Hospital Bill

LegacyUser

anyone know where i would stand on this. I went into hospital there a few weeks ago. I was asked did i have vhi i said i think i do turns out i dont i thought i had through work and now got very large bill of them. while i was there i was in public wards etc one of the lads that was ommited with the same thing and he got same wards same docs etc all for free ??

sweet-rasmus

it sucks. but you weren't covered by vhi. just thank god you're healthy and fit now. if the bill is quite large, i'd suggest you visit your local credit union cause they do very low interest rates. hope you can sort it ok.

NUTLEY BOY

Not so fast.

O.P. said he thought that he had VHI. Surely the hospital should have checked that first ?

If he only received treatment as public patient in a public bed what is he paying a big bill for and why should he pay it ?

I think that the O.P should write back and indicate that he did not have VHI cover and that he was there as a public patient and see what happens before thinking about getting a loan to pay a bill that may have been issued incorrectly and which he might not have to pay:mad: .

eth0_

Because a lot of VHI's plans don't cover private hospitals/rooms? Some hospitals don't have private wards or rooms in whatever specialty was looking after the OP?

I don't know how the OP could possibly not be sure if he has or has not got VHI, you have to fill in the application form yourself, and you receive your membership details in the post...

The guy on your ward who got it all for free either had a medical card or health insurance.

Dr Galen

they generally will ask u for the VHI number pretty sharpish once u've been admitted, unless that is, you've been incapitated like maybe a stroke or a car crash.

I think maybe the OP should call the hospital first and see what they say. the call to the credit union should be one of he last things. I've also seen hospitals allow people to pay off large bills bit by bit.

unless you have a medical card or health insurance we are all liable for the overnight charge anyways, €45 per night up to a max of €450 in a 12 month period i thinks and i've even heard of this being waived or paid off by installments

UrbanFox

It's hard to know where anyone stands with the details supplied. Was the admission planned or acute ?

It is for the hospital to prove that you owe the money. I would not be panicked or pressured in to paying by whatever means until your liability is actually established.

If you are impecunious it is not worth their while trying to pursue you especially if your liability to pay is not clearly established.