Orlando Villas · Florida Dream Villa
Orlando Park Tickets · Florida Car Hire · US Domestic Car Rental · Florida Car Rental · Enhanced Roadside Assistance
Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 19

Thread: USA travel insurance

  1. #1
    Florida Junior appinlad's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Location
    Essex and Lake Buena Vista
    Posts
    69

    Thumbs up USA travel insurance

    Some sage advice for those holidaying in the US of A to ensure they have adequate travel insurance! On my recent trip I suffered a recurrence of a heart problem and was taken to Dr Phillips Hospital in Orlando. I cannot fault the attention i got apart from perhaps too attentive! It seemed to me that when someone presents from out of country with travel insurance all sorts of tests etc are trundled out. I knew my heart problem would right itself (which it did) and tried to get discharged. There is the problem you can of course discharge yourself but, as explained, this would invalidate your travel insurance. So I was stuck in hospital for ages waiting for a doctor to agree to release me. My wife handled the insurance contacts for me - SAGA through First Assist. Unfortunately despite repeated efforts we couldn't send them any documents nor could we get anyone in the hospital to accept our insurance details (weird) so we had to post it to them.

    Since returning I have received individual bills from all (except the cleaner). I have passed these to my insurers but continued to receive chase up bills including letters from a Swiss Debt Collection company. I also had to pay for my own doctor to write a report to say I was fit to travel, this despite declaring all medical conditions on the policy application. I am assured the bills are now being paid but still have a nagging doubt that on my next visit the US Border people will stop me for non payment of debts! After some $13,000 costs I have changed my perspective on Obama Health Care. Our NHS may be dire at times but its free.

    On the amusing side I was taken into hospital by 'mickey mouse' paramedics - Disney's Reedy Creek Fire Service!
    John
     Sent from my iMac


  2. #2
    Florida Expert
    Join Date
    May 2004
    Location
    Bristol and Rotonda, Charlotte County
    Posts
    1,823
    'Free' at point of use I agree, but free it is not!
    Clare R


  3. #3
    Florida Expert Tonish's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Location
    York and London
    Posts
    794
    At $13,000 you got off cheap! 20 years ago we got bills of well over $1,000 after we took my two year old son to a Miami hospital and got treatment from the emergency room. All he needed were some antibiotics for a fever; there was no overnight stay and we were in and out in a couple of hours, but there were bills from admin, nursing, doctor, radiography etc etc etc. They just kept coming.
    Tonish


  4. #4
    Super Moderator florida4sun's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2002
    Location
    Bromsgrove, UK.
    Posts
    10,381
    The greatemnt is the same for locals too. They have to cover every angle, if not you sue! 10 years ago I took alocal in with chest pains, turns out to be stress related. Final bill was getting in for $20,000.


  5. #5
    Florida Chatterbox syrup's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    Kent. U.K.
    Posts
    212
    It does show though that good medical insurance is essential with everything declared. Some people spend thousands on holidays but skimp the health insurance.
    Last edited by syrup; 17-07-2012 at 16:52.


  6. #6
    Florida Expert jimiansville's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2005
    Location
    United Kingdom
    Posts
    1,216
    I can't agree more that it is very important to have adequate travel insurance. I ended up in Heart of Florida Hospital and diagnosed with a gall bladder problem about 15 months ago. After 4 days and every test known to man I managed to escape and fly home with no treatment! The bill was over $30,000 which my insurance eventually settled. I went to my GP here in the UK and was referred to hospital for tests. Turned out to be a small abrasion in my stomach. $30,00 for a wrong diagnosis does not seem good value for money!
    Jim


  7. #7
    Gold 5 Star Member Andrena's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Location
    Edinburgh, United Kingdom
    Posts
    3,226
    My husband had treatment for a build up of calcium in his shoulder about 15 years ago and the bill was about £14,000 sterling, thankfully paid by PPP. It was crazy, he had everyone in the hospital submitting a bill it seemed and after the operation he was discharged about 2 hours later. The surgeon had him back every second day for check ups, I think he seemed to think that all his Christmases had come when PPP said they would pay all the bills. Our grandson also had to have treatment at Celebration and the bill was horrendous for what was just a mild chest infection.

    Andrena


  8. #8
    Florida Chatterbox
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    Wakefield
    Posts
    690
    I'm sure we all crticise it at times but it makes you thankful for the NHS.


  9. #9
    Gold 5 Star Member SDJ's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
    Location
    Windwood Bay/Tavistock, Devon.
    Posts
    4,554
    The bill for an ambulance to take me 8 miles to a hospital was $950!!![msncry] That was before I had treatment and they were pushing the CC machine in front of me actually in the ambulance even though I was in agony....[msncry] Fortunately my insurance covered everything.


  10. #10
    Super Moderator MTP's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2003
    Posts
    2,410
    The issue with the NHS, though, is that as it is free at the point of service, the users very often have no idea of the costs involved. I imagine that if the bill was tallied up for every patient it wouldn't be very much different. It's just a different financial model. Perhaps if people did have to pay for the treatment it would be abused less and appreciated more?
    Euan


Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •