Overseas bills

[Thisisexpensive]

Hi all,

I have a Canadian hospital bill from January to pay. My insurance won't cover it. Basically at the moment I can't afford it.

CAn anyone provide advice on how likely they will be to chase this? What can they do about it? Can they take me to court in the same way they a uk business could?

Any advice is appreciated, especially from the legal side. Or any advice about who I could talk to?

Some of the charges are ridiculous, eg 200 dollars for something that costs 5 dollars! Could I negotiate this?

Anyone with any experience I'd be grateful!

Thank you wise mnetters!

[atticusclaw]

How do you know that the charges are incorrect (i.e that the thing that costs $200 should have cost $5)?

[Thisisexpensive]

It's not that they are incorrect, it's that they don't cost this. Like a drug that costs the hospital a few dollars is 200 on the charge sheet.

I hoping to get it reduced and then find a way to pay it. But realistically I want some advice on what legal routes they can follow/do.

Basically how I can proceed. At the moment it's stressing me out so much.

[LaurieFairyCake]

I don't know the specific answer

I DO know you don't need to let it stress you out - worse case scenario you ain't going back to Canada til it's settled

Unless you were planning on going back soon?

[HerRoyalNotness]

I guess you can question the charges, if I were you I would get in contact and ask to pay off as you can afford. We left canada a year ago and they chased us for a medical bill for our son (insurance was expired) and some overpayment of child benefit. They start adding interest as it's not paid.

Don't stress, but don't let it get out of control. You can always not pay, but if you owe it, you should.

[Lonecatwithkitten]

Working in charging health care setting in the UK I would suggest not getting bogged down in the cost of individual items it could be that the item costs 5, but to administer it you need X amount of training for an example.
I assume it is what the insurance company doesn't cover, so contacting them to discuss if there is anything they can do to help you would be the first thing.
Ask about interest if they are charging you interest it could be cheaper to take out a 0% on purchases credit card and pay off the bill than have their interest.
I am not certain about Canada, but in the US if foreigners leave unpaid medical bills they are registered with immigration so they catch up with you if you re-enter the country.

[Unexpected]

Why will your insurance not cover the bills? Do you believe this is correct or are they trying to wriggle out of paying - is there any point in pursuing them? I'm surprised you managed to get away without paying the bills at the time if insurance hadn't confirmed they would cover them so am wondering how this situation arose?