Enormous Medical Bills USA

losttraveller

I was recently visiting a friend in the US and unfortunately my stay has been really rough. I was brought to an ER after overdosing on a lot medication and am facing $18,000 in medical bills. I am due to return home shortly. I am unemployed and running pretty low on money and I don't know what to do. If anybody has any advice it would be greatly appreciated, I don't know where to turn or what to do. Thanks

gctest50

doesn't look good - about 1/3 states will happily lock you up for things like that

In September, Vivian Joy, 53 years old, was handcuffed and taken to a jail in Champaign, Ill., after being stopped for driving with a broken taillight. A public-records search by the police had shown an outstanding arrest warrant because Ms. Joy didn't appear in court following a default judgment against her over $2,200 owed to Champaign Heights Finance Corp., based in Peoria, Ill.

"They cuffed me in front of my kids." said Ms. Joy

Victor

losttraveller wrote: »

I was recently visiting a friend in the US and unfortunately my stay has been really rough. I was brought to an ER after overdosing on a lot medication and am facing $18,000 in medical bills. I am due to return home shortly. I am unemployed and running pretty low on money and I don't know what to do. If anybody has any advice it would be greatly appreciated, I don't know where to turn or what to do. Thanks

If you can afford something, they are likely to offer a steep discount for prompt payment.

TherapyBoy

Do you have private medical insurance here with VHI/Leya or someone? Sometimes they cover up to a certain amount while abroad, Leya cover me up to $100k while I'm in the States.

AndonHandon

While there are certain flaws in the US lifestyle, I think that their healthcare is what holds them back from being a first world country on the same level as EU, some Asian and the Oceanic countries. Absurd stuff.

Peregrinus

Once you leave the country they are very unlikely to pursue you for this debt. Your credit history in the US may be cactus but that need not bother you unless you have plans to return there.

If you are going abroad again, get travel insurance before you go.

Cpt Sh!t Craic

[Legal advice removed]Next time get travel insurance to avoid that stress.

AndonHandon wrote:

While there are certain flaws in the US lifestyle, I think that their healthcare is what holds them back from being a first world country on the same level as EU, some Asian and the Oceanic countries. Absurd stuff.

I'm afraid your confused here, capitalism is the only problem within America healthcare. American healthcare is absolutely top notch if you can afford it.

Corruptedmorals

I was pursued by a Scandinavian debt collection agency for my $6000 bill, I had travel insurance and health insurance and both of them quibbled their liability for the bill. The agency sat on Aviva and sorted it out. If you have neither, you could perhaps work out a payment plan with the hospital. If you have no insurance at all they might knock the bill down, I've heard of that happening, because some payment is better than none.

Peregrinus

If it comes to that, they will knock the bill down considerably. Nobody ever pays the headline amount (and neither to the insurance companies, in cases where there is an insurer on cover).

But even a huge discount of an initial $18,000 claim is probably more than an unemployed person can afford.