The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Tourists warned over US health bill demand
treatment: Brechin couple shocked to receive bill for hospital debt of almost $700,000
An Angus man who received a demand for almost $700,000 after hospital treatment in America is warning people to check their insurance cover for foreign trips as he looks to put a nightmare experience behind him.
Mike Webster, 71, fell ill with pneumonia and sepsis a few days into a holiday to Florida with his wife Elizabeth last July.
His condition was so serious that he came close to death twice but pulled through after six weeks of hospital treatment.
Thankfully Mr Webster had full medical insurance but four months after he returned to his home in Brechin he received a demand for payment from a Switzerland-based debt collector.
Further investigation established his insurance company and the US hospital were in a dispute about the total due.
The ordeal has prompted Mr Webster to stress the importance of holidaymakers taking out good insurance when travelling abroad.
He said: “It’s caused me and my wife a lot of anxiety. We received the letter from the debt collector demanding $675,000 on December 24 – it wasn’t the best Christmas present I received.
“There have been other, smaller bills as well. We have been assured by our
I’m just glad my wife Elizabeth was on the ball enough when she booked the holiday to take out insurance at the same time
insurance company that it will all be taken care of.
“I am keen to warn potential holidaymakers. I do not want anyone having to go through what I’ve been through.
“I don’t know what would have happened if I didn’t have insurance and it’s important to check the small print to make sure you’re fully covered.
“I’m just glad my wife Elizabeth was on the ball enough when she booked the holiday to take out insurance at the same time.”
When Mr Webster initially went to hospital he was diagnosed with pneumonia after receiving a series of CAT scans and x-rays, but was allowed to leave after being given antibiotics.
However, his condition deteriorated and he started to run a fever and have hallucinations.
After being readmitted to hospital three days later, he was diagnosed with the life-threatening condition sepsis. His kidneys eventually shut down and his lungs were struggling to cope.
“The care I received was second to none,” he said.
“It just goes to show that doctors around the world do whatever they can to give the best treatment.
“But it seems that American hospitals employ debt collection companies to recover costs – even when they know I had insurance. It seemed completely over the top.
“I spoke to an official at the Foreign Office most days that I was out there and he said that you wouldn’t believe the amount of people who travel without insurance to America.
“He says there’s not much he can do about it because any health cost out there is the person’s charge.”