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Medical Debt for a Visitor to the United States

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  • 08-29-2007, 10:52 AM
    Regina09
    Medical Debt for a Visitor to the United States
    I am writing this for a friend of mine. She had sponsored a close friend of hers to visit the US. When the friend arrived to the US, she had a medical emergency and had to be hospitalized. The bill is running about ~100K. How can a visitor set up a payment plan with the hospital.
  • 08-29-2007, 11:06 AM
    lealea1005
    Re: Medical Debt for a visitory
    Quote:

    Quoting Regina09
    View Post
    I am writing this for a friend of mine. She had sponsored a close friend of hers to visit the US. When the friend arrived to the US, she had a medical emergency and had to be hospitalized. The bill is running about ~100K. How can a visitor set up a payment plan with the hospital.


    The visitor can call the hospital and/or Physicians sending her bills, explain the situation, and ask to set up a payment plan. Good luck!
  • 08-30-2007, 08:19 AM
    medissue
    Re: Medical Debt for a Visitor to the United States
    Regina09, good question!

    My wife’s father came here to stay with us from China on a guest visa. He went to the hospital with a stroke and ended up staying for 4 days.

    When we got to the hospital, her father signed the forms. But we're worried that if he has problems paying the bills (he is honest and wants to, but he is not well-off at all) the hospital will come after us.

    He's returning to China in 1 week. The hospital says we can bring him in to apply for medicaid, but I'm worried that by giving proof of residency (he was staying with us), we leave ourselves open for the hospital to go after us for the bills.

    -If he goes back to China and can't pay, are we on the hook for it?
    -Should we apply for medicaid without being worried that starts a paper trail on us?
  • 08-30-2007, 08:38 AM
    Regina09
    Re: Medical Debt for a Visitor to the United States
    Well, I guess I am trying to get the same answer. However my friend has not been to the hospital financial advisor yet. I thought medicaid/medicare was only for permanent residents and not for the visitors. There are some previous posts on this forum which say that the once the visitor left the country hospital could not do anything. Not sure how true that it. Let me know if you find any more information.
  • 08-30-2007, 09:18 AM
    Mr. Knowitall
    Re: Medical Debt for a Visitor to the United States
    There are Medicaid rules which are meant to protect hospitals when they have to provide emergency care for undocumented immigrants and other immigrants, and the hospital apparently believes (or hopes) that they will cover this treatment.

    Laws governing an adult child's responsibility for a parent's medical bills can be different in any given state, but as a general rule unless the child signs a contract to pay the bill the child cannot be required to pay it.
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