Any well travelled folks help me? (Travel Insurance query)

[TheGreenMan]

Hi

Got a problem (maybe):confused:. When on hols last year (Vegas:thumbsup:) i was taken to hospital on the first night and had to make a claim to my travel insurance company(complete barstewards:brickwall) when i got back. After months of dragging their heels they finally said they would deal with the claim and sent me a letter saying so.

8 Months later, i still havent rec'd any word of the thing being resolved (as i would have expected them to send me out something wanting me to pay them an excess for the claim).:grr:

Here's the problem (maybe!) - Im planning on going back to Vegas this August/September again and Im concerned that because i have these outstanding debts to medical companies in my name (even though my TI company are 'dealing' with it) that when i turn up at Customs/Immigration - they see somehow that I have outstanding debts to the USA and refuse me entry!

I may just be worrying too much but when going through Customs/Immigration last time, they were pretty ruthless and intimidating and didnt seem like they would take any sh*t.

DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY IDEA IF THIS WILL AFFECT ME GETTING INTO THE USA OR IF THEY WONT KNOW OR CARE THAT I HAVE HAD AN UNRESOLVED CLAIM??

Thanks for any help/advice.

[Scooter]

Hi

Got a problem (maybe):confused:. When on hols last year (Vegas:thumbsup:) i was taken to hospital on the first night and had to make a claim to my travel insurance company(complete barstewards:brickwall) when i got back. After months of dragging their heels they finally said they would deal with the claim and sent me a letter saying so.

8 Months later, i still havent rec'd any word of the thing being resolved (as i would have expected them to send me out something wanting me to pay them an excess for the claim).:grr:

Here's the problem (maybe!) - Im planning on going back to Vegas this August/September again and Im concerned that because i have these outstanding debts to medical companies in my name (even though my TI company are 'dealing' with it) that when i turn up at Customs/Immigration - they see somehow that I have outstanding debts to the USA and refuse me entry!

I may just be worrying too much but when going through Customs/Immigration last time, they were pretty ruthless and intimidating and didnt seem like they would take any sh*t.

DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY IDEA IF THIS WILL AFFECT ME GETTING INTO THE USA OR IF THEY WONT KNOW OR CARE THAT I HAVE HAD AN UNRESOLVED CLAIM??

Thanks for any help/advice.

dont hold me to this and i think one or two of the american hibbys will help u out. But i think going through immigration will be a prob they will not have a clue and will not care if you owe medical money. Most of the american hospitals are privatly owned and not done through the goverment so you dont owe the USA money just that hospital.

can i ask what TI u have used:wink:

[TheGreenMan]

dont hold me to this and i think one or two of the american hibbys will help u out. But i think going through immigration will be a prob they will not have a clue and will not care if you owe medical money. Most of the american hospitals are privatly owned and not done through the goverment so you dont owe the USA money just that hospital.

can i ask what TI u have used:wink:

Cheers, a few folk have said this so hope your right :thumbsup:

The company I used was FlexiCover Direct/Europe Assistance (they run under two names i think) Never Again!:grr:

[Jack]

Have you tried contacting the hospital to see if anything has been done to clear the debt?

[MyJo]

I very much doubt that US customs will have anything about your "debt" on thier records and it shouldn't impact on you gaining entry to America.

As has been said all hospitals are privately owned in America so your beef is with the hospital owners/operators and not the government they are too busy dealing with the drug smugglers and terrorists to worry about a minor dispute over a medical bill.

As for the customs officers at the airports being harsh and intimidating, dont worry they are all like that, all the time :agree: ive been to America 7 times and had to pass through immigration/border control lots of times and they all look like they want to tie you upside down from the ceiling with your head in a bucket of water until you admit to having a bit of cheese you shouldnt have in your pocket :greengrin

A wee tip, if you've been to America before hand over your passport with your Visa forms inserted into the page that was stamped on your last visit, when they open it up and see that you've already been to America fairly recently they tend to relax a bit and take it easier on you :thumbsup:

[fergal7]

Cheers, a few folk have said this so hope your right :thumbsup:

The company I used was FlexiCover Direct/Europe Assistance (they run under two names i think) Never Again!:grr:

I have just been to Vegas and my travel insurance was FlexiCover as well. How spooky is that!

Only went with them as they were cheap. Whats that old saying again?

Didn't have to use them though, luckily by the sounds of things.

Vegas however was excellent and I am going back in February.:thumbsup:

Hope your hospital trip didn't spoil your holiday.

[TheGreenMan]

Have you tried contacting the hospital to see if anything has been done to clear the debt?

if it was cleared i assume i would have re'd notification from TI company to ask me to pay an excess for the claim.

i will be phoning the TI company later

[TheGreenMan]

I very much doubt that US customs will have anything about your "debt" on thier records and it shouldn't impact on you gaining entry to America.

As has been said all hospitals are privately owned in America so your beef is with the hospital owners/operators and not the government they are too busy dealing with the drug smugglers and terrorists to worry about a minor dispute over a medical bill.

As for the customs officers at the airports being harsh and intimidating, dont worry they are all like that, all the time :agree: ive been to America 7 times and had to pass through immigration/border control lots of times and they all look like they want to tie you upside down from the ceiling with your head in a bucket of water until you admit to having a bit of cheese you shouldnt have in your pocket :greengrin

A wee tip, if you've been to America before hand over your passport with your Visa forms inserted into the page that was stamped on your last visit, when they open it up and see that you've already been to America fairly recently they tend to relax a bit and take it easier on you :thumbsup:

:LOL:

[TheGreenMan]

I have just been to Vegas and my travel insurance was FlexiCover as well. How spooky is that!

Only went with them as they were cheap. Whats that old saying again?

Didn't have to use them though, luckily by the sounds of things.

Vegas however was excellent and I am going back in February.:thumbsup:

Hope your hospital trip didn't spoil your holiday.

They're a total nightmare to deal with :brickwall

Na, never ruined it at all - I was ****ting myself for a while though as had to call for an ambulance and that too! Thought at 23 I was having a ****in heart attack!:boo hoo:

I couldnt breathe and was getting very sharp pains in my chest and felt really sick - turned out to be Heat Exaustion, dehydration and my body was just generally knackered as i had only 5 hours sleep over 2 days cos of travelling and was out walking about on the strip for hours and never realised how much the heat was affecting me.

After about 4 hours in hospital when the morphine lost its effect, they asked me for around $1500 as a deposit for my treatment so I said - No thanks, I'll check myself out if thats alright with yous and put it through my insurance :offski:

Taxi back to the hotel, good nights sleep and I was fine the next day to hit the strip and some casinos again :woohoo:

[NYHibby]

dont hold me to this and i think one or two of the american hibbys will help u out. But i think going through immigration will be a prob they will not have a clue and will not care if you owe medical money. Most of the american hospitals are privatly owned and not done through the goverment so you dont owe the USA money just that hospital.

As the American, I don't think that you'll have a problem coming in unless you owe them a large sum of money, which it sounds like you don't. Like others have said, our hospitals are privately owned. They know how insurance companies can be a pain in the ass and usually are pretty good at working with people to get them to pay. Besides, they have enough problems trying to get Americans without insurance to pay them and won't waste their time trying to get our government to track you down.

[TheGreenMan]

As the American, I don't think that you'll have a problem coming in unless you owe them a large sum of money, which it sounds like you don't. Like others have said, our hospitals are privately owned. They know how insurance companies can be a pain in the ass and usually are pretty good at working with people to get them to pay. Besides, they have enough problems trying to get Americans without insurance to pay them and won't waste their time trying to get our government to track you down.

Thanks for the advice mate :thumbsup:

[Lucius Apuleius]

Surprised. Europ Assitance is one of the biggest providers of corporate private medical insurance. My company used them up until January when we switched to Allianz but have never heard of any problems with them before.