Charged by hospital in france

davo2001

Hi,

Sorry if this is in the wrong section, mods fell free to move if nesessary.

My father was in France recently and ended up in hospital for 10 days, he has no form of private health insurance but does have an E111 European health care card, details of which were provided to the hospital. the hospital informed us that there wouldn't be any charge. I asked this several times when I was over there and was assured this.

He left hospital 10 days later and thought all was in order, now a few months later he has received a bill from the French hospital (in French) looking for over €3000.

He's retired and only lives on the state pension and doesn't have any income.

What are his options here? I can pay for it if nesessary but I find it strange after the hospital said there was no charge to be in this situation.

Any advice appricated.

beechwood55

The EHIC card covers free emergency care. It does not usually cover the full cost of hospital treatment.

This is from Citizens Info website

Public health care systems vary from country to country, and few countries pay the full cost of health care for holders of the Card, so there may be some element of co-payment for the services you receive.

lasno

This information may help to clarify the issue for you....

https://www.hse.ie/eng/services/list/1/schemes/ehic/othercountries/healthcare-services-in-other-eu-eea-countries.html#france

TomOnBoard

If your father cant afford the charge, how is he expected to pay?

Id be writing to the French authorities and asking for a detailed breakdown so you can challenge this with the appropriate autnorities on the grounds of inability to pay. Include a Social Welfare statement of pension earnings.

The French bureaucracy is normally very good at easing off on genuine hard luck cases. However, do make contact as tbey take a dim view of ppl refusing to engage on debts.

Turnipman

TomOnBoard wrote: »

If your father cant afford the charge, how is he expected to pay?

If he could afford to travel to France, then he could afford to take out travel insurance. No-brainer really.

endacl

Turnipman wrote: »

If he could afford to travel to France, then he could afford to take out travel insurance. No-brainer really.

There's always one...

:rolleyes:

Sultan of Bling

endacl wrote:

There's always one...

Tbf they have a point. Why in the name of God did the man not take out travel insurance. So so important.

TomOnBoard

Turnipman wrote: »

If he could afford to travel to France, then he could afford to take out travel insurance. No-brainer really.

OP asked for advice regarding options; not unhelpful judgementalism.

Del2005

TomOnBoard wrote: »

OP asked for advice regarding options; not unhelpful judgementalism.

The option is to take out travel insurance before you travel and then this wouldn't be an issue. It's not much use for the OPs father but if someone else reading this learns that you need travel insurance when you leave your home country then hopefully it'll save them some stress.

Breege_M

The hospital, if it is a public hospital, has made a mistake. EHIC covers you for emergency treatment. There is usually a small shortfall in the accommodation charge, less than €20euro per day. Send the hospital a copy of your fathers EHIC and perhaps a copy of his passport.
If your father had to buy any prescription drugs after his discharge, he would have had to pay for them but the chemist would have given him a “feuille de soin”. The CPAM in the region he was in will refund most of the drug cost. The CPAM is like the local health board.

davo2001

Thanks for some of the helpful posts, the others saying that he should of had insurance, well, obviously, but the fact of the matter is that he didn't.

I hope it's nice up there on your high horses!

Anyways....

The bit that is confusing me is that the people in the hospital said several times to me that since he had the EHIC card that there wouldnt be any charge. It was a public hospital.

Breege_M

Unable to post a link but look up
“Access to healthcare in France for EU visitors” French Embassy site.

Your father shouldn’t worry, the hospital has made a mistake.

If applying to the CPAM for any refund, just be careful when completing the feuille de soin. If completed correctly you will get a partial refund of prescription costs.

TomOnBoard

Breege_M wrote: »

Unable to post a link but look up
“Access to healthcare in France for EU visitors” French Embassy site.

Your father shouldn’t worry, the hospital has made a mistake.

If applying to the CPAM for any refund, just be careful when completing the feuille de soin. If completed correctly you will get a partial refund of prescription costs.

https://ie.ambafrance.org/Access-to-Healthcare-in-France-for

Turnipman

davo2001 wrote: »

I hope it's nice up there on your high horses!

It's really lovely up on my high horse, plus of course, from this elevation, it's easy to see the donkeys!