Susan's Place Transgender Resources

i'm just curious as to why american surgeons charge so much for surgery when compared to other surgeons around the world?  are their skills really reflective of their fees in being 2-3x more? 
or, can we chalk it up to a capitalist society and greed? i'm very curious.
i've seen a program on discovery health once that called Trinidad, Co the sex change capital of the world..........it would seem that Thailand, is in fact, the sex change capital of the world

Because they didn't go into medicine to help people but to make $$$$$$$$$$$.

The top Thai surgeons are charging closer to say 85% of North American surgeons.
Keep in mind that you have to fly international to get to Bangkok. Though Montreal is in Canada, flights to there are handled in the same manner as US domestic flights.

About the 1/2 price shops. You often get what you've paid for, buyer beware.

BTW. Bowers, the Trinidad surgeon you mentioned, moved her office to California recently. Another reason why surgery in the " western world" is so much more. Location, location, location. Or better yet, cost of living. And of course, our wonderful malpractice insurance rates.

I would be safe to say that Thailand is the sex change capitol of the world. Not Trinidad.

About the prices, they are not much more expensive compared to other surgeons around the world.

For example, My surgeon in the US charges 20,000 US Dollars. Dr. Suporn charges about 15,000 US Dollars (compared) in Thailand. If  you factor in the plane ticket, visa, the 2 weeks stay at the hotel you are spending the same amount of money.

Dr. Kunaporn in Thailand charges 11,000 dollars and when you factor in all the other costs it comes to about 16,500.

A friend of mine spent 24,000 US Dollars for Dr. Brassard.

So not all US Doctors charges much more than other countires and its not a corporate greed issue. It's more like them covering their as*es if a trans sues them for malpractice, surgery costs, anesthesia costs, aftercare etc. The price is about the same for many other surgeries if you were to pay out of pocket.

Quote from: Princess of Hearts on October 13, 2011, 11:07:50 PM
Because they didn't go into medicine to help people but to make $$$$$$$$$$$.

Well, people do spend 8 years of college plus years of residence (which makes no money) hoping to make some money. That's not greed. It's called being compensated based on your worth.

Plus, doctors do not make as much as you think. My mom pays 220,000 dollars every year out of her pocket for malpractice insurance. She's a cardiologist and makes about 50,000 more than a Physician Assistant who pays hardly anything to malpractice.

And 200,000 dollars for invasive cardiology is mega cheap...my mother gets low rates because of her experience. An average non-invasive Cardiologist (who does not do surgeries) pays out 400,000 a year (according to the MGMA of Mal Practice Insurance).  So imagine getting a salary of 300,000 a year but having to put in 400,000 a year just for your insurance coverage. So. Do you really think they are in it for the "$$$$$$$$$$$$$"

You do not even want to know how much OB/GYN pays out

If my mother did not do heart surgeries on her non office days she would be bankrupt in 4 weeks. She works about 80 hours a week to buy things she wants.

So, don't assume doctors are greedy and just wanting money. They are not rolling in a bed of money like you think they are.

Because people sue if you breathe on them funny.

Higher costs are also due to the hospital charges, such as length of stay for after care, anesthesia, etc.  Some hospitals charge quite a bit.  A friend of mine who went to Bowers said that she had switched to San Mateo because of the costs that the Trinidad hospital kept increasing.

yes, sanguan and kunaporn are on the "higher" side of thai surgeons, but, what about yanhee hospital, pai, chettawut, and saran?
yanhee is around $7800usd, pai around $8400 usd, saran around $8000 usd and chettawut not sure.
a round trip flight runs around $1400 (depending on time of year) from the east coast of the US to Bangkok........do the math. 
from what I've read, the Thai surgeons will have their office pick you up at the airport and return you that is included in your surgeons fees.......i've read on bowers website that patients need to take a taxi to her office? that's BS.
so, compare that to $23000 and $20000 in the US.........
a good hotel in bangkok would run you $50-$80 usd a day.
as good as bowers and mcginn may be, i dont think they're as good as preecha (who is a pioneer in the procedure) and trained the majority of the thai surgeons.
plus it's no secret that thai culture is much more friendly than us culture.

even a breast augmentation would run $3000 cheaper using the same implant..mentor.........no doubt, american surgeons are capitalizing on the market

Quote from: Annah on October 13, 2011, 11:14:46 PM
Well, people do spend 8 years of college plus years of residence (which makes no money) hoping to make some money. That's not greed. It's called being compensated based on your worth.

Plus, doctors do not make as much as you think. My mom pays 220,000 dollars every year out of her pocket for malpractice insurance. She's a cardiologist and makes about 50,000 more than a Physician Assistant who pays hardly anything to malpractice.

And 200,000 dollars for invasive cardiology is mega cheap...my mother gets low rates because of her experience. An average non-invasive Cardiologist (who does not do surgeries) pays out 400,000 a year (according to the MGMA of Mal Practice Insurance).  So imagine getting a salary of 300,000 a year but having to put in 400,000 a year just for your insurance coverage. So. Do you really think they are in it for the "$$$$$$$$$$$$$"

You do not even want to know how much OB/GYN pays out

If my mother did not do heart surgeries on her non office days she would be bankrupt in 4 weeks. She works about 80 hours a week to buy things she wants.

So, don't assume doctors are greedy and just wanting money. They are not rolling in a bed of money like you think they are.

you should watch the movie "John Q" with Denzel

Not to mention the rather obvious fact that money is fluid, and in Thailand that amount when converted from US dollars to Thai baht is a substantial amount of money in Thailand.

Quote from: tekla on October 14, 2011, 12:28:00 AM
Not to mention the rather obvious fact that money is fluid, and in Thailand that amount when converted from US dollars to Thai baht is a substantial amount of money in Thailand.

yes, $8000 usd would be about $240,000 Baht

How about why do we have to travel to find doctors to do the surgery we need? Or maybe why does all surgery cost so much?

I'm very much on the side of the doctors, and I think they get too coarsely evaluated and judged, but I'm familiar with medical school and hospitals. It's total BS to pretend that most doctors are in it for the good of humanity or something, or that they're just average people. They are a special, privileged, jargony class, and they often do love money and prestige. Some of them are just honestly fascinated with the workings of the body. Some of them just do it because their parents expected them to, and they fell into the life. Every profession is different. I don't think we should be vilifying or glorifying.

Everything in Thailand is cheaper.

Quote from: ~RoadToTrista~ on October 14, 2011, 01:46:25 AM
Everything in Thailand is cheaper.

it sure is!! a 1 liter bottle of water in the 7-11's cost 14 baht which is about 50 cents........compared to $2 here   ;)
american greed!

As Annah pointed out there are considerable expenses, but not only insurance. You rent private  rooms, you then need a secretary, you need to equip your room to do examinations. You may then need to pay to use the hospital facility to use their equipment and staff. It is all ongoing.

I know of very few greedy medics, yes they exist, but most are doing a very difficult job and their customers demand perfection, as BTW do themselves.

In Thailand the rent etc is considerably lower which reduces the overall cost.

Quote from: Cindy James on October 14, 2011, 03:16:41 AM
As Annah pointed out there are considerable expenses, but not only insurance. You rent private  rooms, you then need a secretary, you need to equip your room to do examinations. You may then need to pay to use the hospital facility to use their equipment and staff. It is all ongoing.

I know of very few greedy medics, yes they exist, but most are doing a very difficult job and their customers demand perfection, as BTW do themselves.

In Thailand the rent etc is considerably lower which reduces the overall cost.

i suppose that's why Thailand is considered to be the cosmetic surgery capital of the world!

I think so, the surgeons are, generally good, but accommodation is very cheap. You can stay in a a very nice hotel quite cheaply. And food etc is very cheap.

Cosmetic holidays from Australia to Thailand are getting very popular. I'm in Australia. But there are always the horror stories so you do need to research the people well before you commit.

I've really been looking into Dr. Saran. He comes highly recommend, and does many great techniques that other surgeons have "pioneered." A lot of what a doctor charges is based upon what the hospital charges. My grandfather is a doctor, and says a lot of his time and what he is allowed to do is based upon what the insurance company allows him to do.

Quote from: Tyler on October 14, 2011, 03:44:12 AM
I've really been looking into Dr. Saran. He comes highly recommend, and does many great techniques that other surgeons have "pioneered." A lot of what a doctor charges is based upon what the hospital charges. My grandfather is a doctor, and says a lot of his time and what he is allowed to do is based upon what the insurance company allows him to do.

I'd say Dr. Saran is an awesome choice!

Quote from: badkitty on October 14, 2011, 12:32:22 AM
yes, $8000 usd would be about $240,000 Baht

which is quite a bit of money for those living in Thailand.

Quote from: badkitty on October 14, 2011, 03:02:03 AM
it sure is!! a 1 liter bottle of water in the 7-11's cost 14 baht which is about 50 cents........compared to $2 here   ;)
american greed!

It has utterly nothing to do with "American Greed."

Its due to the economical sessions and cycles of that region that dictates the price. Which is inflation. Pay out and wages of people to the costs of goods.

For example, the average monthly salary for a thai citizen with a college degree is 10,000 baht which is currently 324 US dollars a month. If you average that to 3,500 a month to compare the market, that bottle of water really costs the citizens of thailand four $4.09 based on their salary to costs. It costs 50 cents to us based on our market. But to them they are paying $4.09 based on US comparison. We, according to your post, pay out $2 dollars.

So, no it has nothing to do with American Greed

As Annah points out, with figures, the problem in the US is the habit of sueing everyone.

A few years ago, some British TV presenters went to the states, bought a car and drove around to see a bit. They intended selling the car before flying home. But they ended up in New Orleans and took pity on a homeless family so they gave the car to them. Next thing they know they have a law suit because they said the car was a 94 model when it was actually a 93.

OK, that's extreme, but that's the problem.

The reason Thialand is so cheap is because they run their economy on a low exchange rate system. They don't produce enough locally which can sell on the world markets so they can't earm a lot of foreign currency, especially Dollars and Euros. So, they maintain a low exchange rate so that what they do produce will sell.

It's a bit difficult to get your head around this but local people, in places like Thialand, actually earn about the same, in numerical terms, as anyone else, taking into account the relative values of their base currency. Costs are distorted by the artificially low exchange rates.

The reason they don't produce enough locally to sell on the world markets is down to corruption. However corrupt we in the likes of the US, the UK, Europe, Australasia think we are, this pales into insignificance compared to the endemic corruption that exists in most of Africa, Asia, S America and all of Russia, where corruption is part of daily life. A few years ago, In Bangladesh, the students went on strike demaning the right to cheat in their exams. Again, an extreme case, but indicates the realities of the problems. And that the cultural nature of it.