travel insurance assistance
I was visiting USA and didn’t have insurance . Am i obligated to pay the bill they are sending to my home?
I was visiting the US last year and was a little ill. I visited a hospital in Florida and they treated me, i gave them all my information. Now i’m recieving a bill in my home country which i cannot afford to pay. I called the hospital and they are telling me there is no way they can lower the bill and there is no service available for me to get payment assistance.
Am i obligated to pay this bill?
Will this affect me from travelling back to the U.S ?
The hosital has copies of all my travel documents and personal information.
I did not realise the hospital bill will be this high for a little checkup, and a prescription.
I’m willing to pay but i cannot afford it.
The short answer is that all medical bills in the US are negotiable and there is almost nothing they can do to force a foreign national to pay what they demand. Negotiate with strength and you will get a reasonable settlement…just make sure that you are dealing with the hospital and not a collection agency.
Start with the premise that the hospital would not and did not give you an upfront estimate of the cost and coming from a country with fair medical practices you expected the charge to reasonably comparable. Have in front of you what you think a reasonable charge is and proof that it is a “typical” charge for such care in your country. Even better if it is what a foreigner would be charged for such care in your country. Stick to it as the only amount you are going to pay them. Don’t budge. Insist that they send you a revised bill with your figure as the total amount due. Don’t pay a penny until you get it.
In theory unpaid bills can “interfere” with your ability to travel into the US, but in practice it usually requires a particularly negligent pattern of behavior. You may also wish to investigate the matter from your home country — see what relevant government departments for consumer affairs and foreign travel say about what is allowed and what is not.
IATAI Travel Assistance & Insurance
