Unpaid Medical Bills USA Help!!!???

Andystoran

Hi,

I have a bit of a problem. I have run up medical bills in a Hospital in California 2 years ago while I was there on a J1. I didn’t get a chance to claim these back on Insurance so they are now unpaid. I want to go back to California this summer for a wedding and im wondering whether ill get through immigration? Has anybody been in a similar position

Please help?

Rabies

Why are you getting a J1 for a wedding? Will you be serving the food at the meal?

Andystoran

No Im going for a 2 week holiday! i still need to get through immigration on the way in. When the immigration official types my name into the computer will my medical bills come up as unpaid? I dont want to pay for a flight and then be sent straight back home.

Rabies

You don't need a J1. You will going as vistor to America with no intention of working.

I doubt if unpaid bills would come up at immigration, but I really don't know.

Didi you give your passport details to the hospital when you were checked in?

How much did you leave unpaid?

bugle

he's not lookin for a J1.he just needs to know if theres a system that warns people that he is entering the state for reasons that he owes money to a hospital.isnt that it?

Rabies

Was sure he said he was looking to get a J1. My fault. \o/
I'm still getting thorugh my "Reading for Dummies" book. It takes time

bugle

sorry andy im not positive but id say you would be fine,there's far too many people comin in and out of airports.i never heard of them having checks for your debts to the state.somebody on this forum should know

mikedragon32

You should have no problem.

It's not illegal to have bad/unpaid debt and there's no credit rating to get into the states! Even if there was a judgement against you to recover the money owed, you'd still have no problem, I reckon.

Ruu is the resident expert on all things pertaining to US Immigration and he looks in regularly. He should be able to clarify this.

Andystoran

Thats good to hear mike. Can you alert Ruu to the thread just to get confirmation. A weight has been lifted for the moment anyway.

mikedragon32

Andystoran wrote:

Thats good to hear mike. Can you alert Ruu to the thread just to get confirmation. A weight has been lifted for the moment anyway.

Just PM him. He won't mind (or maybe he will, I don't know!). I know him just as well as you do!

Ruu_Old

Sorry Andy, haven't been able to find out much. The unpaid bills could be linked to immigration as unpaid bills left by immigrants have been the reason for the closure of many, many hospitals in the US over the last few years. I'll keep looking.

Andystoran

I had a feeling it wouldnt be plain sailing. :mad: thanks for looking into this for me

breadmonkey

Lol at Rabies:p

Rabies

I know. Would edit it, but then I couldn't laugh at my own stupidity
This "Reading for Dummies" book is tough. Back to Anne and Barry for me.

Next time I jump the gun I will stand infront of it.

rorymagory

Andystoran wrote:

Hi,

I have a bit of a problem. I have run up medical bills in a Hospital in California 2 years ago while I was there on a J1. I didn’t get a chance to claim these back on Insurance so they are now unpaid. I want to go back to California this summer for a wedding and im wondering whether ill get through immigration? Has anybody been in a similar position

Please help?

YOU are whats wrong with this country Storan!

YOU!!

bugle

i think u should go,i wouldnt say theres any risk.

scuby

just wondering did u have travel insurance at the time ? if so can u contact them and ask if they will still deal with the costs, not sure if there would be a time limit on sending the bills to them...or did u have health insurance here in ireland with vhi, bupa at the time ? or vivas if they were there then....

dublad23

Just to reply - I know it's an old thread but my mate didnt pay her bills and has been back to the US twice since and no problems!

Getting through immigration is fine but perhaps if you needed hospital treatment it would be a different story

skipper wallace

could you tell me please what happened in the end?