challenging a hospital bill when on holiday as a non-resident

creditcardbaby

Went on recent holiday to New York with children
Daughter got strep / throat infection had to go to hospital
Was there 3 hours, she was examined / blood test and given a presciption for antibotics which we paid for
Bill was $600 which - to me - seems excessive
Unsure insurance will pay - Made a mistake on application form - was unaware / did not disclose my daughter took medication for anxiety in last 2 years - 100% my fault I know
Does anyone know if the bill can be challenged ? We were given a medical summary over 50 pages but no reference of this.

QrizB

$600 seems a bargain.

I was expecting you to say four figures!

creditcardbaby said:
Unsure insurance will pay

Have you told your insurance company? Have they said anything to you?

Flugelhorn

I was expecting it to be much more too

littleboo

Why do you think your insuranceay not pay?

flaneurs_lobster

Why would insurance not pay? Is the excess more than the bill (which sounds remarkably reasonable)?

Brie

Hopefully insurance will cover it, bar the excess.  But $600 doesn't seem a lot considering how the US medical system works.  I had a severe cold sore in Canada probably 15 or more years back and just to see a doctor was $50 then and then there was the full cost of the prescription on top.  So over $100 in the end for what was a £5 tube of Zovirax as it's prescription only there.  Antibiotics would have been much more expensive.   (I always pack Zovirax now when I travel)

Flugelhorn

Brie said:

Hopefully insurance will cover it, bar the excess.  But $600 doesn't seem a lot considering how the US medical system works.  I had a severe cold sore in Canada probably 15 or more years back and just to see a doctor was $50 then and then there was the full cost of the prescription on top.  So over $100 in the end for what was a £5 tube of Zovirax as it's prescription only there.  Antibiotics would have been much more expensive.   (I always pack Zovirax now when I travel)

we charged £75 in GP land for consultations for overseas visitors (and that was many many years ago) - medication used to be on a standard prescription though 

Pen V is cheap as chips but they probably gave something more fancy (and expensive) 

yes good that you take zovirax is OTC these days

creditcardbaby

littleboo said:

Why do you think your insuranceay not pay?

Made a mistake on application form - was unaware / did not disclose my daughter took medication for anxiety in last 2 years - 100% my fault I know 

creditcardbaby

flaneurs_lobster said:

Why would insurance not pay? Is the excess more than the bill (which sounds remarkably reasonable)?

Made a mistake on application form - was unaware / did not disclose my daughter took medication for anxiety in last 2 years - 100% my fault I know

creditcardbaby

Brie said:

Hopefully insurance will cover it, bar the excess.  But $600 doesn't seem a lot considering how the US medical system works.  I had a severe cold sore in Canada probably 15 or more years back and just to see a doctor was $50 then and then there was the full cost of the prescription on top.  So over $100 in the end for what was a £5 tube of Zovirax as it's prescription only there.  Antibiotics would have been much more expensive.   (I always pack Zovirax now when I travel)

Made a mistake on application form - was unaware / did not disclose my daughter took medication for anxiety in last 2 years - 100% my fault I know

creditcardbaby

QrizB said:

$600 seems a bargain.

I was expecting you to say four figures!

creditcardbaby said:
Unsure insurance will pay

Have you told your insurance company? Have they said anything to you?

Made a mistake on application form - was unaware / did not disclose my daughter took medication for anxiety in last 2 years - 100% my fault I know