Teen's Skull Smashed At Resort

chico bill

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May 6, 2016
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I hope he can get a life flight. His chance of survival would have been much better had they not waited overnight to verify how they would be paid.
I understand how hospitals want to make sure they are paid. In this case the resort should have stepped in and guaranteed payment to expedite relieving the pressure on his brain.
Maybe there should be an optional fee for each person entering an AI that if anything happens on the grounds or during their transportation vehicles hospital fees are approved on arrival
 

Joseph NY2STI

Well-known member
Mar 22, 2020
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His chance of survival would have been much better had they not waited overnight to verify how they would be paid.
I was thinking the same thing. "Wow, he's in bad shape. Will that be cash, check, or charge"? Kudos to the doctors who have thus far saved his life. You don't normally hear "brain surgery" and "Dominican Republic" in the same sentence.
 

windeguy

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Jul 10, 2004
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I hope he can get a life flight. His chance of survival would have been much better had they not waited overnight to verify how they would be paid.
I understand how hospitals want to make sure they are paid. In this case the resort should have stepped in and guaranteed payment to expedite relieving the pressure on his brain.
Maybe there should be an optional fee for each person entering an AI that if anything happens on the grounds or during their transportation vehicles hospital fees are approved on arrival
With private clinics being for profit in the DR, it is no surprise to me that proof of payment was required. It is the way here for such things.

I have no idea why you think a third party like the resort should step in.

I was under the impression that people going from one country to another could purchase insurance to cover medical issues for such trips. Am I incorrect that his family could have done so? In that case having their personal responsibilities and issues like this covered?
 

Big

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Apr 24, 2019
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With private clinics being for profit in the DR, it is no surprise to me that proof of payment was required. It is the way here for such things.

I have no idea why you think a third party like the resort should step in.

I was under the impression that people going from one country to another could purchase insurance to cover medical issues for such trips. Am I incorrect that his family could have done so? In that case having their personal responsibilities and issues like this covered?
Well Sir Wind they certainly have a level of responsibility. Think of slipping, falling and fracturing your leg. They no doubt over served this neanderthal. It is an unusual situation for sure. The staff should have taken note of his beer muscles and kicked him out or cut him off.
 

BermudaRum

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Oct 9, 2007
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I was under the impression that people going from one country to another could purchase insurance to cover medical issues for such trips. Am I incorrect that his family could have done so? In that case having their personal responsibilities and issues like this covered?
News article:
She (mother) said her son had to wait to get surgery once he arrived at the hospital because the staff there were trying to confirm his insurance would cover any help he required.

I guess after midnight no one was answering the oversees number to confirm their insurance coverage. :unsure:
 
Nov 9, 2023
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Medical ethics and the payment of fees before treatment
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Legally16,17 and ethically,18 where emergency medical treatment is required, doctors cannot refuse to treat persons who cannot afford to pay in advance, which applies whether this is a first-time or regular patient.
—-

This would be an emergency, for a doctor it would normally be: help first, ask questions/money later..
 

chico bill

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May 6, 2016
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Medical ethics and the payment of fees before treatment
—-
Legally16,17 and ethically,18 where emergency medical treatment is required, doctors cannot refuse to treat persons who cannot afford to pay in advance, which applies whether this is a first-time or regular patient.
—-

This would be an emergency, for a doctor it would normally be: help first, ask questions/money later..
A life is a life - age should only be a factor if it would endanger the outcome of intervention. (ie. too young for a transplant, too old to survive invasive surgery, as examples).

Withholding life saving care of critically injured patients, as they rapidly worsen just to wait on insurance authorizations makes DR hospitals and doctors look like uncaring mercenaries. Do they not take the Hippocratic Oath? Maybe they missed the part "... I will devise and order for them the best diet, according to my judgment and means; and I will take care that they suffer no hurt or damage...."
Waiting 10 hours to relieve brain swelling due to "a clot the size of a grapefruit" most probably caused permanent damage.

The hospitals always have the ability to withhold patient discharge until they recieve guarantee of payment which may extend to preventing a foreigner from leaving the country.

Update on the victim's condition :

 

RDKNIGHT

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Mar 13, 2017
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The filters were in place. There were no reports of the violence against this youth in the local medias of Punta Cana. Hope the young man recovers.

Regards,

PJT
of course not the Tourist Mafia does not report incidents like this the only report about accidents and traffic lights being out. 12 million tourist received.
 

PJT

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Jan 8, 2002
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I would love to know what resort and what hospital the kid is in I can guarantee you the hospital will gouge them in the bill

I find an amazing that they could give two craps about this kid's life that want their money first that kind of sums up this country
Royalton Splash Punta Cana
 

Ecoman1949

Born to Ride.
Oct 17, 2015
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With private clinics being for profit in the DR, it is no surprise to me that proof of payment was required. It is the way here for such things.

I have no idea why you think a third party like the resort should step in.

I was under the impression that people going from one country to another could purchase insurance to cover medical issues for such trips. Am I incorrect that his family could have done so? In that case having their personal responsibilities and issues like this covered?
Windy. The family had insurance. Also resorts do bear some responsibility for what occurred. Liquor flows too freely at resorts and resort security staff rarely get involved in stopping liquor induced brawls. I’ve seen many at the Playa Dorada resorts over the year. Even witnessed a very large man being physically abusive to his girlfriend in the reception area. Security staff stepped back and waited for the police to arrive and intervene. They escorted the ranting and raving guy to the police station.

I don’t blame the security staff for being cautious. People in a liquor induced rage can do serious bodily harm and the resort security guards get paid very little. As one poster noted, all this bad behaviour is kept quiet by the resort. Their revenue is more important than the safety of their clientele.

Always had a copy of my medical insurance and the emergency contact numbers with me when I sat behind the wheel of my rental cars. Fortunately I never needed it.
 
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chico bill

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Windy. The family had insurance. Also resorts do bear some responsibility for what occurred. Liquor flows too freely at resorts and resort security staff rarely get involved in stopping liquor induced brawls. I’ve seen many at the Playa Dorada resorts over the year. Even witnessed a very large man being physically abusive to his girlfriend in the reception area. Security staff stepped back and waited for the police to arrive and intervene. They escorted the ranting and raving guy to the police station.

I don’t blame the security staff for being cautious. People in a liquor induced rage can do serious bodily harm and the resort security guards get paid very little. As one poster noted, all this bad behaviour is kept quiet by the resort. Their revenue is more important than the safety of their clientele.

Always had a copy of my medical insurance and the emergency contact numbers with me when I sat behind the wheel of my rental cars. Fortunately I never needed it.
Name one resort that pays or takes responsibility ?
Even when tainted liquor was discovered to have made many sick, or when carbon monoxide at a resort killed tourists - how much money did they pay out ? Not a peso
 
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chico bill

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I would love to know what resort and what hospital the kid is in I can guarantee you the hospital will gouge them in the bill

I find an amazing that they could give two craps about this kid's life that want their money first that kind of sums up this country
Absolutely right the hospital goes into "soak the gringo's insurance mode" and run the bill up to rates near what North American hospital would charge.
If it was Uncle Tito getting the same surgery on Monumental Insurance the bill would be 1/8th of what they charge a Canadian
 
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keepcoming

Moderator - Living & General Stuff
May 25, 2011
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Absolutely right the hospital goes into "soak the gringo's insurance mode" and run the bill up to rates near what North American hospital would charge.
If it was Uncle Tito getting the same surgery on Monumental Insurance the bill would be 1/8th of what they charge a Canadian
Last I saw in the news the bill was 78k, that does not even come close to what a North American hospital would charge for this type of service. As for travel insurance, or insurance that covers you while out of the country, there are many caveats in those policies and do not cover everything. With many policies you need to pay up front and once you send them all the bills, medical records, etc, they will then decide if reimbursement is warranted and how much.
 

chico bill

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May 6, 2016
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Last I saw in the news the bill was 78k, that does not even come close to what a North American hospital would charge for this type of service. As for travel insurance, or insurance that covers you while out of the country, there are many caveats in those policies and do not cover everything. With many policies you need to pay up front and once you send them all the bills, medical records, etc, they will then decide if reimbursement is warranted and how much.
I'm sure it will be double that soon .
What's even sadder for the family is they are being told they must wait many weeks for a bed to be made available in Canada's failed hospital system.
That's what "free" medicine seems to offer.
While it sounds rude to say the young man may have been lucky this did not happen within Canada
 

RDKNIGHT

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Mar 13, 2017
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Absolutely right the hospital goes into "soak the gringo's insurance mode" and run the bill up to rates near what North American hospital would charge.
If it was Uncle Tito getting the same surgery on Monumental Insurance the bill would be 1/8th of what they charge a Canadian
Animals could not give a rats ass about the kid they see it as a opportunity to make money
 

JD Jones

Moderator:North Coast,Santo Domingo,SW Coast,Covid
Jan 7, 2016
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With private clinics being for profit in the DR, it is no surprise to me that proof of payment was required. It is the way here for such things.

I have no idea why you think a third party like the resort should step in.

I was under the impression that people going from one country to another could purchase insurance to cover medical issues for such trips. Am I incorrect that his family could have done so? In that case having their personal responsibilities and issues like this covered?


With more than 11 million travelers expected this year, why wouldn't a local insurance company sell required medical insurance coverage to every traveler for a few weeks and charge 4-5 bucks for it?

Seems to me that would be a gold mine.

Could you include it in the price of the ticket?