Florida Medical & Travel Insurance Info B4 You Go!

Leigh-Anne_60

:think:, Is it me?

I didnt say ALL IC's were taking that stance, i said Halifax were..... A statement which was quite clear and left no room for confusion.

FH_Brit

Leigh-Anne = Wher I said you were wrong was it being "closed" - this morning closure of air space due to the same volcano - I think you will find means that the matter was not and is not closed.

Just for your benefit I called the insurance company that your company represent - Guess what they would not cover that volcano!!! on a new policy.

CreditCruncher

Hi FH Brit and fellow posters on this thread -
Thanks very much to you all for sharing some wonderful information here.

FH Brit,I am planning to travel to FL with my family towards the end of June.I have purchased travel insurance for my wife and 1yr old son for 90 days from Columbus Direct.
1) How do you rate Columbus Direct from your experience?
2) My son is planning to stay with his aunts for a couple of months but me and my wife will return to the UK after 2 weeks.Wife will be travelling again later to pick him up.My question is in the event of a claim during my son's stay, will there be any fuss as his mom is not with him?

Also,my parents are travelling from India to FL and are planning to purchase travel insurance from ICICI Lombard for whom United Healthcare is the Third Party Administrator (I think they call underwriters as TPAs in India). What are your experiences if any,dealing with them?

paulinespens

FH_Brit wrote: »

Insert By Martin:

Thanks so much to FH Brit, for the great insider post below, showing how travel insurance operates in one of the world's most expensive medical areas. Some great tips below.

Also check out the Cheap Travel Insurance guide for more info
_________________________________________________



Being an Ex-Pat Brit working here in Florida in a job that follows all you Brits that come here and need medical treatment and then leave unpaid bills behind.

If you are going to travel to Florida you need to know a few things just in case the need arrises for medical treatment. Before you buy ANY travel insurance make sure it covers your needs.

Pre existing conditions are the biggest single reason that I have claims rejected, this may be because some of you think that you will not be covered if you tell the insurers that you have a pre existing condition (previous heart problems is a biggie) where in actual fact most insurers will cover them and may only increase the premium or excess to take account of any pre exising conditions. Sometimes they may cover you for other events but exclude the pre exist condition.

You must also consider that if you need to visit an Urgent Care Facility (sort of between a GP surgery and an Emergency Room) or to a hospital Emergency Room the medical service provider will make YOU not your insurers legally responsible for any medical debts.

Although the hospital I work for will deal with your insurance company, it is done as a courtsey to you, their customer. US and Florida State laws protect the medical facility from bad debt and when you attend the facillities you, in fact, "Sign your life away" and no matter what, you are responsible NOT THE INSURANCE COMPANY.

WHERE TO BUY INSURANCE:

Avoid buying Insurance from your Travel Agent, Teletext, and the Internet (they can sell you the cheepest and often worst coverage poicy and you won't know until you make the claim.) UNLESS YOU KNOW THE UNDERWRITERS ARE A KNOWN AND REPUTABLE INSURANCE COMPANY. you can buy very good insurance from the Post Office, insure & Go, Moneysupermarket.com, Tesco, Barclays Bank etc and you do not need to be an account holder.

Check your policy details and ask questions.

One of the UK's largest insurers has a clause that states if you are over the drink driving alcohol limit (EVEN IF YOU ARE NOT DRIVING) any accident (trip/fall etc) is considered SELF INFLICTED INJURYand will not be covered (ask the lady in Middlsex who had 3 cocktails and tripped and hit her head and ended up paying us $19,000.00+ out of her own pocket).

If you are not sure ASK the insurance company NOT the seller of the policy. (many insurance companies will have their policy "wording" available on-line so you can see before you buy).

If you need medical treatment, first consider if it is REALLY an emergency - if so go to the hospital or call 911 for an ambulance. If it is a minor condition (Sore throat, ear pain, cuts & bruise) you are better off going to an Urgent Care facility - Florida Hospital CentraCare, Solantic, and some CVS & Walgreens Pharmacies now have "In-Store Clinics" - these are often much cheeper than hospital ER's and often a lot quicker!

If you forget your Prescription Medicine's.

Try to find a (Heart or Diabetic etc) Doctor's office that will see you and give you a precription, only use the ER only if you cannot find someone else (a local Doctor's office or Urgent care facility) the Hospital will put you through a full medical before they will even consider writing you a new prescription and some insurers will not cover this as it is your negligence and/or pre existing condition).

Attending the ER for blood presure meds could end up costing YOU around £500.00! - Also other tip - before flying keep 3-4 days meds in your carry-on bag, should your aircraft be delayed or diverted, your bags may not!

DEBT COLLECTORS.

Medical providers will use debt collectors after sometimes a very short time, this is not unusual and does not neccessarilly mean that you are having legal action taken against you. - If you are contacted by a Debt Collection Agency the best you can do is contact the debt collector - NOT THE MEDICAL PROVIDER, as debt collection laws mean that the debt collector is now in charge of your debt - the hospital should refer you to the debt collector and if you ignore them, then they have the law on their side and you could find out the hard way that you should have TELEPHONED them/

E-mail often is considered unsafe as the debt collector cannot be assured that you are the person entitled to receive the Protected Health Information in your medical bill (same with fax) by telephon the debt collector will ask you if you are the debtor if you say you are, and you are not then it is you who has commited an offence and the debt collector has complied with the law. Also if you are over 18 YOU must deal with your debt not your Dad, Mum or anyone else that may have paid for the holiday or insurance policy.

In any case, you sign a consent form at the medical providers office and the bottom line is that YOU owe the money NOT your insurers. Any legal action will be taken against you not your insurance company. I have had many stuborn customer that "knows better" then call back 6 months later because they have been refused a mortguage/credit card or Car HP.

SOLICITORS.

If your insurance company deny your claim and you dissagree with their decision (or do not pay fast enough) do NOT engage a Solicitor, there are other and better ways to complain against your insurers such as the Financial Services Authority's Ombudsman Service and this consumer protection service is free to a consumer - why waste £85 - £100 per hour on a Solicitor when you get a better service from the FSA for FREE?

But remember this or any other legal action you may take, does not releive you from your responsibility to the medical provider and you should pay them straight away and then "fight" your insurance company for reimbursement.

AFTER A CLAIM IS MADE.

It is your responsibility to make sure that the insurers have actually paid the bill - some insurers tell you this and then the debt collectors start calling - Insurers have the legal responsibility to prove they have paid, not the medical provider or their agents to prove that your bill has not been paid.

You must fill in your claim forms and comply with requests from your insurers for medical records from your own GP (this is the only way a pre existing condition can be ruled out) and your insurers cannot process the claim if you have not complied. Any cost for your GP may be your responsibility also, so if you don't pay your GP then you WILL have to pay the hospital! I don't need to tell you what is the cheeper bill!

RE-ENTRY TO USA.

Many ask - will this affect their return on their next visit to the USA - Officially you must make this enquiry to the Dept. of Homeland Security (at the US Embassy in London or any US Consualte).

I have heard that yes it can affect entry to the USA - If you have holiday property here or are planning to emigrate here the immigration officers WILL do a credit check (unpaid medical bills are reported to Experian, Trans-Union & Equifax the 3 major credit reporting agencies) although I beleive that it is rare for any "2 week tourist" to be refused entry on the grounds of bad debt (I think it may differ the bigger the debt).

Remember;

A medical bill in the US can ber huge! A personal friend of mine from Hertfordshire had a twisted bowl and was hospitalized twice in 4 weeks here having 2 surgeries and her medical bill for the hospital alone was $158,000.00+ [£80,000.00]

Doctor's here bill separately and that means you may have multiple bills, just being treated at the emergency room and released (without overnight stay in hospital may result in

A bill from the Ambulance/Paramedic serrvice.
A Hospital bill.
The Emergency Room Doctor's Bill.
The Radiologist's (if you need x-rays etc).
The Pathologist (if you have blood tests etc).
A Paediatrician (if it is your child that needs treatment).

Overnight stay in the hospital can cost upwards of £600.00 per night, just for the stay (called "hotel charges") WITHOUT ANY MEDICAL TREATMENT!

etc etc etc ......

Motor vehicle accident are another subject and is complicated (as if the above is not!!!).

Although mainly Florida – a lot of the info in these postings relate to general Travel Insurance & Medical Issues – worth a read – I may be able to help.

I am an Ex-Pat Brit (Hertfordshire) living and working in Florida. I work for a major Hospital group (7 hospitals and 15 urgent care clinics around the Orlando area) dealing with all you tourists that holiday here and then go home leaving medical bills behind you unpaid.

My job is to track you down and get the bills paid and I deal with UK insurers many times each day. No matter what your horror story is, I’ve heard them all and Brits usually have the same story to tell.

I am officially a Debt Collector, and that usually scares people. Don’t be worried, it is usual business here in Florida to use debt collection agencies. If you get a letter or call from a debt collector remember DO NOT IGNORE THEM – CONTACT THEM IN THE WAY THEY ASK – don’t assume e-mail is ok the privacy laws state we have to have a verbal confirmation or “ink” signature to confirm you are the patient or other person entitled to the information. The law is on their (or their clients) side, and in ANY case YOU the patient, are responsible for your own debts NOT your insurance company.

General advice (as I cannot speak for any insurers), I am pleased to give to you if I can't help then usually I can let you know who can help/advise you regarding any insurance problems.

See link below from the UK Foreign & Commonwealth office with REALLY useful info for the traveller abroad, it has links to local Embassies/Consulate Offices around the world that will give you more local advice.
http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travelling-and-living-overseas/

PLEASE - don't be an ignorant traveller - find out prior to travelling and not the "hard way" after an event happens. Especially here in Florida it can be very costly to YOU.

BEFORE YOU BOOK YOUR HOLIDAY -

Shop around (Martin recommendations are better than many others) and read the threads here, see who people recomend from their own experiences.

If you are travelling with others, let each (immediate) family obtain their own insurance - even families have secrets and they do not tell their family that they have any pre-existing medial conditions (PEMC) and should anything happen it may mean that you policy is voided by their unwillingness to let you know they have an PEMC. Mum, Dad & children to each policy - let your Aunt/Uncle or the Grandparents, in-laws, brothers, Sisters etc get their own policy. It does not matter who paid or organized the trip. (Like car insurance you would not put these family members on your policy (so their crash increases your premiums) so why do it with travel insurance?

Before you buy your insurance make sure that you have declaired any pre-existing medical conditions (PEMC) or other exclusions (Ski - watersport - dangerous sports etc) and if in any doubt call the insurance company and ask them, don't take anything for granted.

If you have declared a PEMC, when you get your policy make sure that the declared condition is noted and that they acknowledge you have declaired it. If it was to go that far, in court it is what is in the written contract (policy) not what you were told on the telephone.

IF YOU NEED MEDICAL TREATMENT OR MAKE ANY CLAIM -

Call your insurers at the earliest possible convenience, if non-emergency that means BEFORE you go to the hospital/medical facility, if you are admitted to an Emergency Room (ER) then ask the registration clerk at the hospital to call your insurance company's assistance service.

READ the documents supplied by the hospital - you just "signed your life away" in the admittance consent form YOU are now legally responsible for your medical bills and not your insurers. Full instructions shuold be given - here in Florida you are told (if only in the consent form) if you should contact any doctor's offices and the hospital's own billing department to make sure they have your address correct for billing and remember it is your responsibility to make sure your bills are paid (no matter who pays).

MAKE SURE YOUR INSURANCE CLAIM FORM IS COMPLETED -

This is a legal document that allows the insurance company to discuss your claim with hospital's/assistance companies/debt collectors etc, if you do not complete it (or any other documents from the insurers) then they will not process your claim until you supply the required documentation (including medical records and certificates from your GP).

You should inform your insurance company of any medical treatment - if you think that, for example, your excess will be more than your claim (you paid £20 for a prescription, and you have a £50 excess) you need to inform your insurers, as if there is another bill from the doctor that wrote the prescription or the hospital, then they will apply another excess as they do not know you have already paid some "out of pocket" expenses. Remember if in doubt CALL AND ASK - your insurers will tell you what your options are.

I won't keep on - if you have any questions - just ask!



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Some things I would like to dispute here.

First of all if you have to see a docor and get a prescription ask the doctor if he can get you some medication thats on the $4 generic list.

Kroger, Walmart, Walgreens etc have generic medicines for $4 for 30 days supply. In the USA without insurance your gonna be paying full price for name brand medication or for medcine thats not on the $4 list. My wife is Pharmacy Technician and I was shocked when she told me how much some medication can cost.

Bring paracetomol and ibruproffen from England as you pay through the nose for painkillers in the US.

As for re entry in the USA immigration officers do not do a credit check when you re-enter the USA or want to move. The only checks they do are if your on the do not fly list or have a criminal record.

Leaving a debt behind in the USA is a civil matter and not a criminal matter. Such as if I left a debt behind in England they can't get me in the USA.

So your just trying to frighten people about leaving debt and wanting to re-enter the USA on a vacation.

As for having a credit rating you can't obtain credit in the USA without a social security number.

Your debt collecting laws information not very accurate. If you are left with hospital bills first of all speak to the hospital and try and work out a repayment plan and negoitate in getting the costs down.

Check your bill. Hosptial billing in the US is very complex make sure your not being billed for something you have not received. Infact ask for a full break down of costs.

Ask if the hospital can charge you the medicare rate or what they would bill the insurance company.

The debt collectors can't touch you in England. They can't mess up your credit in the USA if you don't have social security number. (Its immoral to leave the USA with unpaid medical bills)

I would not speak to the debt collectors at all but speak to the orginal medical provider.

If you do have a social security number and have paid medical bills on your credit file your entitled to have those removed. This is because personal information like this is a breach of HIPPA which is a medical and health care insurance act.

If you do have a bill on your credit file check this site out

http://whychat.5u.com/hipltr.html

This process will allow you to pay the bill have the bill removed from your credit and deal with the medical provider and not the debt collector.

Don't trust a debt collector here in the USA. Don't speak to them on the phone always deal with them in writing.

Some tips for dealing with debt collectors here in the USA.
http://www.familycredit.org/information-that-can-help/fair-debt-collection-act

FH_Brit

paulinespens wrote: »

Some things I would like to dispute here.

First of all if you have to see a docor and get a prescription ask the doctor if he can get you some medication thats on the $4 generic list. - TOTALLY CORRECT - But Walgerens (Etc) will ask or offer a generic if there is one available and if your prescription is NOT marked "DAP" (Dispense as Prescribed) as the Dr. wants you to have a certain brand. And for some generic Anti-Biotics PUBLIX Pharmacies are FREE!

Kroger, Walmart, Walgreens etc have generic medicines for $4 for 30 days supply. In the USA without insurance your gonna be paying full price - That's why you should carry decent insurance - You'll get it back anyway!for name brand medication or for medcine thats not on the $4 list. My wife is Pharmacy Technician and I was shocked when she told me how much some medication can cost. -Again TOTALLY CORRECT.

Bring paracetomol (Called Acetaminophen in US) and ibruproffen from England as you pay through the nose (approx $2.50 per 100 = £1.60 at "Dollar stores" and Wal-Mart - not what I would call "through the nose"!) for painkillers in the US.

As for re entry in the USA immigration officers do not do a credit check - Yes they do! when you re-enter the USA or want to move. The only checks they do are if your on the do not fly list or have a criminal record. - A few other "checks" too - Including medical records (you have to go to their Doctors too for a medical) if you are moving here - The US does not want bad debtors and if you are moving here you have to prove that you can keep yourself/family at a certain percentage above the poverty level - This is why many have to get "Sponsors" - A Sponsor is someone who guarantees that your bills will be paid and that you do not become a burden to the State. If you have a sponsor and go back to the UK leaving bills - They hold your sponsor responsible and can recover yourt debts from your sponsor.

Leaving a debt behind in the USA is a civil matter (NOT ALWAYS - With medical debt! The USA does not have socialised medical services (like the NHS) and as such the Governments (State and Federal) protect the Medical Provider from bad debt. Imagine major cities like New York, LA, Orlando etc having no emergency rooms because they went broke because no one paid their bills. and not a criminal matter It is, in certain cercumstances such as wher a minor child's medical bills are concerned...........
FLORIDA STATUTE re RESPONSIBILITY FOR MINOR CHILDREN

Florida Statute 774-301 (1) states the father and mother of a minor child are jointly responsible for payment of medical services rendered to their minor child, regardless of whether a Patient Guarantor Agreement is signed by one or both parents.

Such as if I left a debt behind in England they can't get me in the USA. - There is nothing legally stopping them "getting you" but it often is not worth chasing you ($1000 bill may cost $1500 for example, to get you to court and therefore the provider may "cut their losses" - Just because you have not been chased does not mean they can't! If you break the law, either criminal or civil law, in any country, it is still in effect and you can (in most cases) be persued wherever you go - The BIG question again is for the creditor or debt collector to decide if it is feaseable to pursue you internationally.

Also we can "get you" as you put it, in the UK, there is nothing (apart from cost again) stopping us - we can, and will in first case list you on Experian, Equifax and Trans Union as a bad debt IN THE U.K. We are registered under the DPA (Data Protection Act) and have an address in the U.K. and that's all that is needed!

So your just trying to frighten people about leaving debt and wanting to re-enter the USA on a vacation. - What do I get out of that? I am sure Martin checked my fact before thanking me!!! - If you chose to ignore it, then on your head be it, and it is very irresponsible to "guide others" to trivialize something that you do not understand or missunderstand. People like you that read things on line and automatically think it is right are listed as bad debtors every day. You really do need to read the information from the correct place - like the Government!!!......

http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/credit/cre27.pdf
http://www.ftc.gov/os/statutes/fcrajump.shtm


Remember Medical debt is different from regular debt.

As for having a credit rating you can't obtain credit in the USA without a social security number. - TOTALLY WRONG - Giving credit is a business decision by the bank (or other financial institution) and has nothing whatsoever to do with your SSN. Many Non US Residents/Citizens (who own property here or just have a bank account here do so without a SSN) - A bank may ask for a SSN as they tend to use it as proof of identity, but it is not the ONLY form of ID they accept.

Your debt collecting laws information not very accurate. If you are left with hospital bills first of all speak to the hospital and try and work out a repayment plan and negoitate in getting the costs down. - My info is TOTALLY CORRECT - I am a debt collector and it is irellevant what is done before it gets to my desk, the hospital will pass it to us because you (the patient) has failed to pay or attempt to. YOU ARE RIGHT - the hospital will work with you, but until THEY SEND IT TO US it is not in "bad debt" status. If you are paying monthly (and as I said in my original post - we will accept payments too) it will remain in "self pay" status. Our Hospital will offer you a 50% discount to pay on discharge! - I deal with those of you who refuse to pay or did not read the conditions of service before or after you were treated in the medical facillity.

Check your bill. Hosptial billing in the US is very complex make sure your not being billed for something you have not received. - This would be insurance fraud and the medical facillity could be prosecuted - it is very unusual to be billed/overbilled in error. Infact ask for a full break down of costs. - You are legally entitled to this (ICOB = Itemized Copy Of Bill) and we (debt collectors) must provide it upon request.

Ask if the hospital can charge you the medicare rate or what they would bill the insurance company. - As above - Our Hospital will give 50% = most insurance companies get 25 - 30% and the most our hospital gives to IC's is 40% - so you are getting more than them anyway!!!

The debt collectors can't touch you in England. - NOT TRUE - See above - the cost sometimes makes it not worthwhile but that does not mean we cannot "touch you" They can't mess up your credit in the USA - and in the U.K. (if you mean credit by reporting you, is what you refer to as "mess up") if you don't have social security number. - It will then be reported against your address (Its immoral to leave the USA with unpaid medical bills) - it is immoral to leave debt anywhere!

I would not speak to the debt collectors - refusal to communicate may result in any action being taken sooner than usual - Great Idea! at all but speak to the orginal medical provider - You should be referred by the medical facility to the debt collector as it is illegal for 2 agencies to collect the same debt. The hospital often have a zero balance as they have "written it off to bad debt" and already claimmed tax releif on the bad debt. Also the Hospital are not aware of the status of your debt (as it is taken by the debt collector not the Med Provider) and therefore cannot accurately inform you as to any action that may have been taken by the Debt Collectors - Bear in mind also - the medical facility AUTHORIZES the debt collector as to what action the debt collector may take against the hospitals customer - if you have been credit reported - The hospital authorizes it!!!

If you do have a social security number and have paid medical bills on your credit file your entitled to have those removed - TOTALLY INCORRECT only debts that are proved to be errors or that were incorrect will be removed. In some cases once reported and then paid it will remain on your credit report for seven years but marked as paid. This is because personal information like this is a breach of HIPPA it's HIPAA not HIPPA - The Health Insurance Portability and Accountabilty Act prevents UNAUTHORISED RELEASE of PHI (Protected Health Information) and when you (as a patient or guarantor of an account) signed yourself into the hospital you gave permission to release any PHI - if you do not sign you will not be treated! which is a medical and health care insurance act.

If you do have a bill on your credit file check this site out

http://whychat.5u.com/hipltr.html

This process will allow you to pay the bill have the bill removed from your credit and deal with the medical provider and not the debt collector. It will not be removed - Disputing the debt or issuing a Cease & Desist does not make the debt go away. With a C&D we are allowed one more communication with you and that is to inform you what we intend to do with your debt - in our case that you will be reported to the Credit Reporting Agencies - The above website refers to CRA - Debt Collectors are not CRA = CRA's are Equifax, Experian, Trans-Union etc.

The above website gives a warning or Disclaimer..........



THE INFORMATION LINKS AND SAMPLE LETTERS ON THIS SITE ARE NOT LEGAL ADVICE, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF GOVERNMENT SITES,THERE IS NO REPRESENTATION AS TO THE VALIDITY, EFFECTIVENESS OR VALUE OF ANY MATERIAL CONTAINED HEREIN.
SEE A LAWYER IN YOUR HOME STATE




Don't trust a debt collector here in the USA. Don't speak to them on the phone always deal with them in writing - Why do you "paint every debt collector with the same brush"? Yes there are less profrssional debt collectors but we are not all the same! We are members of ACA Int'l please see thair site if you are that interested in getting it right.

http://www.acainternational.org/




Some tips for dealing with debt collectors here in the USA.
http://www.familycredit.org/information-that-can-help/fair-debt-collection-act

Yes - Agree on most - This website has "re-worded" the actual laws to attempt to make it easier to understand and in the majority it is correct - but you should read more carefully - it actually backs my remarks up.

Can you stop a debt collector from contacting you?
You can stop a debt collector from contacting you by writing a letter to the collector telling them to stop. Once the collector receives your letter, they may not contact you again except to say there will be no further contact or to notify you that the debt collector or the creditor intends to take some specific action. Please note, however, that sending such a letter to a collector does not make the debt go away if you actually owe it. You could still be sued by the debt collector or your original creditor.

PLEASE SEE MY RESPONSES IN BLUE - Florida and relevant Federal laws/rules - No other local State laws/rules are known or used by myself as I am licensed in Florida.

FH_Brit

CreditCruncher wrote: »

Hi FH Brit and fellow posters on this thread -
Thanks very much to you all for sharing some wonderful information here.

FH Brit,I am planning to travel to FL with my family towards the end of June.I have purchased travel insurance for my wife and 1yr old son for 90 days from Columbus Direct.
1) How do you rate Columbus Direct from your experience?
2) My son is planning to stay with his aunts for a couple of months but me and my wife will return to the UK after 2 weeks.Wife will be travelling again later to pick him up.My question is in the event of a claim during my son's stay, will there be any fuss as his mom is not with him?

Also,my parents are travelling from India to FL and are planning to purchase travel insurance from ICICI Lombard for whom United Healthcare is the Third Party Administrator (I think they call underwriters as TPAs in India). What are your experiences if any,dealing with them?

For info - I asnswered yur same questions by PM - just in case some one thinks I've ignored you!

paulinespens

I wonder why people don't like debt collectors. I know its better to deal with a debt collector by mail and letter leaving a paper audit trail then speaking to them on the phone. Im sure you work on commission rather then a salary so its better for you to speak to someone on the phone to try and get them to repay some amount they can't afford.

You know very well some debt collectors don't play the rules. Being a member of the ACA don't mean your gonna play by the rules.

I was talking about the average Joe going to return to the USA for a vacation to the USA. They do not do a credit check at the airport they scan your passport and as long as your not on there do not fly list or have a criminal record and your paperwork is intact your fine to enter the USA on the VWP waiver programme.

As for moving to the USA I know all about the process as I am a green card holder.


As for re entry in the USA immigration officers do not do a credit check - Yes they do! No they don't!!!!!!!!!! when you re-enter the USA or want to move. The only checks they do are if your on the do not fly list or have a criminal record. - A few other "checks" too - Including medical records (you have to go to their Doctors too for a medical) if you are moving here - The US does not want bad debtors and if you are moving here you have to prove that you can keep yourself/family at a certain percentage above the poverty level - This is why many have to get "Sponsors" - A Sponsor is someone who guarantees that your bills will be paid and that you do not become a burden to the State. If you have a sponsor and go back to the UK leaving bills - They hold your sponsor responsible and can recover yourt debts from your sponsor ****** only government funds, local state and federal.

1 you have a medical at there doctors in London which is something I did they don't have access to your UK medical records unless you have something wrong with you that is considered major then they will ask you your permission to contact your GP.

2 Police background check in the UK I had to get a print out of my police records for immigration purposes.

3 The US did not do a UK credit check on me.

Having a sponsor in the USA does not guranntee your unpaid debts. The reason why you have a sponsor is so that your not going to be a liabilty on public money and welfare.

I suggest you read this form

http://www.uscis.gov/files/form/i-864a.pdf part 3

This is taken from the form

Agree to be jointly and severally liable for payment of any and all obligations owed by the
sponsor under the affidavit of support to the sponsored immigrant(s), to any agency of the Federal
Government, to any agency of a State or local government, or to any other private entity that

provides means-tested public benefit;

My wife is my sponsor she had to show pay slips and tax returns showing she was able to support us both 125% over the poverty line.

So if I left my credit card bill unpaid here in the USA and left my wife and moved back to England she is not liable.

So your just trying to frighten people about leaving debt and wanting to re-enter the USA on a vacation. - What do I get out of that? I am sure Martin checked my fact before thanking me!!! - If you chose to ignore it, then on your head be it, and it is very irresponsible to "guide others" to trivialize something that you do not understand or missunderstand. People like you that read things on line and automatically think it is right are listed as bad debtors every day. You really do need to read the information from the correct place - like the Government!!!......

Your a debt collector and as for Martin thanking you it doesn't mean your post is 100% correct as its not

People like me? Your post is not 100% accurate you don't seem to know your stuff especially about US immigration and there checks.

As for me thinking its right are listed as bad debtors? Is that a personal attack? Your trying to say I am a bad debtor?

I pay my bills on time here in the USA thank you very much.

As for debt from England in the USA a CCJ is not enforcable in the USA.

FH_Brit

Paulinespens - First - watch your language - you are not allowed to swear on MSE!

I wonder what your credit score is!

You obviously know my job better than me!!! I wonder how many times you have dealt wih a debt collector?

None = then where do you think you have the right to comment.
One = Possibly a mistake. We would rectify that.
Any more than one = Ah! you would then be an experienced bad debtor! If you were right, then you would never deal with debt collectors as most responsible people never do.

Your new points..........

Ok you are right you are always right, I never when I emmigrated here signed a release (sent buy and returned to the US Embassy in London) giving them permission to do a credit check in the UK AND the US. (If it did not give my details I'd scan and print it here)

Government debts, Local State & Federal = Criminal. ANY other debts = Civil and AGAIN I explain they can - they may chose not to - Don't mean they (your creditors) will or have to!

1. You do give them permission to get a report from yoour GP and your med records - Their Dr. only reports to them on your CURRENT health - not past history!!!

2. Yes - no argument there.

3, How do you know they did not? They did and you passed possibly!

4 (you did stop numbering) As I stated I refer to MEDICAL DEBTS - Those creditors are protected under US Federal and Florida State laws and your sponsor IS responsible if you "do a runner" owing debts here. (I did not realize I had to repeat that I work in Medical Debts in EVERY PARAGRAPH!!!!!!!

5. "any other private entity that provides means-tested public benefit;" - THIS INCLUDES medical facilities - i.e. Hospitals (again repeating the fact that I work in MEDICAL DEBTS!) - so no argument there, thank you for agreeing with me!

6. Your wife the sponsor - as i said "a certain percentage above the poverty level" - no argument there thank you for agreeing with me again (you just knew the percentage was 125%)

7. I don't know - I work in MEDICAL DEBTS - I'm really getting tired of repeating myself. I do not collect credit card debts.

8. Martin's more correct than most of his posters!

9. MY post is 100% correct you are twsting the post to include Credit Card debts and (guess what?) AGAIN I COLLECT MEDICAL DEBTS! - Your post is not 100% accurate you don't seem to know your stuff especially about US immigration and there checks.By the way it's their not there - (showing your ignorance there I think!!!)


As for me thinking its right are listed as bad debtors? - I do not understand your grammar ?

Is that a personal attack? Your trying to say I am a bad debtor? - Not at all - but if the hat fits.......

I pay my bills on time here in the USA thank you very much. - Then I ask again, What makes you think you know more about debt collecting than a licensed Debt Collector does? If you do not have debts and never had debts then how and why would you know what a debt collector does or can do? You must have had bad debts to be as experienced as you say (or THINK) you are!!!

As for debt from England in the USA a CCJ is not enforcable in the USA.- Very True, but there is nothing stopping your creditor issuing US papers and using the CCJ (or any other proof of debt) as evidence in US legal procedings - even if no US legal procedings, they can request a US licensed debt collector (and that can be a UK debt collector based in the UK) to pursue you and credit report you here in the US (same as WE report to the UK!)

Again - they don't HAVE TO but there is nothing legally stopping them pursuing you around the world!

As a maater of fact - we, as debt collectors must take the word of our clients (who I point out chose to send the debt to us) as correct. For example legally if our client says you owe $500.00, then you owe $500.00. It is legally the original creditor's responsibility to provide us with the correct information - so if you are placed wrongly (or the wrong amount) with a debt collector it is the fault of the original creditor (in most cases) and not ther debt collector!

p.s. Not only are we members of ACA my Director is an officer of ACA (he HAS to be correct!)

GreenTed

Hi, sorry to come along with another question: if we're taking out single trip family travel insurance with medical conditions, is it possible to 'split' the family members between two different insurance companies (due to some companies not covering me, others not covering my son), or would this just be impossibly complicated if we did need to claim?

FH_Brit

Green Ted - nothing legally stopping you insure how you want to, it's the IC's who may not cover it.

Be carefull, some conditions may require your son (assuming he is a minor) state he must live with you for you to insure and other restrictions. If he is not a minor you have less problems, let him get his own insurance and if you want, you can pay for it (that does not mean you are the insured).

Your situation is hard to help with because it would matter on travelers ages, what actual PEMC's are, where you are traveling to, length of stay, etc etc

My favorite (Fortis) will cover children without parents being insured - but they are pretty good as far as PEMC's are concerned, have you tried them?