Expensive school trip - why do schools do it?!

Erm - ok. Happy to be educated here, which bit am I wrong on?

That the UK has an NHS so we aren’t used to paying for care when kids are sick or injured?
That medical bills in the US can run in to hundreds of thousands of dollars for a big accident/hospital stay?
That most people don’t have hundreds of thousands in the bank to pay for their child getting ill abroad with no insurance?
That people in the US struggle to pay for their care if uninsured?
That in the US they wouldn’t treat someone who is uninsured? I do hope I’m wrong on this point I have to say. it would be great to hear that US hospitals put patient care above finances.
that UK schools wouldn’t go abroad without insurance for all of the above reasons?

not sure what prejudices I have shown to be honest?

You need to grow up and stop believing everything you read online that reinforces your prejudices.

There are some seriously bizarre attitudes to teaching. And some worrying levels of anger!

Schools clearly don't expect everyone to be able to access a trip to New York- Most secondary schools have around 300 pupils per year group- it would be impossible to run a trip for them all.

Nope this is not how it works in the US at all. I have a family member living there. Their middle class neighbours with what they thought was good health care have list their house to the costs of their child's cancer

Do that then

It’s not mandatory. If no one signed up then the school would stop offering the trip. There must be interest otherwise they wouldn’t do it. Do it if you can, don’t if you can’t.

And no, isn’t a holiday for the teachers. In fact it’s more stressful and exhausting than a normal week at school.

It is way worse than you thought.
No insurance, no treatment.
Parents also may not have the tens of thousands of pounds needed for the treatment - especially if they were struggling to find the 3K needed initially for the trip.

My mind is blown by the poster merrily suggesting going to the US without health insurance to save money is somehow an option. Are you absolutely mental?

The one time we went I was so paranoid the insurance would hold I literally read out every medical issue we had ever had to the lady at the insurance company on a recorded line. She said I was right to some of the claims they paid out were “as much as a house”.

Anybody who travels to the US without insurance is an idiot. To send your child there with none, well, you probably shouldn't actually be a parent.

I once fell ill with tonsillitis there - docs consultation and antibiotics were nudging $70+ and this was in the 90s

Yes, but the chance of needing hospital treatment would be low? If it weren't, I wouldn't feel comfortable sending my children anyway...

Accidents happen (from a broken ankle because you fell awkwardly to something more serious).Weird things happen(sudden asthma onset , seizures,fainting ,rashes ,allergies etc.)Common things happen(bacterial or viral), but you can't just pop over to your GP for those as you would at home.

On DD's residential a child got very ill and spiking a very high fever that they couldn't bring down. They were in Wales so a member of staff took her to A&E. She got seen,assessed and a prescription for antibiotics given. It was just tonsillitis and all free. The child was fine and after a day of rest and starting antibiotics she continued her activities.

In America , you'd have to pay for the visit,any tests done (to check for bacteria for example )and prescription. It wouldn't be as bad as even one day stay at hospital of course, but it can still cost a good chunk of money.

I actually don't think that's all that bad for 8 days (8 days way too long for just nyc through), they are maybe going somewhere else too? If that's the case they will have a private coach probably which will be v expensive, the insurance will be a lot and they will need at least 2 member of staff, more likely 3 to cover also.

I'd refuse to travel to the US with a friend who chose not to have insurance, never mind being responsible for a child who didn't (while simultaneously being responsible for another 20 kids, in another country). You're being massively ridiculous @Mummyisntmyonlyname . You can't expect a teacher to be making decisions about a very poorly or badly injured child, on the spot, that could cost the parents hundreds of thousands of pounds.

All pupils need to have the same insurance policy, so that the person leading the group is in full knowledge of what it covers. They simply cannot be familiar with each child's policy exclusions etc.

Imagine the shitstorm if it happened. And the school would cop it. No school would be OK leaving it up to frankly slack parents who would take that chance.

In the UK, we have the NHS so most people are used to not paying a penny if their child get ill/injured, we don’t even see a breakdown of costs. The concept of paying for medical care is alien to most people.

Emergency flight to the US - £1k maybe? Medical bills in the US often run to hundreds of thousands if not millions of dollars for big accidents. Hardly anyone could stretch to this, even those who can afford £3k for a trip!

I have often seen things online where people in the US have not received the care they need and even died as they didn’t have medical insurance. No, they don’t treat you and worry about payment later. There is not a chance a UK school would take kids there and let parents opt in or out to the insurance!!

Yes, but the chance of needing hospital treatment would be low? If it weren't, I wouldn't feel comfortable sending my children anyway...

It’s always been like this

I’m going back 7 years but a ski trip was £2.5k
You could pay it over 3 years

we could of afforded it but didn’t see it as value for money so didn’t

@Mummyisntmyonlyname That does make sense... but I have never seen insurance as an "optional extra" on a school trip. The NHS in the UK means that private medical insurance is relatively rare compared to other countries. Although some people do have "travel insurance" policies, a lot don't.

(I've lived in the US. Trying to actually claim anything on health insurance was a nightmare.)

Well in that case they can pay insurance, far less than the cost of a flight.

I'd like to think that any parent who's child needed medical care requiring hospitalisation would absolutely pay the costs and also be on the first flight to be with their child without hesitation.
I know the health system is bad in the US and doesn't work the way it does here in Australia, but surely, the child would receive care regardless of insurance and would then be following up with the parents for payment?
If that's not the case, it's way worse than I thought.

I'd like to think that any parent who's child needed medical care requiring hospitalisation would absolutely pay the costs and also be on the first flight to be with their child without hesitation.
I know the health system is bad in the US and doesn't work the way it does here in Australia, but surely, the child would receive care regardless of insurance and would then be following up with the parents for payment?
If that's not the case, it's way worse than I thought.

I’d rather take the 3k and go on a family holiday to New York to enjoy together 😛

That would also give parents the option to take the chance that it wouldn't be necessary and hope for the best or look into adding it to their own insurance, instead of having it included and result in most people not being able to afford it??

I'm trying to imagine a child in a US hospital with fees needing to be paid and no insurance. Also needing a teacher to stay with them. Who pays? Who's to say the parents are insured or will cough up if not? Too much of a liability for the school who would be sensible to give it a hard no.

Wouldn't that be in the fine print as an additional cost if needed?

As in, school fees don't include ambulance cover or emergency medical care (ie if your child fell off the monkey bars at school) and you sign a waiver of sorts saying that as a parent/guardian you accept responsibility for any costs associated with emergency medical care at the start of each year (t least, in Australia this is the case)

That would also give parents the option to take the chance that it wouldn't be necessary and hope for the best or look into adding it to their own insurance, instead of having it included and result in most people not being able to afford it??

You got conned. Mine went for 6 days for £1450 (plus spending money) last October .