay with you and keep you company, they're happy to move a cot into the room. Your comfort is important to them!
Only one day for me, after a procedure that went without a hint of trouble, performed by two highly qualified specialists. (Both Thai, one about forty years old who did the actual work, and another with an MD from America, age about fifty-five, who supervised, made decisions about the procedure, and explained everything to me.) They both spoke English, one very well, and the other fluently with a good American accent. There's always at least one nurse around who can speak English pretty well. I can talk to Thai people, but in the medical setting it is often necessary to communicate in English. At a hospital like this, there's always someone around who speaks English.
It always annoys me that Medicare does not pay for work done overseas, but really, the way things are going, it doesn't matter. My total bill for this procedure was right about where my Medicare co-pay would have been. The hospital bill came in right at the estimate, no over-runs or add-ons at all. The hospital office got with my insurance carrier and split the bill to their satisfaction so that I was finally presented with a bill for only my share, which was about two-thirds.
The entire experience was almost pleasant. Almost. But all's well that ends well, and I'm fine.
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