Sent large bill by Austrian hospital despite use of EHIC
Discussion
Hi All, would appreciate some advice-
I had an accident in Austria last November while on holiday and ended up with a suspected broken pelvis and ankle. I walked it off as I wanted to get back to work, but as a precaution was sent to a public Austrian hospital to X-ray, which came back inconclusive, and was issued with some crutches. I provided my EHIC and name and address, which was accepted, and I was not asked to pay for anything at the time. As I left the hospital I was well aware of being entitled to the treatment at a public hospital and thought that was the end of it. I didn't contact my own travel insurance as I thought it was all settled. The difference is of course somewhat contrary in France where they normally charge your card and won't take no/accept an EHIC or proof of insurance. I got on a plane back to the Uk, and had a follow up X ray on the NHS which gave the all clear.
This week I received a letter of translated Austrian through the post, which only reached me due to a proactive postman interpreting an incompletely entered address. It was from an Austrian debt collection firm who have been passed my details from the hospital, chasing a bill for approx €300, including a large amount of interest and late payment charges. There is no explanation exactly what this charge is for other than my treatment, but the letter says I have until the end of the month to pay via transfer or credit card. There is no explanation as to why the bill has not been levied against the EHIC instead.
Tempted to give this a stiff ignoring out of principle- as it seems they're pulling a fast one to claim money off me rather than the subscription our nation pays to the European Health Insurance Card system, and ultimately they have screwed up my address and as a result never received any of the other letters. But are there any repercussions to doing so;
1: is this advisable to ignore in the U.K
2: As I plan to travel regularly back to Austria, is it in my interests to settle this bill instead..
3. If I bite and contact the hospital they have confirmation of my address, could they then send further charges?
4. Would another solution be to call the EHIC body to seek advice?
Thank you
I had an accident in Austria last November while on holiday and ended up with a suspected broken pelvis and ankle. I walked it off as I wanted to get back to work, but as a precaution was sent to a public Austrian hospital to X-ray, which came back inconclusive, and was issued with some crutches. I provided my EHIC and name and address, which was accepted, and I was not asked to pay for anything at the time. As I left the hospital I was well aware of being entitled to the treatment at a public hospital and thought that was the end of it. I didn't contact my own travel insurance as I thought it was all settled. The difference is of course somewhat contrary in France where they normally charge your card and won't take no/accept an EHIC or proof of insurance. I got on a plane back to the Uk, and had a follow up X ray on the NHS which gave the all clear.
This week I received a letter of translated Austrian through the post, which only reached me due to a proactive postman interpreting an incompletely entered address. It was from an Austrian debt collection firm who have been passed my details from the hospital, chasing a bill for approx €300, including a large amount of interest and late payment charges. There is no explanation exactly what this charge is for other than my treatment, but the letter says I have until the end of the month to pay via transfer or credit card. There is no explanation as to why the bill has not been levied against the EHIC instead.
Tempted to give this a stiff ignoring out of principle- as it seems they're pulling a fast one to claim money off me rather than the subscription our nation pays to the European Health Insurance Card system, and ultimately they have screwed up my address and as a result never received any of the other letters. But are there any repercussions to doing so;
1: is this advisable to ignore in the U.K
2: As I plan to travel regularly back to Austria, is it in my interests to settle this bill instead..
3. If I bite and contact the hospital they have confirmation of my address, could they then send further charges?
4. Would another solution be to call the EHIC body to seek advice?
Thank you
This may explain why you have been charged
https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/austria/h...
Non urgent treatment.
https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/austria/h...
Non urgent treatment.
You may have already found this...
snowheads said:
In Austria (I can’t vouch for other European countries), hospital meals and equipment are not included under the EHIC agreement with the UK so don’t be surprised if you’re given a bill when you’re discharged for your meals and crutches! (6 days board came to €110 and the crutches were about €40 – I was able to claim for this on my insurance).
http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?p=2844330Sgt Bilko said:
This may explain why you have been charged
https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/austria/h...
Non urgent treatment.
If investigation of a suspected broken pelvis and/or ankle *isn't* considered urgent treatment, then just how close to meeting your maker do you have to be before the Austrian health system classifies it as urgent and eligible for EHIC cover?https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/austria/h...
Non urgent treatment.
I always thought that under the EHIC system, a country didn't necessarily pay all of the other country's bill, just a pre-agreed (large) proportion of it. A friend had an off a few years ago while we were in northern France - he had no problem whatsoever with the way in which the French system dealt with him - they asked for his EHIC card at the hospital at St. Quentin, but only after he'd received initial treatment for pain relief and the like.
He had a 2-day stay (the food was truly awful though....) and was shipped home courtesy of his travel insurance. 3 months later, a bill (all in French) landed through his letterbox for around €350. He sent it straight to his insurer, they paid it without any issues.
Pete
He had a 2-day stay (the food was truly awful though....) and was shipped home courtesy of his travel insurance. 3 months later, a bill (all in French) landed through his letterbox for around €350. He sent it straight to his insurer, they paid it without any issues.
Pete
Cat said:
EHIC doesn't entitle you to free medical treatment, it entitles you to treatment under the same terms as a local. You need to determine what an Austrian citizen in the same condition as you were would have been charged for the same treatment.
^ This.The confusion always arises because for the UK "like a local" does mean "completely free".
If an Austrian would have had a €300 bill, you also get a €300 bill, instead of the full <hand-wave> €3,000 bill an Australian (sans EHIC) would have got. Your travel insurance may or may not cover the remainder.
TooMany2cvs said:
^ This.
The confusion always arises because for the UK "like a local" does mean "completely free".
If an Austrian would have had a €300 bill, you also get a €300 bill, instead of the full <hand-wave> €3,000 bill an Australian (sans EHIC) would have got. Your travel insurance may or may not cover the remainder.
It also depends if the OP was seen at a hospital with a state contract or a private one. The confusion always arises because for the UK "like a local" does mean "completely free".
If an Austrian would have had a €300 bill, you also get a €300 bill, instead of the full <hand-wave> €3,000 bill an Australian (sans EHIC) would have got. Your travel insurance may or may not cover the remainder.
TooMany2cvs said:
Cat said:
EHIC doesn't entitle you to free medical treatment, it entitles you to treatment under the same terms as a local. You need to determine what an Austrian citizen in the same condition as you were would have been charged for the same treatment.
^ This.The confusion always arises because for the UK "like a local" does mean "completely free".
If an Austrian would have had a €300 bill, you also get a €300 bill, instead of the full <hand-wave> €3,000 bill an Australian (sans EHIC) would have got. Your travel insurance may or may not cover the remainder.
I read that three times before I understood your point!
bigandclever said:
You may have already found this...
This is clearly what happened.snowheads said:
In Austria (I can’t vouch for other European countries), hospital meals and equipment are not included under the EHIC agreement with the UK so don’t be surprised if you’re given a bill when you’re discharged for your meals and crutches! (6 days board came to €110 and the crutches were about €40 – I was able to claim for this on my insurance).
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