Tourist held hostage at Punta Cana hospital

drstock

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Oct 29, 2010
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her bill is not 100,000 "dollars" not even 10,000 dollars, this gypsy was vacationing in P.C. She has a can of peanuts next to her hospital bed, so I guess we know she does not have a gastrointestinal issue. She thinks she can wait them out until they cry uncle and say just get out. Loser!!
I'm only going by what the OP and the Quebecois article say. I know you think that many people like to lie here on DR1 but I tend to give people the benefit of the doubt. So if you know better, how much exactly has she been charged?
 

AlaPlaya

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Jan 7, 2021
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25,500 pesos is 500 dollars. This lady is saying it's over 100,000 dollars. Not pesos, dollars.
Yes, I'm aware. Considering what I paid and the level of treatment provided, it's not hard for me to imagine a hospital in this country charging her that amount for a multiple night stay.
 

Cdn_Gringo

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Apr 29, 2014
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For all we know, the woman is getting screwed over by her insurance company. I buy out of country travel insurance myself, answer all the questions truthfully, and still don't trust that it will work as promised. Hope to never find out if it works.
Here is an example as explained to me by my doctor who was helping me fill out the travel insurance form.

Question: Have you ever been treated or tested for a heart condition?

Correct Answer: Yes. Everyone's blood pressure is checked every time they walk into a doctor's office. One time my BP was a bit high so I was prescribed a course of pills low lower it - counts as both treatment for a heart condition and being tested for a heart related condition.

Omitting either disclosure is grounds for the insurer to declare a heart attack while on vacation to be a preexisting condition which they do not cover. Seems to me that lots of these medical disclosures are designed to trick the layperson into making a false declaration that can then be used to deny coverage if that is the position that the insurer wishes to adopt. Here in the DR the major insurers also dance fast and loose with pre existing condition coverage. Any medical treatment received during the waiting period of a new policy immediately classifies those medical issues as a preexisting condition that may not be covered when you seek medical treatment for any of them after the new policy waiting period ends.
 

jd426

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Dec 12, 2009
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20 years on the island..2 cancer operations, one back from the dead experience and multiple visits to hospitals in Punta Cana, La Romana and Santo Domingo. Often spent the last few days of recovery IV drip free.
Well, congrats on being a Survivor .
but maybe they never held you hostage with the IV Drip because they knew you had a Boat they could go after if you did not pay the Bill .
The COMMON People in the DR however are not so fortunate, and in fact DO get held Hostage with the IV Drip, until the bill is paid in full,
I am surprised you did not know this .
 

Big

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Apr 24, 2019
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I'm only going by what the OP and the Quebecois article say. I know you think that many people like to lie here on DR1 but I tend to give people the benefit of the doubt. So if you know better, how much exactly has she been charged?
I tend to think people should pay their bills. Sometimes it is more than anticipated. Yes, I do believe something has been purposely left out of the news stream. You are advocating for the dead beat, shocker!
 

flyinroom

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Aug 26, 2012
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So if the woman has been presented a bill for RD$ 100,000 and thought it said dollars, and posted it online, the media may have just accepted this as right without asking to see the bill or check it is correct. That's my guess.
I believe the news article mentioned that her brother flew down to be at her bedside.
There is a good chance that TVA got the story from him.
I could easily see a confusion between dollars and pesos, especially with the language barrier.
Did TVA do their own vetting? I wouldn't bet my life on it.
The story as told might have been to tempting to ignore.
I mean...If it bleeds it leads.
And there are all those bleeding hearts out there watching the news.
It is a little sad to think that a 61 year old woman with a pre-existing condition would embark on such a trip all on her own.
 

chico bill

Dogs Better than People
May 6, 2016
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I've removed a few in my life, but not to avoid paying anything. I get tired of waiting for someone to do it.
Me too. I was given an antibiotic drip at Ashford Presbyterian Hospital in Puerto Rico once for a highly infected elbow, from foolishly thinking I could play soccer.
But to make matters worse they didn't have a bed or a chair so I had to stand in the hallway of the hospital, and phsically hold the bag above my head with my good arm becuase they had no more IV drip poles.
30 minutes after it had drained I took the needle out and left the bag and needle at the nurses station and walked home, as they were screaming at me to wait for the doctor. I had been there 5 hours to be seen then another hour for the bag - no way I was waiting any longer.
 

cavok

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20 years on the island..2 cancer operations, one back from the dead experience and multiple visits to hospitals in Punta Cana, La Romana and Santo Domingo. Often spent the last few days of recovery IV drip free.
Did you have insurance that was approved to cover everything?
 

melphis

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Apr 18, 2013
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What if the woman does not pay. Will she stay in that hospital for the rest of her life?
That's exactly what I am thinking. At some point someone in the hospital administration has to grow a brain cell and remove her while seizing her passport so that she cannot leave the DR. I have heard of running up the tab but this is crazy. Even if they take her to court some of the gouging will be tossed as the hospitals greed is ridiculous. Even for the DR.
 

Big

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Apr 24, 2019
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people love to hate big businesses and conglomerates. They always think they are being gouged and taken advantage of. I am sure she had contact with a Doctor, nurse a receptionist and a technician. Not to mention the cleaning people and dieticians (the people who feed you). This shyster wants them to work for free because she is so special. What happens to people who don't pay their dinner check? They get arrested or worse here.
 

keepcoming

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May 25, 2011
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Big, I do not think people disagree with the fact she needs to pay her bill. I think the question is how much she is being charged. I have done medical billing for a long time. 4k US a day is high. But again, we are not privy to the actual bill/statement or for what services she is being billed for.
 

jd426

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I dont think the $100,000 US DOLLARS ,or Canadian, is Real ... It makes no sense ..
Nor do I even remotely believe she is being charged 4,000 USD a DAY , in a DR Hospital ? , ridiculous
Only if she were on Life Support
.. I just do not see it .
but 100,000 DOM Pesos is also obviously not correct .
 
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drstock

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I tend to think people should pay their bills. Sometimes it is more than anticipated. Yes, I do believe something has been purposely left out of the news stream. You are advocating for the dead beat, shocker!
I'm not advocating for anyone. I merely said that if the amount to be paid is $100,000 (and nobody has given any other figure), I can see why it could be difficult for her to do so. As keepcoming said, I don't think anyone here is saying she should not pay a legitimate bill.
 

El Hijo de Manolo

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Dec 10, 2021
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That's exactly what I am thinking. At some point someone in the hospital administration has to grow a brain cell and remove her while seizing her passport so that she cannot leave the DR. I have heard of running up the tab but this is crazy. Even if they take her to court some of the gouging will be tossed as the hospitals greed is ridiculous. Even for the DR.
That is a process of the fuerza pública. This is a legal action. Soon she will have to go discuss this with a hospital attorney in front of the fiscal

Whatever she owes the hospital has to be proven, must be submitted to the authorities at some point. The hospital just can't seize your property
 

Big

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Apr 24, 2019
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I'm not advocating for anyone. I merely said that if the amount to be paid is $100,000 (and nobody has given any other figure), I can see why it could be difficult for her to do so. As keepcoming said, I don't think anyone here is saying she should not pay a legitimate bill.
Her bill is not 100,000 thousand unless she got a heart transplant. Maybe she should be able to decide what her bill is, wouldn't that be nice. The only issue is her being a professional scam artist with zero dignity and self respect.
 

El Hijo de Manolo

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Her bill is not 100,000 thousand unless she got a heart transplant. Maybe she should be able to decide what her bill is, wouldn't that be nice. The only issue is her being a professional scam artist with zero dignity and self respect.
When a fiscal sees this he'll lock her up until the family can pay plus legal fees and any kickbacks
 
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