Hospital charge

generalmental

Mods if in wrong place please move.

Last week i was curled over with pain in my stomach so i went to the doctor. The doctor took one look at myself and sent me straight to the hospital with a letter.

I ended up spending 3 nights in the hospital 2 of them on a trolley in A+E before i ended up on a trolley in A ward.

I was under the impression that if a doctor sends you to the hospital that you have no costs. Am i wrong is this a mistake by the hospital. Im actually unemployed at the moment and i am waiting for a medical card.

I really cant afford this bill anyone any advice

Paulw

generalmental wrote: »

Last week i was curled over with pain in my stomach so i went to the doctor. The doctor took one look at myself and sent me straight to the hospital with a letter.

I ended up spending 3 nights in the hospital 2 of them on a trolley in A+E before i ended up on a trolley in A ward.

I was under the impression that if a doctor sends you to the hospital that you have no costs.

If your GP sends you, then you have no A&E charge (€100), but you are still liable for any other costs, such as staying for 3 nights, etc.

You didn't have a medical card at the time of admission, so, unfortunately for you, you are liable for any charges.

dudara

Taken directly from Citizens Information. Bold text is used on the website. Click on the link for more details.

If you use accident and emergency services without being referred there by your family doctor (GP), there is a charge of €100. There is no charge if you are referred by a GP, or for certain groups listed below.

dearg lady

Paulw wrote: »

If your GP sends you, then you have no A&E charge (€100), but you are still liable for any other costs, such as staying for 3 nights, etc.

You didn't have a medical card at the time of admission, so, unfortunately for you, you are liable for any charges.

There is no other charge except A&E I thought? So if OP is exempt from this, then they don't owe anything.

mrsbyrne

dearg lady wrote: »

There is no other charge except A&E I thought? So if OP is exempt from this, then they don't owe anything.

If you have no medical card and you were in hospital for 3 nights then he charge to you is €225 (€75 per night x 3). Do not let them charge you the €100 A&E as well! once you were admitted to a ward from A&E, then the €100 no longer applied. Sometimes A&E fail to inform the hospital finances that the patient was admitted. I am presuming here that you were admitted to a ward?
If you cannot pay it in one lump you can ring them and make arrangements. If you have applied for a medical card before the admission and are waiting to be processed, ring them and tell them this.
Whatever you do dont ignore that letter.

dearg lady

sorry,it must have changed since last time i was in, i didn't realise there is an overnight rate also

foggy_lad

mrsbyrne wrote: »

If you have no medical card and you were in hospital for 3 nights then he charge to you is €225 (€75 per night x 3). Do not let them charge you the €100 A&E as well! once you were admitted to a ward from A&E, then the €100 no longer applied. Sometimes A&E fail to inform the hospital finances that the patient was admitted. I am presuming here that you were admitted to a ward?
If you cannot pay it in one lump you can ring them and make arrangements. If you have applied for a medical card before the admission and are waiting to be processed, ring them and tell them this.
Whatever you do dont ignore that letter.

The op was only in a ward for one night so is only liable for one nights stay not three. Surely nights spent on a trolley in A&E can't count as nights spent on a ward?

Rasmus

Are you waiting for approval for a medical card, or waiting for the card to reach you?

pinkpencilcase

If you're approved for the medical card and you're unemployed and really can't pay it, maybe it's the kind of thing you can go to your local Community Welfare Officer about? They can sometimes cover necessary bills I think and a hospital bill seems really necessary!