Medical malpractice victim abroad needs help

Spooky 2015

I posted my husband’s case before in Board.ie, as follow:
“I am an Indonesian who marry an Irish man. Three years ago we moved to Indonesia. On 2016, He was diagnosed with Chronic Limb ischemia. We tried to get a medical treatment locally, with an Indonesian state health insurance. A Cardiovascular hospital in Indonesia did a botch bypass surgery on him. Now, his leg in danger of an amputation. The hospital washed their hand from any responsibilities, so did the state insurance.
I brought him to many other hospital, most of them did not have the tool and expertise. The Hospital that offer him help would charge a minimum of  €9,000 for the surgery alone and would not accept state insurance. We can not afford €9,000 as we have very little income.
Because this condition will require urgent and long term medical treatment, we are planning to go back to Ireland for good.
We asked Irish embassy for help regarding liaison with HSE because we do not want to take a risky journey for nothing. I just a definite answer that HSE will look after him as an Irish returning home in need of urgent medical intervention.
To our surprise, the embassy told us that they can not contact HSE on our behalf. We have to contact HSE ourselves.
I opened DFA website, it mentioned that:
# If you become ill or need hospital treatment while you’re abroad, you can contact your nearest Irish Embassy or Consulate. We can help you to deal with the situation.
What we can do: We can contact your family, friends or designated emergency contact in Ireland.#
Now, my husband just lying there ill and frustrated.”
I read in online newspaper that Irish government did a lots for Ibrahim Halawa’s  release from Egyptian prison.
Even, Irish prime minister had a private conversation with President El Sisi about it.
The Irish consular in Egypt visited him both in prison and court for more than 50 times.
Why did the Irish government not do the same for my husband?
Back then, what we wanted was for DFA to pass on my husband’s medical records to a vascular surgeon in St James in order for us to make decision to go back to Ireland or tried to get help here.
They did not even do that.
He got another surgery attempt on June 2017. It was a failure.
His Surgeon advised us to go back to Ireland in order to seeking help.
He believes that Ireland has better facilities for his condition.
With no family back home (Ireland) and no money, my sick husband is stuck here.
[font=Calibri","sans-serif]Please, any advises and help are appreciated
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ED E

Spooky 2015 wrote: »

# If you become ill or need hospital treatment while you’re abroad, you can contact your nearest Irish Embassy or Consulate. We can help you to deal with the situation.

This is while travelling. As has been explained to you before.

When you chose to move away you chose to accept the limitations of living there along with the cheaper cost of living, better climate etc.

Spooky 2015

Thank you for your response, we did not choose to move here by the way.
We were being forced to move because I was a victim of a racist abuse in where we lived.
The gardai could not do anything to help us.
The only place that we could go at that time was Indonesia, where I came from.
Maybe you thought that we enjoyed our time here (good weather, cheap food, cheap house etc).
I can assure you that I have to work very hard for my husband medication because no government handouts in Indonesia. You have to pay for everything yourself.
I am sorry you are not helping me here

ohnonotgmail

Have you contacted the HSE yourself?

Spooky 2015

Yes, I did
The response was not good.
My husband no longer has entitlement to a medical card.
I have argued that if we ever went back to Ireland, it would mean living in Ireland for good.
I read in HSE website that if we intent to live in Ireland, we should entitle for a medical card.

Really Interested

Spooky 2015 wrote: »

Thank you for your response, we did not choose to move here by the way.
We were being forced to move because I was a victim of a racist abuse in where we lived.
The gardai could not do anything to help us.
The only place that we could go at that time was Indonesia, where I came from.
Maybe you thought that we enjoyed our time here (good weather, cheap food, cheap house etc).
I can assure you that I have to work very hard for my husband medication because no government handouts in Indonesia. You have to pay for everything yourself.
I am sorry you are not helping me here

Why did you and your husband not move to any country in the EU, there are large Indonesian populations in both the Netherlands and the UK.

In relation to the situation you find yourself, has your husband any family even distant relatives in Ireland?

peteb2

Ok but you've already had a big long thread about this already. So what do you think will change as a result of this thread.

You, as unfair as you feel it may be, aren't entitled to free care in the public system here. You and your husband are resident in another country. This isn't like you have health insurance and are seeking a treatment not available locally. And a public hospital is not going to accept a call from someone in Indonesia to review a file. If that's what you need you need to contact a private consultant and pay their fees. But again you've heard this all before....

Spooky 2015

I did not find any solution in my previous 'big and long thread', Pete. That is why I am writing a new one based on moderator's advise.
I saw Irish government did a lots for Ibrahim Halawa but did not give any support to my husband.
Why?  They both are Irish citizen.
Forget about what fair and what is not fair, but where is humanity?

Pete, I am sorry for only having little money for my husband medication, that is why I am seeking help from Irish government to look after its citizen.

Spooky 2015

Really Interested : I am an Indonesian passport holder, I can not move to any EU countries , except Ireland as an Irish spouse and maybe Holland.
We did not think about Netherlands much because we did not know anyone there, nor we could speak the language.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

You moved abroad. You are not resident here. Therefore, you have no entitlement to medical care from this state. What bit of all this do you not understand?

Wesser

You have already been advised to just rock up.to an Irish emergency department.

Preferably to one in a hospital that has a vascular surgery dept.

Have you tried that yet?

johnty56

I would think your only real option is to get to Ireland and then seek treatment when you get here. You will probably have to go down the whole route of seeking emergency accommodation, from the department ( I assume Social Welfare?) that deals with this. I am guessing that all that BS about your husband not being entitled to treatment if he comes back is just that, BS. A quick visit to any hospital waiting room in Dublin will prove that there are any number of persons receiving treatment from the HSE who have not been in Ireland for three years, and are not Irish citizens.

GerardKeating

Spooky 2015 wrote: »

Really Interested : I am an Indonesian passport holder, I can not move to any EU countries , except Ireland as an Irish spouse and maybe Holland.
We did not think about Netherlands much because we did not know anyone there, nor we could speak the language.

Wrong...

an EU citizen and live and work in ANY EU country, and bring their spouse (even non-EU) with them.

banie01

Surely if your husband has been a victim of medical malpractice you can pursue the appropriate legal remedy in Indonesian courts?

Where an Irish citizen moves abroad it is incumbent on them to ensure they have appropriate insurance cover or legal entitlement to medical care in their chosen country of residence.

There is no entitlement to repatriation from your country of residence in the event of an issue.
If I recall the advice offered in the other thread amounted to get back to Ireland and present at an Irish hospital. This is still likely the best option available to you.

As the spouse of an EU citizen you are entitled to reside in any EU country.
Maybe there is a charity that can assist in repatriating ill/injured people to their country of residence but inbthis instance, I would doubt that assistance would be available as, you are both resident outside Ireland and are in the country of residence.

What do you feel the advice should be?
Repeating a question until you get an answer you like, does not mean you will get the rigjt answer.
Complaining that Ibrahim Halawa received consular assistance whilst your husband has been left with none is a little disingenuous as the circumstances are in no way comparable.

Really Interested

Spooky 2015 wrote: »

Really Interested : I am an Indonesian passport holder, I can not move to any EU countries , except Ireland as an Irish spouse and maybe Holland.
We did not think about Netherlands much because we did not know anyone there, nor we could speak the language.

Your Husband as an Irish citizen could have moved to any EU country and you as his spouse had a automatic right to move with him. As a couple you would have been entitled to work and reside and have the care of some of the best health systems in the world. So the claim that the only option open was Indonesia is not correct.

Really Interested

Spooky 2015 wrote: »

I did not find any solution in my previous 'big and long thread', Pete. That is why I am writing a new one based on moderator's advise.
I saw Irish government did a lots for Ibrahim Halawa but did not give any support to my husband.
Why? They both are Irish citizen.
Forget about what fair and what is not fair, but where is humanity?

Pete, I am sorry for only having little money for my husband medication, that is why I am seeking help from Irish government to look after its citizen.

Halawa was in custody for 4 years, the Irish government did not get him released the courts there did. SO the matter has no relation to your case!

The Irish government will not pay for health care abroad. You have been told if you can come back to Ireland and present at a hospital then you will be cared for even if you have no medical card, as a public patient your husbands treatment will be limited to €150 admission fee and €100 a day in treatment to a max of €700. So for less than €1000 your husband can be cared for in the Irish system.

Even without medical card max payment on medication €140 i think a month.

Spooky 2015

[font=Times New Roman","serif]Perhaps the information that I received that time was not correct about Irish person allowed to bring bring their spouse (even non-EU) with them.
But that does not matter anymore as we are already here in Indonesia.
Currently, he is ill and needs help that I can not provide.I went to legal aid here and try to get help.
His case will need at least two years to get a court hearing.
when you are desperate, you will do anything for someone that you love
That is what I am trying to do
I did everything that I could.


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[font=Times New Roman","serif]Banie, if Ido have the answer then I will not write this thread[/font]

Really Interested

Spooky 2015 wrote: »

[font=Times New Roman","serif]Perhaps the information that I received that time was not correct about Irish person allowed to bring bring their spouse (even non-EU) with them.
But that does not matter anymore as we are already here in Indonesia.
Currently, he is ill and needs help that I can not provide.I went to legal aid here and try to get help.
His case will need at least two years to get a court hearing.
when you are desperate, you will do anything for someone that you love
That is what I am trying to do
I did everything that I could.


[/font]
[font=Times New Roman","serif]Banie, if Ido have the answer then I will not write this thread[/font]

You have been given the answer your husband as a public patient with no medical card will be able to access very cheap care once he gets to Ireland.

Who ever advised you in past about moving to EU was wrong and you should contact them as that bad advice had lead to this serious situation.

brian_t

Really Interested wrote: »

Who ever advised you in past about moving to EU was wrong and you should contact them as that bad advice had lead to this serious situation.

I'd imagine that would be a waste of the OPs time and energy.

nuac

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