Credit card claim from abroad
Posted: December 5th, 2016, 11:51 am
Hi Fools? Lemons? Whatever...
This is probably not the board to post this, but there's an element of legal advice and credit advice required, so bear with me.
Long story short, but my parents have been on a tour of Vietnam. My dad has had type 1 diabetes for many years, and so their travel insurance has always been pretty solid. However, three days before flying home, my dad contracted pneumonia and was admitted to hospital in Ho Chi Min City, where he remained for a week. The insurance company (AXA) have been excellent albeit it was tiring to get all of the information and forms approved, and finally my dad (and mum) flew home 10 days late accompanied by a specialist nurse flown from the UK to assist on the flight. As I say, excellent service from the insurers.
However, the hospital have been somewhat more difficult. When my dad was first admitted, and obviously before the insurance company had given the green light to pick up the tab, they charged USD1000 to my mum's credit card to get him treated, and have promised to refund this after the insurance green light for all the time they have been in the hospital. They still haven't refunded. They have performed many tests on my dad, including heart murmur tests, MRI etc, all of which are chargeable. They have laughably charged USD250 per night for my mother to stay on a foldaway bed in my dad's room, which she had to find and source bedding for. Needless to say, the insurance company are now questioning some of the costs that the hospital are charging in a total bill in excess of USD10,000.
The problem is that my mum and dad had to receive a "fit to fly" letter and a discharge from the hospital. Mum tells me the hospital refused to do this unless she signed a piece of paper agreeing to meet any uninsured cost. In her desire to be on the last chopper out of 'Nam she did so, not realising that the insurers were disputing the bill. As an aside they also had to make three trips to immigration as their tourist visa had expired during their extended stay, so their mental and physical state at this point was frazzled to say the least.
Having now returned home, and on the way to recovery, they are concerned (as am I) that they will be saddled by a huge bill from the hospital that the insurers won't pick up.
Can anyone offer some advice to them - I've told them to phone the credit card company and explain the circumstances, but not sure of the legal and practical steps here.
Thanks all
jb
This is probably not the board to post this, but there's an element of legal advice and credit advice required, so bear with me.
Long story short, but my parents have been on a tour of Vietnam. My dad has had type 1 diabetes for many years, and so their travel insurance has always been pretty solid. However, three days before flying home, my dad contracted pneumonia and was admitted to hospital in Ho Chi Min City, where he remained for a week. The insurance company (AXA) have been excellent albeit it was tiring to get all of the information and forms approved, and finally my dad (and mum) flew home 10 days late accompanied by a specialist nurse flown from the UK to assist on the flight. As I say, excellent service from the insurers.
However, the hospital have been somewhat more difficult. When my dad was first admitted, and obviously before the insurance company had given the green light to pick up the tab, they charged USD1000 to my mum's credit card to get him treated, and have promised to refund this after the insurance green light for all the time they have been in the hospital. They still haven't refunded. They have performed many tests on my dad, including heart murmur tests, MRI etc, all of which are chargeable. They have laughably charged USD250 per night for my mother to stay on a foldaway bed in my dad's room, which she had to find and source bedding for. Needless to say, the insurance company are now questioning some of the costs that the hospital are charging in a total bill in excess of USD10,000.
The problem is that my mum and dad had to receive a "fit to fly" letter and a discharge from the hospital. Mum tells me the hospital refused to do this unless she signed a piece of paper agreeing to meet any uninsured cost. In her desire to be on the last chopper out of 'Nam she did so, not realising that the insurers were disputing the bill. As an aside they also had to make three trips to immigration as their tourist visa had expired during their extended stay, so their mental and physical state at this point was frazzled to say the least.
Having now returned home, and on the way to recovery, they are concerned (as am I) that they will be saddled by a huge bill from the hospital that the insurers won't pick up.
Can anyone offer some advice to them - I've told them to phone the credit card company and explain the circumstances, but not sure of the legal and practical steps here.
Thanks all
jb