Medical insurance for visiting parents. Any advise appreciated.

I agree that if something happened they would be cared for - I am not sure that any hospital or doctor etc could find the child liable to pay for the care ? How does this work legally - we do not sign any kind of sponsorship etc when our parents visit.
Click to expand...

I don't agree with what LindaMac said in earlier post. When I invited my parents here I had to sign an affidavit of support which means it is my responsibility to not let them become public charge when they are here. It includes cost of medical care and insurance. Some visitors get visa on their own but they still have to show good amount of liquid funds to get the visa. Bottomline: if you sponsor your parents visit to US you are fully liable for all expenses.

I used indnet.org for insurance. I didn't use the policy so I don't know how good it is but they paid a friend of mine to cover his parent's illness without any problem.
 
my parents and mom in law travel on ec passports and do not even need a visa to enter the US provided it is for less than 3 months - so we have never had to sign anything !!! What happens to people here on vacation who do not have family here and something goes wrong ? They get billed in their country - thats what - I have first hand experience of this - when we visited the US prior to moving here - my then 19 month old son had a febrile seizure and we took him to a hopital to be checked out - the bill of several hundred dollars and bill for x rays was forwarded to us in South Africa many months later - we paid it knowing that we were moving here and didn't want any problems - but if we hadn't paid - how would they have followed up ??
 
my parents and mom in law travel on ec passports and do not even need a visa to enter the US provided it is for less than 3 months - so we have never had to sign anything !!! What happens to people here on vacation who do not have family here and something goes wrong ? They get billed in their country - thats what - I have first hand experience of this - when we visited the US prior to moving here - my then 19 month old son had a febrile seizure and we took him to a hopital to be checked out - the bill of several hundred dollars and bill for x rays was forwarded to us in South Africa many months later - we paid it knowing that we were moving here and didn't want any problems - but if we hadn't paid - how would they have followed up ??
 
I have a long story to tell you, on my personal experience.

My Mom and Dad visited us Sept 2002 and were staying at my sister's house. My Mom had some breathlessness and we took her to emergency. (She had insurance from here) They did all the relevant tests, and realised she had 3 blocks of almost 99 % in heart. Doctors suggested not to fly to India with this condition. So we spoke to agent and he said that they have coverage of 50,000 $s. The doctors said that they will help us to reduce the expenses. So expected the total expenses around 60,000 $s. After operating her, she expired the same day when she got discharge from hospital. The doctors hurried to discharge her. in spite of the fact that she was not breathing properly.

Now the harrasement from Insurance company started. They said that she had the heart condition pre-existing and they are not going to pay. We got all the relevant letters from the doctors whom my Mom visited. The bill was almost 75,000 $s. They went back and forth and said that they spoke to our cardiologist in India and he said that my Mom had prexisting condition. So we spoke to doctor and he said that he never spoke to anyone. Afterwards, we sent a lawyer's notice, along with cc to Insurance commisioner.

Finally they have released 50,000 $s. My Dad had signed her emergency papers, so the lawyer said that we need not pay anything and he sent a letter on my Dad's behalf that he is not capable of paying that amount.

Anyway, the morale of the story is buy insurance from here only. Since Indian based insurance you have to pay first and then they reimburse which is very risky.

I have one more friend whose father had heart attack, last week and he has insurance from India. The total bill is 40,000. I will send details of what is final outcome.
 
Hibuddies,

I am sure you had to pay a "significant" amount to the lawyer. It is either one blood sucker(health care industry) or another (lawyer).

What you did not mention is the emotional strain that you and your family had probably gone through- losing your mom and before you even recovered, being hammered by insurance companies and unsympathetic collecting agencies. The healthcare in the US is the best in the world- also the worst!! Ironic but true.

My sympathies for you and your family.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top