Advice re very strict budget, hotel shuttles/Lynx buses and food

[Ridersmom]

In regard to what happens if you showup at an American hospital and do not have health insurance or a means to pay. If you are truly in need of care, you will be treated and billed. If you are really without means to pay, you can usually apply for charity funds.

If you have a broken arm it will be set. If you have a sore throat, you may see a doctor and if given a prescription be sent to the local pharmacy where you will be expected to pay upfront (and no negotiates prices for the uninsured). If I procedure ios elective, it will not be done.

I cannot imagine you will be sent home while still needing treatment nor would a hospital try to keep you from leaving the country. Hospitals write off a huge amount of debt. Unfortunately to do so, they need to charge more to those of us who are responsible and have insurance. So I think it is reasonable to expect visitors to this country who are paying many thousands of dollars to carry health insurance for their trip. It is a small percentage of the cost of your holiday.

[Andybear]

Originally Posted by Ridersmom

In regard to what happens if you showup at an American hospital and do not have health insurance or a means to pay. If you are truly in need of care, you will be treated and billed. If you are really without means to pay, you can usually apply for charity funds.

If you have a broken arm it will be set. If you have a sore throat, you may see a doctor and if given a prescription be sent to the local pharmacy where you will be expected to pay upfront (and no negotiates prices for the uninsured). If I procedure ios elective, it will not be done.

I cannot imagine you will be sent home while still needing treatment nor would a hospital try to keep you from leaving the country. Hospitals write off a huge amount of debt. Unfortunately to do so, they need to charge more to those of us who are responsible and have insurance. So I think it is reasonable to expect visitors to this country who are paying many thousands of dollars to carry health insurance for their trip. It is a small percentage of the cost of your holiday.

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I totally agree with you. I have a few health conditions and have a good policy with Aviva which has health cover of $10 million. I also have a credit card which I could use to pay up front costs.

[hotspotuk]

Originally Posted by DreamDisney

We have credit cards, and adequate health insurance, so I'm not worried about that. But, this thread is making me wonder, what WOULD happen if (god forbid) this couple did find themselves in need of medical attention, with no money to cover the initial outlay and insurance company refusing to pay upfront? Would the hospital just refuse to treat them? Would they invoice them? Would they be barred from leaving the country until the bill is settled? What is the worst case scenario for them?

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Hospital bills have nothing to do with entering or leaving the country as it is a civil matter, I once had a 33k medical bill in the states which took over 6months to be paid by my holiday insurance so I know all about this lol! They can hound you for yrs and still cannot affect your future holidays in and out of the states.

[returnplanning]

OP, as others have said, you have done your best, but time to step back. It may be that your friends get a good amount of cash as wedding gifts so have more to spend than they thought, and then return saying "See? I don't know why you made such a fuss, it was all fine!"

Try not to give it any more headspace.

[Tinkerbell]

Originally Posted by Claudette

Unfortunately I just cannot see how they are going to have an amazing time on such a wholly inadequate budget.

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Totally agree, heads in sand attitude.

None as blind as them that can’t see

My daughter was due to go to WDW for her honeymoon. When they added up all the costs etc , because she’s sensible, they ended up going to Vietnam and Thailand less than half.

[DreamDisney]

Originally Posted by Ridersmom

In regard to what happens if you showup at an American hospital and do not have health insurance or a means to pay. If you are truly in need of care, you will be treated and billed. If you are really without means to pay, you can usually apply for charity funds.

If you have a broken arm it will be set. If you have a sore throat, you may see a doctor and if given a prescription be sent to the local pharmacy where you will be expected to pay upfront (and no negotiates prices for the uninsured). If I procedure ios elective, it will not be done.

I cannot imagine you will be sent home while still needing treatment nor would a hospital try to keep you from leaving the country. Hospitals write off a huge amount of debt. Unfortunately to do so, they need to charge more to those of us who are responsible and have insurance. So I think it is reasonable to expect visitors to this country who are paying many thousands of dollars to carry health insurance for their trip. It is a small percentage of the cost of your holiday.

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Interesting to know. Thank you. I just wondered how it would work. I kind of assumed that they would treat you (especially if urgent/life threatening etc), as I can't see many doctors or nurses saying 'Oh, no insurance, we can't help you then.' and just walking away.

And yes, everyone should have appropriate insurance (including covering pre-existing conditions). Ours is all done. Annual silver policy with Virgin, with conditions for all three of us declared and additional premium paid accordingly

[ERICSMUM]

Originally Posted by Ridersmom

I cannot imagine you will be sent home while still needing treatment nor would a hospital try to keep you from leaving the country. Hospitals write off a huge amount of debt. Unfortunately to do so, they need to charge more to those of us who are responsible and have insurance. So I think it is reasonable to expect visitors to this country who are paying many thousands of dollars to carry health insurance for their trip. It is a small percentage of the cost of your holiday.

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I agree in general but the question on this thread is what would happen if their insurance company won’t deal direct with a doctors office or hospital. The couple don’t have a credit card so wouldn’t be able to pay the bill at the time of treatment and then claim back from the insurance co.

[DreamDisney]

I have a colleague who went into premature labour whilst on holiday in spain once. She was in there, on bed rest for 6 weeks, then had to be flown home to a UK hospital in a private jet (no chartered airline would do it), with a neonatal doctor, nurses etc all on board in case labour started again (luckily it did not). Her insurance policy for that holiday cost her £15.20, and saved her over £100,000!

If that isn't a good advert for making sure you're covered, I don't know what is!

[duchy]

Originally Posted by Smilesonfaces

OP you have been a good friend and given good advice. As the saying goes you can lead a horse to water and all that. If they won’t take advice you have done the right thing and stepped back.

Just a thought and sorry if I am wrong but if your friend knows you love Florida holidays you don’t think she is trying to tap you up for money ? A couple of teens could possibly think you could go to Florida with £500 but not 50 odd year old adults.

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Wow that/s a pretty nasty conclusion to reach from the info received.
I think its far more likely they are clueless rather than conniving.
My husband is in his fifties and had never been to America before our honeymoon , he had an awful lot of assumptions about it that were hopelessly wrong. Not everyone at fifty is an experienced holiday maker ... and the older we get the more fixed we tend to get in our opinions so less likely to listen to advice after all He learned pretty quick once there that there was a reason Id organized things the way I had (and lets not even discussing the tipping debates we had til he got his head around it !)

They are old enough to remember people coming back from America and raving about how cheap it was and probably cant or don't want to ...believe its as expensive as it can be.
I think in a similar situation I'd make a little make your money go further pack with a guide to the cheapest places to eat, free/cheap transport options and some discount vouchers printed out for them. That way they have help once they get there and realise.

You've done what a good friend should OP, the rest is up to them !

[Smilesonfaces]

Originally Posted by duchy

Wow that/s a pretty nasty conclusion to reach from the info received.
I think its far more likely they are clueless rather than conniving.
My husband is in his fifties and had never been to America before our honeymoon , he had an awful lot of assumptions about it that were hopelessly wrong. Not everyone at fifty is an experienced holiday maker ... and the older we get the more fixed we tend to get in our opinions so less likely to listen to advice after all He learned pretty quick once there that there was a reason Id organized things the way I had (and lets not even discussing the tipping debates we had til he got his head around it !)

They are old enough to remember people coming back from America and raving about how cheap it was and probably cant or don't want to ...believe its as expensive as it can be.
I think in a similar situation I'd make a little make your money go further pack with a guide to the cheapest places to eat, free/cheap transport options and some discount vouchers printed out for them. That way they have help once they get there and realise.

You've done what a good friend should OP, the rest is up to them !

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Honestly I didn't mean it to to sound nasty. I'm really not like that at all, I am probably just a little bit cynical. I just cannot for the life of me think why someone would be able to pay for all those tickets and be totally adamant they were not prepared to change any aspect of the holiday, despite asking their friend for advice. This isn't going to Florida with a small budget (we are always on a small budget for everything !) This is going with pretty much no budget at all. It just seems odd to me. The OP sounds really kind and is trying her best for them but I just have this vision of this couple going round all their friends with the same sob story.