To not give my address to this American hospital and to be fuming over the phonecall I received

[whysogrumpy]

Ok, I will try to be brief but I am actually shaking over the conversation I had on the phone earlier today.

Last year my dh and I went to New York. I was pregnant at the time and I had horrendous 'morning' sickness while there - in fact, after a whole day of being sick dh was advised by a dr on the phone to take me to hospital as I could have been dehyrated. He did so and I was put on a drip as I was dehydtrated and I also had a scan.

We had taken out travel insurance and, as happens in the states, a man in the hospital came and took the details of it before we saw anyone medical. I also had to give my name and address to the triage nurse and when I left my details were verified again.

When we got back we heard nothing further from our insurance company such as being charged an excess but I have never claimed anything on insurance before so don't really know how it works. Also, during the stay and for weeks after I kept bleeding and, as I also have 2 older dc, I haven't had time to ever consider whether I should have heard from the insurance company, and the incident took place last November.

Anyway, today I received a phonecall from the hospital. The woman said that she needed my address as there had been a fault with their computer and they had lost my insurance details and therefore had not been able to claim for the treatment I recieved. I said that I had given them those AND my address (and they had clearly not lost my phone number ) and she repeated that there had been a fault with the computer. I said that my insurance was a travel policy and I didn't know whether I would be able to claim on it nearly a year after the event and she apologised and asked for my address again. I ummed and ahhed a bit and then she snapped, "If you don't give me the details, your name will be given to all American airports and you will never be able to enter the states again!" .

I hung up at this point. There is no way I can pay a huge hospital bill at this point - we have 3 dc including a 3 month old and I am on mat leave. More to the point, why should I - I had adequate insurance and gave them all the details they asked for. I am upset by her threat but highly unlikely to ever afford to go there again anyway - if it does hold weight - does it ?

AIBU?

Did you insurance have a deductible?

Did your policy cover pregnancy?

*Why is it unbelievable, Pandemoniaa - are you saying I'm making it up because I'm not

Heavens! You are defensive. I wasn't doubting you. Instead, I was referring to the validity of telephone call you received when I said "unbelievable". Only it sounds like some sort of scam.

God how upsetting for you, OP. Have been in a similar situation with some b'stard phoning me up at work over a.n.other person's medical bill. I'm sure the caller was genuine but you were right not to divulge details. Would it be possible to refer the matter to your insurance company? - or- depending on the advice of savvier MNetters, to let sleeping dogs lie? In any case, does an alleged outstanding debt really preclude entry to the USA?

To those suggesting they should write to her to ask her address....do you not see a small flaw in your logic?

Sorry Pandemoniaa, I'm still on edge after the way the arsey cow on the phone spoke to me- yes, defensive is how I feel . Think I may ring the insurance company without giving my details, just hypothetically...really can't afford to pay out anything now and won't be going overseas for a looong time - not nice feeling I'm wanted though .

'Hypothetical' is the way to go - good luck and take care

I'm pretty sure the insurance company would wash their hands of it. If there is anything to be paid, then I reckon they're going to come after you, assuming they can find you. Whether or not they will pursue it, however, is another matter. I guess it depends how much the bill is.
I'm surprised you didn't think to call them at the time though, even just to check you were covered for the medical intervention required.

Ignore, ignore and ignore some more. It was up to the hospital to bill you at the time. If they have your phone number, they will have all your details because the insurance info gets written on EVERY form with your name on it.

It actually sounds a bit scammy to me, from needing your address (surely the hospital has that!?) to the threat to ban you from the US. The cold caller you spoke to has no way of making that happen.

Hmmmm I'd be a bit suspicious, like you said they still had your name and phone number. Surely all info stored together on computer. If they ring again just give them name of insurance company you were with and policy number and let them liaise. You should have really told the insurance company on return to UK that you had had hospital treatment. You have a duty to report potential claims within good time. Hopefully if all above board you will be covered as policy was in force at the time.

Most likely this was a scam/identity theft attempt

Please phone your insurance company and find out whether there is an issue.

Yes, it does seem strange that the "fault with the computer" meant it lost your address but not your phone number. Sounds like a blanket excuse trotted out.

Anyone who worked in an American hospital like I have, will tell you there is something wrong with them having your details as in name and UK phone number, but no address and insurance info anymore

Oh sorry x-posted with others

I had very similar call . It was about 6 years ago so my memory is a bit hazy ! I went to hospital in LA after damaging my wrist surfing , I had some x rays and treatment , gave them all my contact details for uk and where I was staying for the next month in the states , but I think only my insurance company name as I didn't have the full details at the time, they said they would send me a bill . I never heard anything from them .

About 10 months after getting back a guy called wanting money and my address , telling me I had to pay or be barred from the states . I was so unnerved I nearly paid but then thought better of it and put down the phone . Never heard from them again and have been in and out of the states many times since no problem .

I got the feeling the guy was a bit of a chancer , i think in the states companies sell off bad debts to see if anyone else can recoup them and i wondered if that was it , he gave up as he realised i was in the uk ?

when I've had medical/clinic treatment in US, I'm pretty sure I've paid and then claimed back. Possibly if it was a larger amount they would arrange direct payment. I use Amex travel insurance who I've found very good, and I imagine I or the hospital would call them to set up the arrangement if necessary.

They generally take your insurance details when you arrive (presumably so they can shunt you to the Paupers Home if none) and you probably sign to say that if for some reason the insurance co does not pay, it's down to you. In my case they always present the bill before you leave.

I bet the hospital did not get paid by the insurance co and intends to demand that you pay personally. I expect the insurance co will say not their problem as you didn't notify them.

Whether this call was a coincidental scam or not, it does sound like the OP is in debt to the hospital.

A quick glance over standard travel insurance policies suggests that you have to contact an emergency number of the insurance company to get authorisation for hospital treatment. This would be a five-minute job, similar to an American resident handing over their insurance details before seeing the triage nurse.

You really can't get away with pleading ignorance.

I don't think this is a scam, although it is weird that they have a phone number and not an address. If they have a phone number, their collections agents will be able to track you down.

You undoubtably owe them money for the procedures received. They will be out of pocket for this. Decide on your own moral views as to how to deal with this. But do it with your eyes open.

Well I feel stupid now, as well as het-up. No, I didn't read any of the bumph that came with the policy beforehand - why would I? tbh, I never expected to have to use it (took about the policy before I knew about the pregnancy and chose it because it was on offer through my bank).

While in hospital, no one mentioned my needing to contact the insurance company and, as they had taken all the details of it, I assumed they were going to A quick glance over standard travel insurance policies suggests that you have to contact an emergency number of the insurance company to get authorisation for hospital treatment. This would be a five-minute job, similar to an American resident handing over their insurance details before seeing the triage nurse. This is exactly what they did - no one said to me, "you are not American so you need to phone your insurance company - here are the phones, please do it before we treat you," and no one gave me a bill.

They will be out of pocket bbut they are a large organisation that I bet are better placed to absorb the cost than I am. If I have to pay out any amount over about £50 now, then I am stuffed - as in not knowing how to pay the mortgage this month. Not sure I should be feeling gulty, as such, I haven't caused this through deliberate dishonesty...

Ah, piglet john has a point.

When ds1 needed to be snowmobiled down to hospital in Finland after a skiing accident, it was up to me to phone the insurance company and tell them what happened. The hospital provided me with all the forms and documentation my insurance company said they needed. We paid the bill, and then sent the claim off once we came home, and the insurance company refunded me.

You may or may not owe the hospital money, but I do not think the hospital is calling you. Hospitals do not wait to send out their bills, there is no computer fault that keeps a name and phone number and dumps everything else.

If you are really worried about it, contact your insurance and the hospital and find out what the real deal is. If they call again, find out the name of the caller and the company she works for. Debt collecters in the US are not allowed to make threats like that which is what makes me think it's a scam.

Did you not even read your insurance policy when you were in hospital needing treatment?

Why would the hospital staff assume you had not read it, and that you would not even know what to do? Why should it be their job to teach you?

They don't mollycoddle you in America.

Hmm am thinking if you took out policy beforre you knew you were pregnant then mostly likely you have standard travel insurance policy. Most standard travel insurance policies specifically exclude costs arising from pregnancy. So if even if you had lodged the claim within their specified timescales it would likely have been refused!

We had to pay upfront when on holiday a couple of years ago (was Europe) and then claimed it back less the excess when we got back.

In fact, I rang the insurance to check the procedure whilst waiting for the dr.

While I was in hospital needing treatment I was ill - that was why I was there . I was being sick constantly and then, once the anti-sickness drugs kicked in, I started shaking uncontrollably and had to be given an oxygen mask to stop it. I was worried about my baby as I had had some spotting, felt (stupidly) guilty about ruining an expensive holiday that my parents had paid for as an anniversary present and was, generally, 'in a state'. No, I didn't read my insurance policy at that time. My dh was very worried about me. The nice man came and took the details and he also said something like, "someone will be along to see you soon, ", surely if we had needed to make a phone call he would at least have said to dh, "When you're ready, the phones are in X place," - or he should have. Why is that too much to ask? We were foreigners - why is it ridculous to assume that someone would explain to use what we were supposed to do, especially when the system is so different from the one at home. And this all ignores the fact that NO ONE GAVE Us A BILL.

You make it seem like being in debt to a hospital a victimless crime.