Hospitalisation while visiting US

[ishaan99]

I have a friend whose going thru a very difficult state. Her parenst arrived from India and 4 days later the father had to be hospitalised due to Pneumonia. The insurance was activve from 5th of teh mnth and father had to be hospitalised same day. However teh father made a doctors visit on 4th due to which Inisurance is now denying the payment saying its a preexisting case, The bills are very high close to 40k for 5 days hospitalisation. unfortunately my friend signed at the hospital when her father was getting admitted. Will the bills be coming on patients name or my freinds name and since she has signed it will she be liable for paying the bills. Any suggestion on this will be very helpful. Thanks

[txh1b]

The bill will be on patient's name however, the hospital can collect it from the co-signee and so will the collection agencies.

[PraetorianXI]

SUGGESTION: Pay the bill.

What else is there to do? stick it to the tax payers?

[insubuy]

If the person was already here in the US for 4 days, why was the insurance made effective from 5th of the month?

Why didn't you make the effective date to match the travel dates?

From the information you provided, it looks like the person made a visitor to doctor on one day, discovered a major problem, bought the insurance the same day to be effective on the next day and the person was hospitalized on the same day the insurance was effective (which is the next day of the insurance purchase, or the next day of the doctor visit).

Obviously, this would be considered pre-existing condition and not covered by any insurance. You can't buy the insurance when you are already sick. We and the insurance companies deal with this on a daily basis and figure these things out very quickly.

Unfortunately, I don't see any other option than to self pay.

Next time, I recommend that the person buy the insurance before traveling. You can find various visitors insurance online at https://www.insubuy.com

[txh1b]

If only they made health insurance a pre-requisite for every visitor entering at the POE.