Hospital Bill Help

curlym

I was in America on my J1 over the summer. After a night out drinking I passed out in a shop toilet. I woke up a while later in an ambulance on the way to hospital. There they performed a CAT scan and an EKG as they didn't know what had happened to me. I requested not to have any tests and to be discharged but they wouldn't let me go until I had them done.

I'm now back in Ireland and have a bill for over $2000. I havn't told my parents and as I'm a student $2000 is an awful lot of money. If I don't pay this will further trips to the States be put in jeopardy? Will there be any consequences? Telling my parents isn't an option.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Victor

Surely you had travel insurance?

MPB

I'd come clean to the parents mate. $2000 is a fair bit of money but at the end of the day is it worth losing your right to travel to the states over? as previous poster said, did you have travel insurance?

curlym

I had both travel insurance and VHI but the travel insurance doesnt cover it because i had been drinkning and VHI wont cover it because I wsnt kept in over night in the hospital. There's a possiblility that the hospital charity might cover it but i need a parents signature. Is forging a bad idea??

rovers2001

To be honest i think your parents will see it as a small price to pay seen as that your ok.Its something you surely have learned from and am pretty sure it wont happen again.Contact the hospital tell them your plight that your a student and that oyu dont have that kind of money they may help regards paying in instalments or something like that.

Our man in Havana

If I don't pay this will further trips to the States be put in jeopardy?

Nope. It has nothing to do with Immigration. It is a civil matter.

artielange

You might want to ring them and explain that you will be paying cash and you live in Ireland and you would be willing to pay x amount. It might be only 40 percent of your bill. The 2000 is the insurance company price.(also do they have all your details, passport , home address) Personally i wouldn't worry about it.

Victor

artielange wrote: »

You might want to ring them and explain that you will be paying cash and you live in Ireland and you would be willing to pay x amount. It might be only 40 percent of your bill. The 2000 is the insurance company price.(also do they have all your details, passport , home address) Personally i wouldn't worry about it.

Actually, in the states, the cash price can be the most expensive. Its one of the travesties of their medical system - those that can't afford medical insurance will pay the highest cash price.

artielange

Victor wrote: »

Actually, in the states, the cash price can be the most expensive. Its one of the travesties of their medical system - those that can't afford medical insurance will pay the highest cash price.

That wasn't my experience and is well worth the shot of trying. If he is lucky they might have the same policy as this one.

http://www.elcaminohospital.org/Patient_Services/Billing_Insurance/Billing_FAQs/#7


Q. Does El Camino Hospital offer a discount if I pay cash for services?

A. Yes, El Camino Hospital extends a 75% cash discount to patients without insurance who choose to pay with cash, or to patients receiving services not covered by insurance who choose to pay with cash, or patients who choose to pay cash for services in lieu of billing their insurance.

curlym

Bond-007 wrote: »

Nope. It has nothing to do with Immigration. It is a civil matter.

so basically i could not pay the bill and i would have no problem getting back into america, that can't be right? there must be some consequences of not paying the bill.

yeah they do have my address and a copy of my drivers licence but not my passport. I have also spoken to them on the phone and they have never mentioned a reduced price for paying in cash its always just been the 2000. I know its not a great idea but would I get in trouble for forging my mothers signature on the charity form??

Our man in Havana

so basically i could not pay the bill and i would have no problem getting back into america, that can't be right? there must be some consequences of not paying the bill.

They can't stop you from travelling to the USA. They would have to sue you in the Irish courts to recover the money. For 2000 I would think this would be unlikely due to the costs involved.

curlym

Since im in college im not working yet but I dont mind paying the bill when I qualify because it is my own fault that I have it in the first place but I wont be earning any money for two years. Do you think I could not pay it until I qualify?..the bill wouldnt gain interest would it??

artielange

If your going to wait 2 years they might charge interest but by then it might be sold to collection agency. But since your not American they don't have much to hold over your head(credit rating) but they will try and make as much off it as possible. Even if they buy it for 5 cents on the dollar. Once again what personal info do they have, since you don't have a social security # you could walk in the same hospital tomorrow and they wouldn't make the connection based on your name.

Our man in Havana

Everything over there is filed under the social security number. :mad:

Even if they tried to sell it to a collection agency they would have severe difficulties trying to collect it here.

artielange

But the OP wants to pay it:rolleyes:

Our man in Havana

That is entirely up to him.

curlym

I have a social security number because I was working in America for the summer.

metrovelvet

TBH with you , it's a write off.

You can say you were not concious when you were admitted.

I recall passing out twice in grand central station. I had health insurance at the time, and I got a bill from the ambulance for $500. The health insurance company sent me a chck for $25 and I sent it to the ambulence people telling them this is what the health insurance company valued their service.

I know many many Americans who get treatment, the hospital sends the bill, and it ends up being a write off. Nothing happens.

And the hosptals by law cannot refuse treatment.

scange01

curlym wrote: »

I have a social security number because I was working in America for the summer.

I had a friend who did a J1 in Atlantic City three years ago, a similar thing happened, his injury was a bit more serious though, and he was kept overnight. He didn't pay and the next time he was in America, he was seized as he walked through customs as they recognized him from the social security) and is now paying a $25k fine in installments. It's not worth the risk.... Btw, very poor form trying to scam a charity...

Our man in Havana

On what basis did they detain him?

A social security number is not linked to your passport.

curlym

i know it's really bad form hence why i am not doing it. Plucked up the courage to tell the parents there today, they weren't exactly impressed but they took it better then i expected so hopefully they'l help me out, fingers crossed. Thanks everyone for all ye'r help.

neil_purdy

curlym wrote: »

I was in America on my J1 over the summer. After a night out drinking I passed out in a shop toilet. I woke up a while later in an ambulance on the way to hospital. There they performed a CAT scan and an EKG as they didn't know what had happened to me. I requested not to have any tests and to be discharged but they wouldn't let me go until I had them done.

I'm now back in Ireland and have a bill for over $2000. I havn't told my parents and as I'm a student $2000 is an awful lot of money. If I don't pay this will further trips to the States be put in jeopardy? Will there be any consequences? Telling my parents isn't an option.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Same thing happened to me in America on my J1 in 2005.. My bill was bigger, just over 3000!! Anyway my friend only gave them my american address and name.. They kept sending bills to me at my american address.. And then Debt collector letters.. I just kept ignoring them and went home a few weeks later.. I have been back to America 3 times since.. Nothing ever said..

Did you give them your irish address or did they track it??

curlym

They had my irish address, phone number, parents phone numbers the lot. They took photocopies of my id's aswel like garda card and drivers licence, the only one I don't think they have is a photocopy of my passport.

Victor

Look, man up, talk to your parents and sort it out.