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A&E 100 euro charge, are we liable?

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  • 23-10-2018 7:28pm
    #1
    naughtysmurf
    Registered Users Posts: 3,263 ✭✭✭


    A family member has been having a medical issue, severe temporary chest pain for the last few weeks on & off, it became more regular so a GP appointment was arranged, GP felt that while painful the issue wasn't serious as in life threatening but didn't know what the issue was. The GP's appointment was on a Thursday.

    He decided to send the patient to Ennis hospital rather than UHL for a full assessment, letter issued & appointment was arranged in the GP's surgery at the time for the following Monday morning. We were happy with this as UHL A&E is dire. X-ray, blood tests, ECG etc all done in Ennis in four hours from start to finish, you'd be lucky to see a doctor in Limerick in four hours, all results normal, they didn't have an answer, take paracetamol for a couple of weeks & see how it goes.

    The following Thursday, three days later, patient has severe chest pain in the early hours, ambulance called & taken to UHL, while not 100% diagnosed for sure, patient was discharged with a script which seems to have sorted the issue.

    Do we have to pay the €100 Limerick A&E charge as he originally presented to Ennis with a GP referral letter for the same issue that he ended up in UHL A&E with?

    Thanks


Comments

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    #2
    L1011
    Registered Users Posts: 69,013 ✭✭✭✭L1011


    I think that by the letter of the rules you are as it is a different admission. I'd phone the accounts department and discuss it with them though.


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    #3
    DundalkDuffman
    Registered Users Posts: 734 ✭✭✭DundalkDuffman


    No you're not liable, your issue there is that UHL don't treat it as a review visit rather as a new one.
    It's a review for the patient however so it's a matter of advising the patient accounts office in UHL that it's the same complaint and letting them liaise with the accounts in Ennis they will then write off that invoice as a billed in error once they confirm that it was the same complaint.


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    #4
    Commanchie
    Registered Users Posts: 548 ✭✭✭Commanchie


    Classed as a failed discharge youre not liable.


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    #5
    naughtysmurf
    Registered Users Posts: 3,263 ✭✭✭naughtysmurf


    Commanchie wrote: »
    Classed as a failed discharge youre not liable.

    Is there a cut off point timewise as regards a failed discharge as regards the HSE?

    I've paid plenty of A&E charges over the years, no problem once diagnosed & treated correctly but this time I'm going to fight it as I think Ennis didn't do their end of it as well as they should have


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    #6
    Commanchie
    Registered Users Posts: 548 ✭✭✭Commanchie


    naughtysmurf wrote: »
    Is there a cut off point timewise as regards a failed discharge as regards the HSE?

    I've paid plenty of A&E charges over the years, no problem once diagnosed & treated correctly but this time I'm going to fight it as I think Ennis didn't do their end of it as well as they should have


    If returned within the month on same issue.


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