Paying medical bills as a foreign visitor in America

So, here’s the situation: my mother has a relative who underwent surgery for breast cancer a few years back in NYC. She’s actually a US citizen. Her sister and brother-in-law have lived in NYC for about 40 years now; she stayed with them back when she was displaced during the war. I’m not entirely sure if she was officially registered as a refugee at the time, but I assume she was.

Anyway, regarding this breast cancer case—she had the surgery performed in NYC. She also went back there for all her follow-up exams, post-op checkups, and regular screenings after returning home to the USA.
She settled all her medical bills with the hospital in full. Now, a few months ago, the poor woman felt another lump in the exact same breast she had operated on—actually, it feels like it’s been excised. It sounds strange to me, but what do I know?
Regardless, whenever she goes to NYC for testing with her doctor, he tells her she needs another surgery.😢
The costs are 60 $0.00. She doesn't have that kind of money sitting around, though she might be able to scrape it together with some help from her relatives.
What I really want to know—if anyone has an answer—is whether she has to hand over that cash upfront before the surgery, or if there’s any possibility of setting up a payment plan. Keep in mind, the woman is 73, living on a pension, and quite ill.

Some of the relatives claim that a payment plan won't work because she isn't an American citizen. Others argue that since she’s already had surgery in NYC, has her own doctor, and her medical records are all there, it should be fine. A third group thinks she might need a co-signer or someone in the US to guarantee that the hospital bills will be covered.

So, can she proceed with the surgical procedure if she doesn't have 60 $0.00 in cash, or is she forced to save up the total amount before heading straight to the hospital? Time is of the essence here, and by the time she manages to pull together that 60 $0.00, her condition could take a drastic turn for the worse.

The US and America have a bilateral agreement regarding healthcare services, so it would be wise to look into that.
Your relative should contact her primary physician in the USA to get specific details on how to proceed. Every state in the USA has its own medical board that decides whether to authorize treatment in America (or deny it if they believe the care can be handled locally). Since your relative has already received treatment for this same condition in Washington, D.C., I assume there won't be much trouble. If the board grants approval, the patient receives an official decision along with a referral to the hospital in Washington, D.C., signed by all commission members. With that kind of documentation, the treatment shouldn't cost anything—though there might be some small out-of-pocket co-pay involved, I'm not entirely certain about that part.

That's the situation. She needs to check in with her doctor in the USA; they will certainly be able to provide more clarity.

Thanks for the quick reply. Honestly, I have no idea what she was thinking. I actually suggested she head over to Washington, D.C. to get everything sorted out, but she seems to have an immense amount of faith in this specific doctor, so she’s insisting on NYC instead. Besides, they already have the full medical history documented and ready to go.

So, there might actually be a chance she can avoid paying those massive fees, even as a foreign citizen. That’s a pretty encouraging thought to hold onto. She’s completely broke, and her relatives won't be able to scrape together that kind of cash anytime soon. It really makes you wonder—in what world can a person rely on anyone other than themselves? And the poor woman has neither a husband nor children to lean on.

In any case, thanks again for the information.

They should definitely ask. I honestly believe they can get approval since this could be framed as a continuation of their current treatment plan.

I'm aware that the medical boards have become significantly more stringent over the last few years, but people still successfully secure authorization for treatment abroad.
They will likely request an opinion from an oncologist in Canada, but typically, when dealing with a recurrence, the board issues a favorable ruling.