Father hospitalised

[Chris Head]

He has been taken ill and is in a nearby hospital now, he's 'on holiday' here, does the UK health service cover all of his costs?

Thanks, Chris

[Just Katie]

Hi Chris,  I am sorry about your dad.  I hope it is not too serious.  My husband seriously broke his leg in a few places 2 years ago and needed pins and plates etc I produced our E111 and annual travel insurance document and was not asked to pay a penny.

Good luck.  I have pm'd you.

[BJSLIV]

Assuming that he has the European Health Card then that will give him the same cover that a French resident would have, without top-up cover. For some emergencies that will be 100%, but for many procedures it will be 60/70% of the cost, provided there are no charges above the tarrif. if there are depassements, then you only get a refund based on the national tarrif.

It will not cover any medical transfer back to the UK, though I assume that with you in the spot that won't be an issue.

If there are bills to pay, you will pay on the spot and then reclaim reimbursement.

private travle insurance may cover the remaining balance, subject to any excesses.

 

 

[Chris Head]

He's virtually lost the use of his legs and has suffered partial sight loss, the hospital thinks it's connected to MS but it's the first sign of the disease having been diagnosed 8 years ago. He doesn't have travel insurance but money's not an issue to him. I would like to think that it would be deemed as an emergency and he wouldn't have to pay. If I had an emergency in the UK (effectively being a foreigner now) would I be charged?

Chris

[BJSLIV]

Things are not always entirely clear in the UK becuase the NHS has not had a culture of invoicing for treatments, so many people have escaped the paperwork.

However if you as a French resident visit the Uk, any NHS health provider should ask for the EHC and bill the French system accordingly.

As the NHS gradually wakes up to the realities of finance the chances of being asked for the EHC are increasing. This is being encouraged by the many scare stories in the papers about health tourists.

 

[KathyC]

Hi Chris

So sorry to hear about your father, particularly as you lost your mother so recently. Don't know much about the financial situation but I hope he gets better soon. I'm sure he's in good hands.

Best wishes

Kathy

[Christine Animal]

Chris,

I can only say exactly the same words as Kathy, hoping he'll soon be back with you.

Bises, Christine

[LesLauriers]

Sorry to hear about your father. Without wishing to alarm you I can tell you that a friend, who had to be admitted to hospital in an emergency, when covered by the E111 / EHC, was presented with a bill for over 20,000€.

I know from my own experience that a day in hospital is charged at 500 to 600€ a day and the EHC will only cover 70%.

If he does not already have an EHC it can be downloaded from the internet.

[powerdesal]

Chris,

Best wishes to your Dad for a swift and complete recovery.

[Just Katie]

[quote user="Leslauriers"]Sorry to hear about your father. Without wishing to alarm you I can tell you that a friend, who had to be admitted to hospital in an emergency, when covered by the E111 / EHC, was presented with a bill for over 20,000€.

I know from my own experience that a day in hospital is charged at 500 to 600€ a day and the EHC will only cover 70%.

If he does not already have an EHC it can be downloaded from the internet.
[/quote]

Scary,  I wonder what happened in hubbys case?

[Harley]

Sorry to hear about your Dad.  Hope he is on the mend soon.  Sending the very best of wishes to all of you [:)]

[Benjamin]

Chris

Sorry about your Dad.....fingers crossed.

As BJSLIV said earlier some emergencies are covered 100%. If this makes a difference MS is one of thedisabilities that fall into the long term category (ALD) and as such any costs relating to it are reimbursed 100% for people resident in France.

Whether or not your Dad will be treated as an emergency and get all of the costs paid and subsequently claimed back off the UK National Health remains to be seen.

Best of luck.

Benjamin

[Chris Head]

You're all so very very kind, thankyou for the messages. I'm actually quite riled that Dad could be charged and wanted some kind of opinion before I let rip. I won't let him know about any subsequent charges, I'll pay for him.

Apparently his grief at Mums death and the stress of the journey could have been major factors in the MS attack, I know nothing about it. I'm sure many of you have experience of loved ones suffering and dying, at 40 my Kingpins seem to be toppling too quickly! I've always met life head on and this just another battle that I'll win.

Once again, thankyou all, it's kind of weird the kindness being given by people I've never met, I hope I'll be in a position to help any of you out one day....

Chris

[Just Katie]

[quote user="Chris Head"]

You're all so very very kind, thankyou for the messages. [/quote]

Yes Chris, I quite agree.  I also found in my recent loss that I received very nice words from various forum members.  It is quite uplifting to know that people still care isnt it?

You take care.

[Viv]

Hi Chris

Have you been in touch with the British Embassy to see if they can help?

http://www.britishembassy.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate/ShowPage&c=Page&cid=1059132497774

This may  be of use.

Chin up

[Chris Head]

You're right Katie, it's quite a lesson to me, the PM's are nearly as many as the forum ones. I'm really gobsmacked. I come from the school of hard knocks, you get kicked and get up again and just keep going and never give up. I genuinely wasn't looking for sympathy, just a good enough reason to go and do battle with one of the dreaded fonctionnaires....first rule with a beaurocrat if they even start to give you a hint of bother is direct eye contact....I mean right into the back of their head...oh, and use the 'tu' form, slowly and deliberately!

Thanks for that Diva, we'll see what happens over the next few days.

Once again thankyou all.

Chris 

[Anton Redman]

Broadly based on my experience with a couple of broken ribs and a totalled Golf GTI about 9 years ago.

The hospital were far more concerned about how we were going to get home than how they were going to be paid. I had to deliver a lecture to the students doctors which said we are going to Marne Le Valley which anywhere else in the World would be called Euro Disney. and we had 1.5 hours to change platforms. When we got to UK a mate would pick us up.

The cashiers at the hospital wanted paying for the phone and TV  buit were happy for us to give the rest of the week''s rent to somebody else. They could not even make the bills for surgery etc up in time.

[Tony F Dordogne]

Hi Chris

Sorry to hear about your Dad, hope things improve for him and for you.

[Gardian]

Chris - have pm'd you.

[Chancer]

Not particularly relevant but while travelling I contracted Falciparum Malaria in Vanuatu and was treated in Cairns hospital Australia.

I had a private room, perhaps it was luck of the draw but as I was unconscious most of the time I really don't know.

At the end of the treatment I asked about paying/travel insurance etc and was told you don't need to pay because you are British but they never even saw my passport.

Contrast that to the UK authorities who were only too keen to kick me out of the health service when I moved to France.

Oh and when I returned to the UK to convalesce I was made to take a "right to reside test" and a "habitual residency test" (amongst other beurocracy) in order to claim sickness benefit, why? - because I had been out of the country more than one month - I kid you not!

The questions included "when did you come here and why?" - I replied with my date of birth and that I had no choice in the matter! "Did you bring anything with you?" I replied that persons unknown had removed my only possession, my umbilical cord!

They then completed the rest of the forms for me.

[Rosebud]

Hope your dad feels better soon Chris.  Fingers crossed the paperwork sorts itself out too........

[Lori]

Chris, I just want to add to the well wishes.  It is clear you are a loving son.  I'm sure you will do what is best for your father.  Not being a UK citizen, our insurance situation is different so I cannot help on that.  This is clearly a difficult time for you and your family.  I hope you know you can always come here if you need a bit of moral support.

Hope your Dad recovers very soon. 

[Chris Head]

Thankyou once again, I'm gobsmacked. He's now complaining that no-one is talking to him in English...."But Dad, we're in France"...."The food's not right"....."Dad it's French".

Hopefully he'll be out soon but will need alot of care, that gives us another set of logistics to deal with, but no problem! The old boy came here for a holiday and he's sure as hell gonna get one! I won't take him back until he's as better as he can be.

Chris

 

[Christine Animal]

Good for you Chris.  If he's complaining, it's must be a good sign he's recovering !

 

[Just Katie]

[quote user="Chris Head"]

Thankyou once again, I'm gobsmacked. He's now complaining that no-one is talking to him in English...."But Dad, we're in France"...."The food's not right"....."Dad it's French".

Hopefully he'll be out soon but will need alot of care, that gives us another set of logistics to deal with, but no problem! The old boy came here for a holiday and he's sure as hell gonna get one! I won't take him back until he's as better as he can be.

Chris

 

[/quote]

When hubby was in with a broken leg he had a rather cute little beer belly.  Not much, just a bit.  On the topic of food I don't know what they had been doing to him but when I arrived he had a six pack just purely from diet. (I hope [blink])