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

Flugelhorn

If she had a blood test - they may have been more than one thing tested, possibly ASO titres, FBC and CRP  -that lot could cost £60-£100 each depending on where it is done, then there are phlebotomy charges + probably a standard charge for observations etc - can imagine that would be > £100 and

 Then there is the exam and diagnosis - as a GP I've never charged but there is a standard appointment value worked out as to how much it costs to run the place - I think this is £30-£50 for a 10 minute appointment . If is in an urgent care / walk in centre it is something like £100

There is usually a charge for writing a private prescription - in the UK that varies, we don't do them often - then the dispensing and medication costs

I think £450 is very reasonable. 

creditcardbaby

Flugelhorn said:

If she had a blood test - they may have been more than one thing tested, possibly ASO titres, FBC and CRP  -that lot could cost £60-£100 each depending on where it is done, then there are phlebotomy charges + probably a standard charge for observations etc - can imagine that would be > £100 and

 Then there is the exam and diagnosis - as a GP I've never charged but there is a standard appointment value worked out as to how much it costs to run the place - I think this is £30-£50 for a 10 minute appointment . If is in an urgent care / walk in centre it is something like £100

There is usually a charge for writing a private prescription - in the UK that varies, we don't do them often - then the dispensing and medication costs

I think £450 is very reasonable. 

Thank you so much for all the information. I've gone from thinking the bill was excessive to thinking I have got off relatively lightly ! 

Grumpy_chap

creditcardbaby said:

I'm now hoping to go to hospital direct and get a discount / challenge the bill and was wondering if that was feasible.

I read from your Opening Post that you already paid the bill:

creditcardbaby said:

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

If you already paid the bill, what are you going to put forward now as a reason for the hospital to refund you that you did not put forward at the time?

creditcardbaby

Grumpy_chap said:

creditcardbaby said:

I'm now hoping to go to hospital direct and get a discount / challenge the bill and was wondering if that was feasible.

I read from your Opening Post that you already paid the bill:

creditcardbaby said:

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

If you already paid the bill, what are you going to put forward now as a reason for the hospital to refund you that you did not put forward at the time?

No I haven't paid the bill. At the time it was going through insurance but due to an error on my part it won't be.

MyRealNameToo

flaneurs_lobster said:

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

Because they made a false declaration, they said their daughter hadn't any pre-existing medical conditions when in reality they had been see a doctor and taking medication for anxiety. 

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

Even if it was a basic anti-biotic it's highly likely to have been a branded version rather than the generics we get here. You can get Penicillin V Potassium for $6 but you can also get $50 branded versions. As you say they may have prescribed something more exotic than penicillin which will further compound the issue if branded. 

I watch some US TV via VPN and it's crazy all the adverts you get for prescription medicines, Vraylar (anti-psychotic- cariprazine) was estimated to have spent $24.1m in TV ads in 7 months. Probably no surprise that it costs the NHS £80 but in the US its $1,518

Flugelhorn said:

If she had a blood test - they may have been more than one thing tested, possibly ASO titres, FBC and CRP  -that lot could cost £60-£100 each depending on where it is done, then there are phlebotomy charges + probably a standard charge for observations etc - can imagine that would be > £100 and

 Then there is the exam and diagnosis - as a GP I've never charged but there is a standard appointment value worked out as to how much it costs to run the place - I think this is £30-£50 for a 10 minute appointment . If is in an urgent care / walk in centre it is something like £100

There is usually a charge for writing a private prescription - in the UK that varies, we don't do them often - then the dispensing and medication costs

I think £450 is very reasonable. 

Plus in the US, like the UK private sector, there is often a charge from the hospital for using their facilities and a separate charge for the doctors, tests etc.

Agree for the US it's a very low charge. Aunt broke her leg, simply clean fibula break, closed wound. but the bill was about $6k but then they did a fully body MRI scan "just in case" she had injured anything else as she was in her early 60s at the time.