Hospital deposit $12,000 Dominican Republic

[Skjhoward]

My sister sailed on Sun Princess last week. She spent a night in the ships medical bay on morphine.

 

The next day, the Princess representative sent her to a local hospital in the Dominican Republic. She had to undergo emergency surgery to remove obstructive kidney stones. 

 

She had purchased travel insurance through Princess.

I was surprised that the hospital required her to pay a $12,000 deposit. Is the "norm?" 

 

When I sail, I always purchase my policy through independent companies rather than buying the cruiselines' insurance.  Would this have made a difference?

 

 

 

 

 

 

[shipgeeks]

Yes, in many countries outside of the US, requiring payment upfront is usual.

I assume that would normally require a credit card.  I sometimes wonder if having evidence of travel insurance would even be accepted by a hospital, or cash or credit card only.

[Skjhoward]

4 minutes ago, shipgeeks said:

Yes, in many countries outside of the US, requiring payment upfront is usual.

I assume that would normally require a credit card.  I sometimes wonder if having evidence of travel insurance would even be accepted by a hospital, or cash or credit card only.

[cruisemom42]

I'm questioning the OP's post -- Sun Princess just left Rome a few days ago on her inaugural cruise. She hasn't been anywhere near the Dominican Republic.

 

 

[GeezerCouple]

39 minutes ago, Skjhoward said:

I was surprised that the hospital required her to pay a $12,000 deposit. Is the "norm?" 

 

This is not at all uncommon, to request (er, demand) payment promptly, and occasionally... BEFORE starting treatment!

These foreign hospitals usually do not have contracts with what are for them "foreign medical insurance companies".

Almost all travel insurance, medical or otherwise, is a "pay upfront, GET RECEIPTS, submit receipts, get reimbursed".

 

For some insurers, if it is a "serious sum", the insurer may be willing - and able - to work with the medical provider to either guarantee payment (getting agreement for a guarantee is, um, not guaranteed) or to wire the money.  Wiring the money could take some time...

 

We ALWAYS travel with several credit cards with a nice tidy sum total credit available, "just in case".

 

I remember in one island ER, as DH was being wheeled off for treatment, I was escorted to the payment Office.  There were signs on the walls about how they ONLY accept payment guarantees from the following travel insurance companies... and then there was a list of a few names many of us might be familiar with.

I did not want anything to delay getting DH's emergency medical care, so I just handed over a charge card.

 

Why would someone assume that hospitals (or any vendors) in some countries would just "accept" some "medical insurance" from some company in some foreign, distant country?  They can, but why in the world would it be required for them to do so, especially if they've never signed any agreement with them about payments?

For all the hospital/medical provider knows, there may not be any plan for that insurer to pay for ANY "foreign care" (er., think of USA's Medicare!).  Or "that insurer" may not really exist at all!  Why should the provider be expected to provide care, including possibly expensive care, and then have to try contacting some company they may have never heard of/from (and a company that they may have no way to compel payment!) for money?

 

GC

[9tee2Sea]

32 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

I'm questioning the OP's post -- Sun Princess just left Rome a few days ago on her inaugural cruise. She hasn't been anywhere near the Dominican Republic.

 

 

always verify.  I like that.

[Skjhoward]

They were required to pay cash or credit card.

 

 

[Skjhoward]

47 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

I'm questioning the OP's post -- Sun Princess just left Rome a few days ago on her inaugural cruise. She hasn't been anywhere near the Dominican Republic.

 

 

Sorry it was Sky

[Skjhoward]

1 hour ago, Skjhoward said:

My sister sailed on Sun Princess last week. She spent a night in the ships medical bay on morphine.

 

The next day, the Princess representative sent her to a local hospital in the Dominican Republic. She had to undergo emergency surgery to remove obstructive kidney stones. 

 

She had purchased travel insurance through Princess.

I was surprised that the hospital required her to pay a $12,000 deposit. Is the "norm?" 

 

When I sail, I always purchase my policy through independent companies rather than buying the cruiselines' insurance.  Would this have made a difference?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Correction it was Sky Princess

[Skjhoward]

50 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

I'm questioning the OP's post -- Sun Princess just left Rome a few days ago on her inaugural cruise. She hasn't been anywhere near the Dominican Republic.

 

 

It was Sky not Sun

[Skjhoward]

24 minutes ago, GeezerCouple said:

 

This is not at all uncommon, to request (er, demand) payment promptly, and occasionally... BEFORE starting treatment!

These foreign hospitals usually do not have contracts with what are for them "foreign medical insurance companies".

Almost all travel insurance, medical or otherwise, is a "pay upfront, GET RECEIPTS, submit receipts, get reimbursed".

 

For some insurers, if it is a "serious sum", the insurer may be willing - and able - to work with the medical provider to either guarantee payment (getting agreement for a guarantee is, um, not guaranteed) or to wire the money.  Wiring the money could take some time...

 

We ALWAYS travel with several credit cards with a nice tidy sum total credit available, "just in case".

 

I remember in one island ER, as DH was being wheeled off for treatment, I was escorted to the payment Office.  There were signs on the walls about how they ONLY accept payment guarantees from the following travel insurance companies... and then there was a list of a few names many of us might be familiar with.

I did not want anything to delay getting DH's emergency medical care, so I just handed over a charge card.

 

Why would someone assume that hospitals (or any vendors) in some countries would just "accept" some "medical insurance" from some company in some foreign, distant country?  They can, but why in the world would it be required for them to do so, especially if they've never signed any agreement with them about payments?

For all the hospital/medical provider knows, there may not be any plan for that insurer to pay for ANY "foreign care" (er., think of USA's Medicare!).  Or "that insurer" may not really exist at all!  Why should the provider be expected to provide care, including possibly expensive care, and then have to try contacting some company they may have never heard of/from (and a company that they may have no way to compel payment!) for money?

 

GC

Noone expected anything. They were prepared to pay and did so without questioning.

[1025cruise]

Yes, I would expect the hospital to charge you, which in turn you file a claim with your travel insurance.

[Philob]

My uncle passed away while on a land vacation overseas. Hospital admin wanted their bill settled before they would release him to the mortuary. Mortuary took advantage and did the same before they would release him to the airline. Aunt was a total mess since uncle handles the money.

[GeezerCouple]

1 hour ago, Skjhoward said:

Noone expected anything. They were prepared to pay and did so without questioning.

 

 

3 hours ago, Skjhoward said:

I was surprised that the hospital required her to pay a $12,000 deposit. Is the "norm?" 

 

Sorry.

I guess I misunderstood, and thought that being "surprised" indicated that something else was expected.

 

However, your post raises a very important reminder to some who might indeed have some incorrect expectations about how travel insurance, and especially medical/health care insurance, actually works in many cases.

 

We started our first major trip (cruise plus land) by printing out ALL of the pages (!!) of our travel insurance policy to include in our "travel documents".
That includes emergency numbers in case one needs help with translation at a foreign medical facility, or to try to get money wired in case that were to become necessary.  Different insurers may have very different ways to handle these issues (or not...!).

==>> Especially KEEP those emergency phone numbers with you!

We also upload copies of these documents (and passports, charge card fronts and backs, etc.) into the cloud so IF our docs happen to walk away, we can still retrieve the information.

These are likely to be very stressful times, so having everything easily accessible can be really helpful.

Likewise, we include the contact information for the travel insurance agent or broker one used to purchase the policy along with the emergency number for the insurer.  They all can (and should!) be incredibly helpful when "bad things happen to good people who are traveling". 😧

 

And to repeat, we always have charge cards with a hefty total credit available "just in case" money, perhaps more than a small amount, is needed "now!"

 

GC

[lenquixote66]

The husband of a neighbor had to be airlifted to a hospital in the Caribbean,They wanted $10,000 before treating him.They wanted cash .

[Joebucks]

There is a very common misconception about travel insurance that it moves the sun and the moon, and squashes your every inconvenience. I never travel without my credit card, that includes many travel insurances, 0% foreign exchange fees, reward points, and a sizable credit limit.

[CDNPolar]

This is many years ago now, but my father - a Canadian Snow Bird - that had a place in Florida for years, suffered a Gall Bladder attack during one of his winters in the sunny state.

 

He had medical insurance that was very comprehensive, but the hospital in Florida required him to prove that he could cover the full cost of the surgery before admitting him to hospital.  He showed them the insurance, and offered that they call to verify, but the hospital was not interested in any of that, he had to pay and then he had to claim back himself post surgery.

 

[Skjhoward]

On 3/3/2024 at 8:26 AM, Skjhoward said:

My sister sailed on Sun Princess last week. She spent a night in the ships medical bay on morphine.

 

The next day, the Princess representative sent her to a local hospital in the Dominican Republic. She had to undergo emergency surgery to remove obstructive kidney stones. 

 

She had purchased travel insurance through Princess.

I was surprised that the hospital required her to pay a $12,000 deposit. Is the "norm?" 

 

When I sail, I always purchase my policy through independent companies rather than buying the cruiselines' insurance.  Would this have made a difference?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Skjhoward]

Thank you for all of the responses!

[wcook]

I just want to take a second to praise the UK’s NHS. My wife had an accident on a recent non-cruise vacation. Yes, those exist 😀. Everyone from the ambulance drivers to the hospital staff to the doctors was great and their #1 priority was taking care of her. Only in the downtimes did someone come around to talk about how we were going to pay. They took our info, our insurance info and said they’d figure it out. With all the stress of the accident and trying to manage things in a foreign country, not having to think about payment was wonderful. Most countries are not like this, so I wanted to give credit where it was due. 
 

For the curious, a we got a $5,000 bill a couple weeks after we got home. Her normal health insurance paid it after the $500 hospitalization deductible. 

[slidergirl]

When I had my company insurance, I'd still buy a primary medical travel insurance plan so I didn't have to dicker with my company first then then have the travel insurance pick up the rest.  When I had my accident in Italy that put me in the hospital for 4 nights before I was cleared to leave, I fortunately didn't have to show ability to pay.  The bill (10,000EU) came later and my primary insurance handled it all.   I won't travel any other way, especially now that I only have Medicare.

[Flatbush Flyer]

US residents with Medicare? 
Get a supplement that, when you leave the US, converts to regular emergency insurance which coordinates with GeoBlue. 
 

[Mum2Mercury]

On 3/3/2024 at 7:04 PM, Joebucks said:

There is a very common misconception about travel insurance that it moves the sun and the moon, and squashes your every inconvenience. I never travel without my credit card, that includes many travel insurances, 0% foreign exchange fees, reward points, and a sizable credit limit.

True.  People also have the impression that a passport will transport you as home as fast as Captain Kirk saying, "Beam me up, Scotty."  

You're right though -- it's money that smooths out the uneven paths, though not without inconvenience.  

[6rugrats]

On 3/3/2024 at 11:56 AM, Philob said:

My uncle passed away while on a land vacation overseas. Hospital admin wanted their bill settled before they would release him to the mortuary. Mortuary took advantage and did the same before they would release him to the airline. Aunt was a total mess since uncle handles the money.

This is not “taking advantage.”  It’s simply asking for payment for services.

[Hlitner]

We discuss issues like this here on CC on their Cruise Insurance blog.  Yes, it is the norm, outside of the USA, for most hospitals to require up front payment or a credit card from which they can put on a credit hold (so you need a high limit on the card).  While having insurance may (assuming you have the right coverage and properly file a claim) later reiumburse you.  A very few health policies, such as GeoBlue, may be able to work with a facility to help you avoid the deposit or payment issue, but this is not very common.

 

This is one reason (among many) that we have long suggested that travelers try to have at least one card with a high credit limit.  Also keep in mind that quite a few countries have both public and private hospitals, with the private facilities often being the desired place.  Here in Mexico (where we live for part of the year) we have both public and private and most do prefer the private facilities.  If you cannot meet their deposit requirements, they would likely have you taken to the public hospital (where you will still need to pay).

 

Hank