Getting hospital treatment without health insurance

Hey there.

I’m trying to track down some info here, so if anyone has any insight, I’d really appreciate it. We’re dealing with an elderly person who recently moved back to the States from overseas at 95 years old, and naturally, they had a bad fall and ended up completely broken. It ended with an ambulance rush to the hospital because they can’t even stand up due to the pain and everything else. Normally, a few days of bed rest might fix things, but since this person has spent their entire life dodging health insurance, we’re looking at a massive headache 😬

Does anyone have a clue what kind of bill we're looking at, or where I can even find a price list for services when you don't have standard health coverage?

Thanks a ton.🙏

Hey there,
if someone doesn't have health insurance, they’re essentially footing the entire bill themselves. Hospitalization costs can vary wildly depending on which facility you're at, and obviously, it all boils down to what kind of tests, procedures, and medications are involved. Your best bet is to reach out directly to the hospital administration where the lady is currently staying to get the real numbers. That said, my gut feeling is that daily rates could hover around $167, but honestly, don't take my word for it—get a straight answer from them.

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Roughly 500-$333 per day. And that doesn't even account for potential surgeries or anything else.

Thanks for the heads-up! I actually tried asking at the hospital, but they won't tell you a single thing until the patient is officially discharged, so you basically just get hit with the bill as a total shock at the very end 😬

If we're looking at roughly $500-$333 per day, then at least I can run the math for a ten-day stay and expect it to land somewhere between $2,500 and $5,000. The ambulance ride to get the person to the hospital ended up costing about $400, so now my main task is just waiting to see what the hip surgery costs—that’s definitely going to be the real kicker 😬

Casey Jones5 said:Hey there.

I’m trying to track down some info here, so if anyone has any insight, I’d really appreciate it. We’re dealing with an elderly person who recently moved back to the States from overseas at 95 years old, and naturally, they had a bad fall and ended up completely broken. It ended with an ambulance rush to the hospital because they can’t even stand up due to the pain and everything else. Normally, a few days of bed rest might fix things, but since this person has spent their entire life dodging health insurance, we’re looking at a massive headache 😬

Does anyone have a clue what kind of bill we're looking at, or where I can even find a price list for services when you don't have standard health coverage?

Thanks a ton.🙏

I'm not quite following—is this person a permanent resident returning to the US to stay, or were they just visiting the States to see their old home one last time?
If it's the first case, they would have been legally required to set up a contract with the local health department. If it's the second, travel insurance should have covered them. From what I know, there isn't a reciprocal agreement between the US and here for covering medical services for Americans, so arriving without insurance is a gamble that isn't very smart.
American citizens should be aware that Medicare and most private health insurance plans do not cover Any Medical Care in the US — basically, they need to have travel insurance sorted out before they even leave.

Either way, my advice is to keep every single receipt and log every expense. That way, if things take a turn for the worse, you'll have the right to claim those costs during the estate settlement, because let's face it, this bill isn't going to be cheap.

Casey Jones5 said:Thanks for the heads-up! I actually tried asking at the hospital, but they won't tell you a single thing until the patient is officially discharged, so you basically just get hit with the bill as a total shock at the very end 😬

If we're looking at roughly $500-$333 per day, then at least I can run the math for a ten-day stay and expect it to land somewhere between $2,500 and $5,000. The ambulance ride to get the person to the hospital ended up costing about $400, so now my main task is just waiting to see what the hip surgery costs—that’s definitely going to be the real kicker 😬

500-$333 a day means 5000-$3333 for 10 days. Multiplying by 10 shouldn't be *that* hard 😬

Hip surgery—assuming it's a replacement (which, given their age, it almost certainly is)—is definitely not going to be under $16667.

stormylynx4 said:I'm not quite following—is this person a permanent resident returning to the US to stay, or were they just visiting the States to see their old home one last time?
If it's the first case, they would have been legally required to set up a contract with the local health department. If it's the second, travel insurance should have covered them. From what I know, there isn't a reciprocal agreement between the US and here for covering medical services for Americans, so arriving without insurance is a gamble that isn't very smart.
American citizens should be aware that Medicare and most private health insurance plans do not cover Any Medical Care in the US — basically, they need to have travel insurance sorted out before they even leave.

Either way, my advice is to keep every single receipt and log every expense. That way, if things take a turn for the worse, you'll have the right to claim those costs during the estate settlement, because let's face it, this bill isn't going to be cheap.

Tell me, what’s the move when someone like that just shrugs and says, "Nah, I'm good," because they aren't sure if they're staying for good?

stormylynx4 said:I'm not quite following—is this person a permanent resident returning to the US to stay, or were they just visiting the States to see their old home one last time?
If it's the first case, they would have been legally required to set up a contract with the local health department. If it's the second, travel insurance should have covered them. From what I know, there isn't a reciprocal agreement between the US and here for covering medical services for Americans, so arriving without insurance is a gamble that isn't very smart.
American citizens should be aware that Medicare and most private health insurance plans do not cover Any Medical Care in the US — basically, they need to have travel insurance sorted out before they even leave.

Either way, my advice is to keep every single receipt and log every expense. That way, if things take a turn for the worse, you'll have the right to claim those costs during the estate settlement, because let's face it, this bill isn't going to be cheap.

Well, the person involved actually knew all that, but they refused to register for coverage because they were terrified it would eat too much into their Social Security. They sold off everything they owned in the US, moved back here, and then signed up. Since they aren't drawing a pension locally—it's all paid out in the US—they just withdraw the cash via checks while they're here. Everyone saw this coming, but honestly, trying to explain logic to someone nearing a hundred years old is a losing battle.🙏

Jose Miller3 said:500-$333 a day means 5000-$3333 for 10 days. Multiplying by 10 shouldn't be *that* hard 😬

Hip surgery—assuming it's a replacement (which, given their age, it almost certainly is)—is definitely not going to be under $16667.

It shouldn't be, but man, it's been a long day. Either I misread the $250-$500 range or I was doing quick math for five days in my head and gave myself a little false hope thinking, "Hey, maybe it won't be that bad."😬

It wasn't an artificial hip, it was more like "screws, plates, and metal" type of deal. I haven't heard all the specifics yet, but they'll likely be stuck in bed for about ten days. I'm assuming if it's not a full prosthetic hip, it won't hit that $50k mark.😬

Casey Jones5 said:Well, the person involved actually knew all that, but they refused to register for coverage because they were terrified it would eat too much into their Social Security. They sold off everything they owned in the US, moved back here, and then signed up. Since they aren't drawing a pension locally—it's all paid out in the US—they just withdraw the cash via checks while they're here. Everyone saw this coming, but honestly, trying to explain logic to someone nearing a hundred years old is a losing battle.🙏

It shouldn't be, but man, it's been a long day. Either I misread the $250-$500 range or I was doing quick math for five days in my head and gave myself a little false hope thinking, "Hey, maybe it won't be that bad."😬

It wasn't an artificial hip, it was more like "screws, plates, and metal" type of deal. I haven't heard all the specifics yet, but they'll likely be stuck in bed for about ten days. I'm assuming if it's not a full prosthetic hip, it won't hit that $50k mark.😬

Ha, well, I guess the obvious answer is just "let that centenarian pay for it using their American pension" 🤷

Jose Miller3 said:Ha, well, I guess the obvious answer is just "let that centenarian pay for it using their American pension" 🤷

I’d love for things to work that way too, really, but I don't see how the US government is supposed to collect a dime from a pension that's being deposited into a bank account over in America. 😬

I don't get it. Why would anyone even try to charge her? 😕

She knew she needed to get covered, but she just wouldn't do it. She fell, broke something, and needed medical help—so she got it. That's that.

Why couldn't she just... pay for it? Without someone trying to "get back" at her or anything like that? 😕

Casey Jones5 said:I’d love for things to work that way too, really, but I don't see how the US government is supposed to collect a dime from a pension that's being deposited into a bank account over in America. 😬

She’ll probably just figure out exactly what she has in her US bank accounts, file the lawsuit, and then let the estate handle the rest if she doesn't make it. It's worth remembering that an inheritance isn't just about the cash and the real estate—it includes all the debts, too.
Now that you’ve laid out the full story, I honestly hope they get billed for every single cent. It takes a special kind of nerve to shamelessly use healthcare services you refuse to pay for just because you don't want to "dip into your retirement." Where exactly do they think our seniors' Social Security is coming from? If this person is a resident here in the US, they had an obligation to pay into the system, and I hope the IRS comes knocking on their door regarding that American pension. It’s a shame doctors aren't allowed to turn away these cheapskates who want to use everything everyone else pays for while leaving others to fend for themselves.

It was pretty much the same story with some neighbors. They moved back from Germany and he refused to pay into the US healthcare system. Then he had heart issues, paid $1667, spent three days in the hospital, and underwent some kind of vein surgery. Since then, he’s been paying his premiums without complaint.

Jose Miller3 said:I don't get it. Why would anyone even try to charge her? 😕

She knew she needed to get covered, but she just wouldn't do it. She fell, broke something, and needed medical help—so she got it. That's that.

Why couldn't she just... pay for it? Without someone trying to "get back" at her or anything like that? 😕

My bad, I honestly don't follow how this process works 😬

She’s got maybe about $2000 coming in every month, and once those dollars are converted, that's what she has to work with. Honestly, if they could just let her set up a payment plan, it would solve everything, but since she can't afford it upfront, they feel like they have to come after her. 😬

stormylynx4 said:She’ll probably just figure out exactly what she has in her US bank accounts, file the lawsuit, and then let the estate handle the rest if she doesn't make it. It's worth remembering that an inheritance isn't just about the cash and the real estate—it includes all the debts, too.
Now that you’ve laid out the full story, I honestly hope they get billed for every single cent. It takes a special kind of nerve to shamelessly use healthcare services you refuse to pay for just because you don't want to "dip into your retirement." Where exactly do they think our seniors' Social Security is coming from? If this person is a resident here in the US, they had an obligation to pay into the system, and I hope the IRS comes knocking on their door regarding that American pension. It’s a shame doctors aren't allowed to turn away these cheapskates who want to use everything everyone else pays for while leaving others to fend for themselves.

Sure, but if there's absolutely nothing left in the US, how are they supposed to collect? I mean, I agree that letting people just die without being hounded would be more decent, but we all know nobody's actually going to do that. 😬