Antonio

If a turist needs to go to a emergency hospital in NYC or Boston to see a medical doctor, how much it is ? Can you pay with Visa or Amex ?
Can you get insurance for that, when in the US ?

z

What the hell kind of post is this? Do you not have medical insurance at all? If you do, your insurance will cover it. Does it make a difference if they will take a c.c or not? Will that stop you from going if you can't charge it? Are you expecting to be injured on your trip? Freaky question dude.

z

Oh, I almost forgot. How much for what? Are you looking to get your head examined there? Are you looking for a menu style price list? Labotomy-2k, rectal exam-1500, or colonic buy one get one free?

m

Dear Antonio, the last poster must never get sick or hurt while on holiday.
It can be very expensive in NYC.You can pay with a credit card.You should look into travel insurance.Someone we know from the UK needed emergency surgery in the US and having travel insurance was the smartest thing she could have done,they paid for everything, including the charges from the airline for the change in the plane ticket back to the UK.You need to get the insurance while in your home country.

Cari

Kind of harsh response isn't it?

Many countries have socialized medicine so I think this is probably a legitimate question. Most hospitals will accept credit cards for charges. The cost that a hospital will charge you is really dependent on what's wrong with you. Also, as far as insurance goes, I don't think that the US would offer you anything like that but I know there are countries where you can purchase short term (i.e. 3-6 months) insurance to cover you for catastrophic situations. Good luck with your trip to the U.S.

Spider

Please ignore Z. He is obviously wet behind the ears when it comes to adult responsibilities.

If you are coming from overseas, I would suggest you look into travelers insurance that covers emergency medical care. It's quite common in most of Europe.

Yes, it is expensive to be treated in the US without medical insurance. All major credit cards are accepted in hospitals if necessary.

Hopefully, you will not need to use our medical facilities, but it's better to be safe than sorry.

Have a safe trip!

nigel

I was on a trip to Florida one year and while fishing had a mishap with the fish and the hook! I had to go to an emergency room and had to have a tetanus shot .. it would have been very expensive if I had not had travel insurance.

Bob Brown

If there is anything freaky here, it is the response. If Antonio is not from the USA, I think the question takes on a different twist. Many European countries have national health plans that cover visitors as well as nationals of that country. The USA does not even cover its own citizens; those without medical insurance coverage often have a choice of dying or going bankrupt.

Except for Medicare and/or Medicaid, all health care in the USA is privately funded. (With state and federal government workers falling into the private category.)
Someone from overseas who does not have a medical policy from home that has international coverage is of luck, unless he or she buys a private policy through trip insurance or other form of short term medical coverage.

And Antonio, assuming that you are from outside the USA, you will be shocked at how much people get charged in the USA.
Most hospitals discount their schedule of charges to medical insurance companies because otherwise no one can afford them. But the average guy without medical insurance who has to be taken to the hospital in a medical emergency ends up being financially walloped. Most hospitals will take Visa or MC, but even a 12 hour stay in an emergency room could well run up charges high enough that the limit of your card would be exceeded.
I know; I had a trip to the Er last year that hit the jackpot for $9,000 because the attending physician decided I needed a lung scan on special equipment for which a technician had to be called in from home.

For the uninsured, medical coverage is a frightening aspect of life.
Only those totally destitute or those filthy rich can afford to be without it.

Suzy

Antonio, the cost of services depends on what you need. If you need some stithces in your finger, that wll cost less than fixing a broken leg!

But everything will be very very expensive. You should find out if the coverage you already have will pay for you if you get sick or hurt in the US. If it will not pay, then before you come you should get "Traveler's Health Insurance." Most hospitals will not take credit cards, because most hospital bills are greater than most people's credit limits!

xx

If you don't have medical insurance it would be wise to purchase travel health insurance. Whatever the cost it would be less expensive than a visit to a doctor or a hospital emergency room.

Barb

Antonio, you must get travel insurance to cover medical expenses that you may incur in the US. Suzy, there isn't a big difference in cost between having stitches in a finger and having a broken leg tended to. The minimum you could expect to pay in an emergency room is about $600-700, and you would probably have to wait a long time, maybe three to four hours, for the privilege of doing that. For more serious, potentially life-threatening things, you wouldn't have to wait long, but the sky's the limit when it comes to cost.

lcuy

My brothers wife got very sick in California. As an australian, it didn't occur to them that they might need to pay for medical care in America. They were lucky in that she was just very sick (vs injured)so they went to a free clinic type of place. They were happy with the care, but it was about 50$ for the visit and $75 for the presciption that they filled at a drugstore. Stories abound of people who are rejected by hospitals due to lack of insurance.

Antonio

Well, whrere I live, medical care is free, if in a public hospital.That's why I posted this question.
And yes, I would say that medical insurance is the best way if you want to go to the US.
Thanks.

P.S.- Z, Good luck with your problems.

SSS

Antonio - to give you an idea for medical costs for humans following is a dog story. My son's dog ate something it shouldn't have and became quite sick. He took her to a vet and the cost of the initial visit (after hours on a Saturday night) was $105. Dog remained at the vet until Monday. The total cost with testing and board came to close to $250.

njgirl

SSSS-I hate to tell you this but they got off cheap!
There is a veterinary hospital in NJ where you pay $300. when you leave the pet and pay the balance when you pick up the pet- the usual being $500-$1,000.00 dollars.

whew

I'm trying to figure out which response is whackier: Knockers, who thought the question was an affront to his manhood. Or SSS, who regaled us with a story about a dog.

I absolutely gotta find a new way to spend my time.

ryan

I'm confused. Does standard travel insurance cover the cost of heartworms and mange? Or is mange considered an elective cosmetic procedure?

k

haha~ryan, funny!
I think that standard insurance just covers the thermometer being inserted where you don't want it! and then being put in a cage with some really funky smelling neighbors, which also could happen at some hospitals in NYC!

xxx

If you ever get stuck paying for medical care yourself in the states, firmly negotiate the price, especially if you are paying at time of service. There was a recent article in the Wall Street Journal that mentioned this can save up to 40% (I think?).

D.B.

Antonio -- be certain of one thing, your health care is not free. You, and everyone else in your region that works for a living, pays for it.

A doctor's office fee is typically between $50 - $100, depending upon the doctor and the area. But, a broken arm or leg would cost maybe a $500 - $1000. Credit cards are usually accepted, and payment plans are often provided.