Huge Hospital Bill

[JayinRD]

Advice needed. My close friend, not married, late 20s, got a serious infection. She was treated with antibiotics at a poor small town hospital instead of the surgery she needed that the hospital either couldnt or wouldnt perform. She got worse, got desperate, went to one of the best hospitals in Santiago, starts w an H, and after 2 days there got the surgery she needed. She has ARS Universal but apparently they wont fully cover it because she is in a small town and the Hospital is not in their network. She is still on a Ventilator with a central line and the hospital wants 275,000, $6,000. Who knows how long she will be on the vent. I will paying because the family truly has nothing but I dont want to be ripped off. My plan was to send $1,000 tomorrow then maybe $500 daily for a few days so they dont turn the machines off and she hopefully improves. I am in the US now.
My question, do these top Dominican Hospitals just terminate or withhold care for someone already admitted if they dont get their money?
Do people have experience negotiating these hospital bills downwards?

 

[MiamiDRGuy]

If you can, I know you have the right to move her to different hospital but I am not sure if that is in the case in DR

 

[bob saunders]

I am confused, if she had the surgery in Santiago at H, why isn't she still in that hospital. If she is on a ventilator she obviously still should be in H. Does any insurance cover 100 percent.

 

[Yourmaninvegas]

You need an itemized bill of treatment.
And contact a news organization with details about her story.

 

[D'Arcy (Apostropheman)]

I wonder if and how the OP has confirmed all of this?

Will the hospital share a full and itemized receipt with the OP?

As previously mentioned and asked I wonder if the hospitals have an obligation to provide their normal and high standard of treatment in these circumstances. What is SOP? What are their legal obligations? Also, there are a bunch of questions about insurance, the insurance company's right to refuse to pay, and the hospital's obligation to take a variety of insurances.

It's a terrible set of circumstances and I can understand the OP's desire to help but.... how can he be sure it's legit?

Best of luck sorting this out and of course for the friend in the hospital. May she recover fully and quickly.

 

[JD Jones]

I wonder if and how the OP has confirmed all of this?

It's a terrible set of circumstances and I can understand the OP's desire to help but.... how can he be sure it's legit?

First thing that popped into my head as well when I read the OP.

 

[cavok]

If hospital H is HOMS, HOMS is a private hospital, not a public hospital. In general, private hospitals and clinics don't have any obligation to treat you. It's possible she could be transferred to a public hospital.

I think a typical ARS Universal policy has deductibles and only covers a max of 500,000 pesos. Anything over that you have to pay out of pocket.

 

[cavok]

A friend or family member had to sign for her when she was admitted to the hospital. I would have that person get a receipt for the current outstanding charges and send it to you.

 

[JayinRD]

Confirmed it all. The distraught mother is there and sent me H"s itemized bill, Factura Proforma. The Medicamentos alone are 100,000, Lab 30,000. Day 3 post op still on a vent in H.

 

[JD Jones]

I've never heard of hospitals negotiating prices down but I have never tried either.

I still don't get the "she is in a small town and the Hospital is not in their network"

Every time I've been in the hospital (I've been in a few here), my ARS Universal has covered everything but a few pesos. Universal also does follow up with doctors and expects patients to be discharged quickly.

Can't you be a little more specific?

Are you having all of your money consumption issues with the same woman?

 

[SantiagoDR]

She has ARS Universal but apparently they wont fully cover it because she is in a small town and the Hospital is not in their network.

But, she is in Santiago at hospital "H", not the small town hospital !!!

 

[JayinRD]

Her ARS

I've never heard of hospitals negotiating prices down but I have never tried either.

I still don't get the "she is in a small town and the Hospital is not in their network"

Every time I've been in the hospital (I've been in a few here), my ARS Universal has covered everything but a few pesos. Universal also does follow up with doctors and expects patients to be discharged quickly.

Can't you be a little more specific?

Are you having all of your money consumption issues with the same woman?

Her ARS policy doesnt cover H in Santiago and many specialists, but it covered the do nothing small hospital near La Vega.

 

[Drperson]

Advice needed. My close friend, not married, late 20s, got a serious infection. She was treated with antibiotics at a poor small town hospital instead of the surgery she needed that the hospital either couldnt or wouldnt perform. She got worse, got desperate, went to one of the best hospitals in Santiago, starts w an H, and after 2 days there got the surgery she needed. She has ARS Universal but apparently they wont fully cover it because she is in a small town and the Hospital is not in their network. She is still on a Ventilator with a central line and the hospital wants 275,000, $6,000. Who knows how long she will be on the vent. I will paying because the family truly has nothing but I dont want to be ripped off. My plan was to send $1,000 tomorrow then maybe $500 daily for a few days so they dont turn the machines off and she hopefully improves. I am in the US now.
My question, do these top Dominican Hospitals just terminate or withhold care for someone already admitted if they dont get their money?
Do people have experience negotiating these hospital bills downwards?

So there is some funky information here.

they wont fully cover it because she is in a small town and the Hospital is not in their network. This is an error as you can get coverage everywhere not relating to where you live.

If she has a good plan the hospital would cover the ventilator etc. If she has a poor plan the money/limit would run out quickly

 

[RDKNIGHT]

Question did you actually see her in the hospital?

 

[JD Jones]

Her ARS


Her ARS policy doesnt cover H in Santiago and many specialists, but it covered the do nothing small hospital near La Vega.

So this is the girl from Bonao? The same one you buy cars for? The one who has the high electric bills you're paying?

Is this infection from an elective procedure such as lipo or breast enhancement? Procedures like that are not covered by insurance.

 

[DR_Guy]

Small town hospitals are government owned and free. If you dont have insurance the other hospitals make you pay a estimated cost up front before you get treated. The whole story doesnt make a lot of sense tbh.

 

[JayinRD]

So this is the girl from Bonao? The same one you buy cars for? The one who has the high electric bills you're paying?

Is this infection from an elective procedure such as lipo or breast enhancement? Procedures like that are not covered by insurance.

Huh? Yes my girlfriend who I have been with and support for 5-6 years. Is that bad? Neck skin infection turned into a major invasive Neck abscess that needed surgery 7-10 days ago not 3 days ago. I made a mistake looking for some constructive practical feedback here.

 

[JD Jones]

If you wanted constructive practical feedback, you could have been a lot clearer about the facts in your original post.

I apologize if my comments did not sit well with you.

I'm surprised they have her on a ventilator for a neck abscess.

 

[Santiago DR]

MAPHRE Basico pays 80% up to a million DOP and 8,000 DOP limit for follow up medicines . They take US credit cards at what the official rate is that day. Yes there is a lady in the HOMS business office whose name I don't remember who will setup a payment plan and can negotiate. To be honest that 275,000 bill sounds like the total. I would ask to see detailed fotos of the bill. Have them sent by whatssapp.

 

[monfongo]

A friend of mine has an x who is always trying to get money out of him for her daughter but on this particular day she showed up with her head bandaged and said she needed money because she just had brain surgery and had to pay the hospital.