Overinflated ships doctors visit fees

My son is on his honeymoon... they booked a NCL cruise on their own... Americans traveling about Europe...

no travel insurance... and in spite of cruising with us since childhood, failing to bring even a tylenol!

He developed severe VERTIGO and finally gave in and went to ships doctor.

After 2 hours of observation: He was told symptoms were VERTIGO, given a bottle of Meclizine for nausea- and told to follow up with home physician. (thankfully, It is beginning to lessen slowly)

They have not left ship in 3 days... but have hopefully learned "**** happens" and they need to be better prepared for anything.

And now the reality of it all: $1600 charge for medical care!

(Hopefully- some charges can be submitted to health insurance & find some reimbursement.)

ALL ship charges must be paid before disembarkation.

And Mom & Dad must step in because they do not have any other way to pay it.

Any advice for private insurance filing follow up??? Questioning NCLs overinflated ships charges???

Please take this as a reminder... those medical emergency bags we overstuff have never been more important- always carry some form of insurance- and beware of added charges you might not anticipate...

They would have to check with their insurance provider. Some US policies cover international expenses, but others do not.

Trying to contest the cost is likely to be frustrating and unsuccessful.

How much do you think the bill would be for an ER visit and 2 hours of observation at any US hospital??? If he's old enough to be married, he's old enough to start taking responsibility for his actions (or in this case, inactions). Hope you expect him to repay the money you're giving him to bail him out of his stupidity.

I suspect a land based ER would have cost more. So not sure you will get far with the "overinflated" comment.

Questioning NCLs overinflated ships charges???

 

I'm sorry for your son (and his wife, and they're spoiled honeymoon), and I hope they can get some reimbursed by their insurance company. Claiming these charges are "overinflated" will be a non-starter....to begin with, I think you don't really understand the cost of a visit to an emergency clinic. The median cost for a visit to an emergency room for a headache 9in the US) is about $1200.

And now the reality of it all: $1600 charge for medical care!

(Hopefully- some charges can be submitted to health insurance & find some reimbursement.)

ALL ship charges must be paid before disembarkation.

And Mom & Dad must step in because they do not have any other way to pay it.

 

Doesn't he have a credit card?????

My son is on his honeymoon... they booked a NCL cruise on their own... Americans traveling about Europe...

no travel insurance... and in spite of cruising with us since childhood, failing to bring even a tylenol!

He developed severe VERTIGO and finally gave in and went to ships doctor.

After 2 hours of observation: He was told symptoms were VERTIGO, given a bottle of Meclizine for nausea- and told to follow up with home physician. (thankfully, It is beginning to lessen slowly)

They have not left ship in 3 days... but have hopefully learned "**** happens" and they need to be better prepared for anything.

 

And now the reality of it all: $1600 charge for medical care!

(Hopefully- some charges can be submitted to health insurance & find some reimbursement.)

ALL ship charges must be paid before disembarkation.

And Mom & Dad must step in because they do not have any other way to pay it.

 

Any advice for private insurance filing follow up??? Questioning NCLs overinflated ships charges???

 

Please take this as a reminder... those medical emergency bags we overstuff have never been more important- always carry some form of insurance- and beware of added charges you might not anticipate...

That is what you would pay in a Canadian hospital. That's actually fairly cheap. We don't realize real costs with health plans in Canada or the United States. I

nsurance won't pay the doctor directly anyway. He would have to submit to the insurance carrier anyway.

I am sorry about the situation.

This will not help now but the reality is one could get travel insurance with say insuring the trip for $100.00 rather then the full cost of the cruise but you would get the full medical coverage which would have covered all of this. I am only posting this so that others can do something like this even if they don't want to insure the trip.

Hopefully medical insurance from home will cover this but you won't know until the bills are submitted.

As others have said two hours in an emergency room for the type of treatment administered would likely incur similar costs. My personal experience is that cruise lines like NCL charge a little more then say some of the higher end lines.

But this is really typical of medical costs in the USA because we pay the costs ourselves or through insurance.

Three years ago I required some significant medical care for one night in Japan. It included transport by ambulance (about a 45 minute ride), with three attendants in the ambulance. A visit to a private hospital where I was given extensive tests (echo cardiogram, blood draws and lab work, lung x-ray, flu check, and a few others). Seen by a private doctors. Given prescriptions and the total cost was about $1,500.00. I know that If this occurred on land in the USA the costs would have been around $10,000.00+.

Please be sure that your son followup with his home physician to be 100% sure this was vertigo and to be sure he continues to be treated. Ships doctors are not experts in all areas as is the case with doctors on land. They each have different backgrounds and just like on land some are better then others.

The good news for now is this could have been a far worse issue.

Also, it is a reminder that no matter what ones age is and their current health situation things happen.

For those who don't get travel insurance to ensure the entire trip cost I highly recommend getting the insurance and insuring the lowest possible amount (usually around $100.00) so you can get the medical portion of the benefits.

Keith

Two hours of observation is a long time.

Is the bill itemized? Mine was when I got pink eye on Princess.

This is a life lesson. Cheap in the grand scheme of things. Could be worse, we're dealing with a 'souvenir' broken ankle from an overseas trip. Thankfully we had in country and travel insurance. Still paying out of pocket for a few things.

He can submit his bill to his home insurance..they may reimburse SOME of the expenses, depending on the kind of plan he has. Good luck!

This is a good reminder for everyone who travels to have a credit card with an adequate credit limit. We always carry a spare credit card with a high credit limit.

They would have to check with their insurance provider. Some US policies cover international expenses, but others do not.

 

Trying to contest the cost is likely to be frustrating and unsuccessful.

Earlier this year my wife had an accident on an NCL ship (not her fault).She was taken by wheel chair to the infirmary for a charge of $371.00 for an exam and an xray.

Make sure he has the proper paperwork & receipt of payment to submit to his insurance when he returns

one of life lessons

Taking a trip like that when $1600 is something he can't afford . . . is something he can't afford.

Sometimes folks take a quick weekend honeymoon and take the big trip when it's affordable.

So, lets look at this from the perspective of my 35+ years in the Medical Insurance (government) industry :). I cannot even begin to deal with "overinflated" without seeing the details of the treatment. Did they do an ECG, blood work, etc? Just having him lay in a bed for two hours of observation should not cost $1600, but if they ran tests....then that is a different story. They should make sure to get a detailed invoice which itemizes every charge. Assuming they have medical insurance, the question (which should have been asked/answered before their cruise is whether they have coverage for emergency/urgent treatment performed outside the USA....and by a foreign licensed physician. They should contact their own medical insurance provider and request guidance on how to submit their claim (there will be a form...plus they will need all the back-up documents from the cruise ship medical provider). In a few weeks they should hear whether they are covered and receive payment (which will likely be a fraction of the cost).

Meanwhile, yes, they will have to settle their onboard bill (including the medical charge, before leaving the ship. In fact,if you have any major medical bills from a foreign country...the norm is you have to pay the full amount before discharge...and later try to collect from your insurance.

Hank

TY all for your responses. I had not thought of a ships infirmary as equivalent to a hospital ER visit... with ER charges.

(I still believe fee is overinflated- but feel same about local ER charges.)

I hope others reading this post will take advice of previous posts and always be sure to have insurance for medical & travel...

So, lets look at this from the perspective of my 35+ years in the Medical Insurance (government) industry :). I cannot even begin to deal with "overinflated" without seeing the details of the treatment. Did they do an ECG, blood work, etc? Just having him lay in a bed for two hours of observation should not cost $1600, but if they ran tests....then that is a different story. They should make sure to get a detailed invoice which itemizes every charge. Assuming they have medical insurance, the question (which should have been asked/answered before their cruise is whether they have coverage for emergency/urgent treatment performed outside the USA....and by a foreign licensed physician. They should contact their own medical insurance provider and request guidance on how to submit their claim (there will be a form...plus they will need all the back-up documents from the cruise ship medical provider). In a few weeks they should hear whether they are covered and receive payment (which will likely be a fraction of the cost).

 

Meanwhile, yes, they will have to settle their onboard bill (including the medical charge, before leaving the ship. In fact,if you have any major medical bills from a foreign country...the norm is you have to pay the full amount before discharge...and later try to collect from your insurance.

 

Hank

TY Hank for your perspective & advice. I spoke to my son briefly this morning... he said only BP was checked- no bloods or X-ray. It is likely there will be more to be shared with us when we truly have time to talk with him. They wed a few months back and were unrealistic in potential expenses on their delayed honeymoon. I will remind them to keep full documentation & follow through.

Dr is being kind .....

The primary symptom of 'sea sickness' is vertigo! In other words, vertigo induced by ship's motion messing with the inner ear (balance receptors) is what we call sea sick. Most people will adjust to 'sea sickness' in a couple of days. just cuz ya never had it b4 does not mean you are immune . . .

Insurance will probably be more receptive to 'vertigo' than 'sea sick'

Cruise lines do not hire and pay physicians and nurses, etc. They contract with a company to provide those services, and the company sets the fees. So don't blame NCL for the bill. EM

Taking a trip like that when $1600 is something he can't afford . . . is something he can't afford.

 

Sometimes folks take a quick weekend honeymoon and take the big trip when it's affordable.

Have to agree! If someone doesn't have enough money to cover $1,600 extra, cruising is not something this person can afford. :(

Have to agree! If someone doesn't have enough money to tcover $1,600 extra, cruising is not something this person can afford. :(

Tyler, by what method will you pay his ship board medical bill fo him seeing youu are not there. Will you call NCL , give yor credit card info and have them credit youur son's shipboard account so he will have enough to pay the bill in order to leave the ship? I don' know how else you pay it long distance, internattionally seeinf he does not seem t o either have a credit card or high enouugh credit limit? Sorry he was ill but happy it was not anything very serious. I don't know how you couuld wire the money seeing he is on the ship.

I wish your son and his bride a long happy life together in good health.

And now the reality of it all: $1600 charge for medical care!

That's very different from my experience. I think I spent more than two hours in the medical department, outside office hours. They did run blood and urine tests, I got an IV, some more meds and both nurse and doctor were there the whole time. Luckily, it turned out to be not too serious.

At sea, outside hours, probably US-level malpractice insurance for the doctors, a total monopoly, a lot of procedures, two hours, and "that's why you should have an insurance". Honestly, I was expecting something like $4000.

Total bill: less than $700, listing two $0.31 tablets and "professional nursing fee" at $32.76 per hour (and a lot of other items but none of them really strange). The hair dresser is more expensive than the nurse. 4 excursions on a 50 people bus are more expensive than the whole bill. Besides not getting a free tour to the morgue, that bill was a relieve as well.

TY all for your responses. I had not thought of a ships infirmary as equivalent to a hospital ER visit... with ER charges.

(I still believe fee is overinflated- but feel same about local ER charges.)

 

I hope others reading this post will take advice of previous posts and always be sure to have insurance for medical & travel...

Exactly how I see the relevance of your thread. Most are aware but sometimes forget.

Cruise lines do not hire and pay physicians and nurses, etc. They contract with a company to provide those services, and the company sets the fees. So don't blame NCL for the bill. EM

If there is a fox in the hen house the farmer is to blame.

Omg most people on CD are so rude OP original question was can she claim any of the medical cost can be claimed thru her son's insurance and does anyone have experience with this issue.

And she has to endure being flamed with accusations of If he doesn't have 1600.00 he shouldn't be cruising or I hope your making him pay you back (as if it's anyone business his financial situation)

Then the post after post about 1600. Is the normal cost of services rendered. Don't think she needed a lecture on medical ER prices.

Then the ever popular always have travel insurance. I think OP got the message the first time it was posted but everyone seems to enjoy piling it on.