Cost Question - If you need to visit the doctor onboard

[willde]

2 hours ago, Luminated67 said:

We are about to board the Allure today but the son has a very sore thumb, full of pus and inflamed. We feel we need to seek medical advice as soon as we board just for our own peace of mind and to stop it getting worse.

 

Whats to updated costs of seeing the doctor?

 

Sorry, I can't provide a specific answer to your question regarding onboard care.

 

Looks like you may be a tourist in the US? 

 

Regarding the thumb, US law requires practically any hospital ER to provide a medical evaluation regardless of insurance or lack thereof, and treatment for any emergency condition identified.  How costs and billing are handled would be something you can try to inquire of ER registration staff, but you may not get a particularly useful answer, especially regarding specific costs which will likely be relatively high (relative to what people in other developed countries are probably accustomed to).  Consider calling around to the Urgent Care centers in the vicinity of your current location to inquire what their policies are; they do not fall under the same Federal requirements that ERs do, and are not required to see patients who cannot pay.  But there may be a flat-fee or other arrangement that is feasible for you.

[Saman]

Usually we dont bother with insurance as our credit card gives us basic cover and we live in Europe so we are covered for medical cover all through Europe ,but i think a cruise is a complete different story ,if we need to be airlifted for any reason it could cost a fortune so the 100 euros we have paid i think is well worth it , i think it was 80 euros for this cruise or 100 for a years cover so we took the yearly one.

[Luminated67]

We are UK citizens, I’m think that due to the fact it’s Sunday to call out a doctor would be considerably more than running down to the medical team on the ship. He’s on antibiotics but would like someone professional to take a quick look and advise whether to keep it covered or let the air at it, also whether to bath it regularly or not.

 

Last year we didn’t make our holiday, in the airport he took very unwell and was rushed by ambulance to hospital for several days. To say we are nervous would be an understatement.

 

We have insurance cover, this is more about a quick check to see if everything is ok.

Edited May 12, 2019 by Luminated67

[Saman]

2 minutes ago, Luminated67 said:

We are UK citizens, I’m think that due to the fact it’s Sunday to call out a doctor would be considerably more than running down to the medical team on the ship. He’s on antibiotics but would like someone professional to take a quick look and advise whether to keep it covered or let the air at it, also whether to bath it regularly or not.

 

Last year we didn’t make our holiday, in the airport he took very unwell and was rushed by ambulance to hospital for several days. To say we are nervous would be an understatement.

I would also try and see a doctor onshore before you board ,are you sure you dont have any credit card cover by the card you paid for your holiday? That would cover you for onshore consultation.

[willde]

19 minutes ago, Luminated67 said:

We are UK citizens, I’m think that due to the fact it’s Sunday to call out a doctor would be considerably more than running down to the medical team on the ship.

...

We have insurance cover, this is more about a quick check to see if everything is ok.

 

Hospital ERs are 24/7 if you choose that option.  Some post estimated wait-times on their website.  Your best chances for a short wait-time and quick visit are early morning. 

 

There are many Urgent Care centers that operate daily (not necessarily 24/7) and will have a Physician, Physician Assistant, or Nurse Practitioner onsite.

 

No one will be inconvenienced by your visit, and you should be able to board by 14:30 or 15:00 easily enough, unless the condition is more serious.  Visit to the ship's physician would always be an option if you prefer.

Edited May 12, 2019 by willde

[lbjen]

You said he’s already on antibiotics - go and ask the front desk of your hotel where the nearest pharmacy is and they’ll be able to answer all of your questions for free. No need to pay the exorbitant ship fees for advice you can get for free.

Edited May 12, 2019 by lbjen

[Ourusualbeach]

45 minutes ago, Luminated67 said:

We are UK citizens, I’m think that due to the fact it’s Sunday to call out a doctor would be considerably more than running down to the medical team on the ship. He’s on antibiotics but would like someone professional to take a quick look and advise whether to keep it covered or let the air at it, also whether to bath it regularly or not.

 

Last year we didn’t make our holiday, in the airport he took very unwell and was rushed by ambulance to hospital for several days. To say we are nervous would be an understatement.

 

We have insurance cover, this is more about a quick check to see if everything is ok.

You said you have insurance.  Won’t that cover a visit to the ships Dr. on-board?

[Mr. Candyman]

54 minutes ago, willde said:

 

Hospital ERs are 24/7 if you choose that option.  Some post estimated wait-times on their website.  Your best chances for a short wait-time and quick visit are early morning. 

 

There are many Urgent Care centers that operate daily (not necessarily 24/7) and will have a Physician, Physician Assistant, or Nurse Practitioner onsite.

 

No one will be inconvenienced by your visit, and you should be able to board by 14:30 or 15:00 easily enough, unless the condition is more serious.  Visit to the ship's physician would always be an option if you prefer.

If you are boarding today that means you are in Fort Lauderdale.  The closest hospital to you is going to Broward Health but that's one of the busiest hospital in the county so I don't see you getting out of there quickly.  But if you're son is young enough to go to the Pediatric side then that should be much quicker.  There are many urgent care places open everyday, I just don't know off the top of my head, which are closest to the port. 

Edited May 12, 2019 by Mr. Candyman

[MSH from Norway]

....eight years ago my husband died on board Royal Princess, not once but twice, in the middle between Roma and Napoli!

 

They managed to get him back to live both times.

 

He stayed in er on the ship for around nine hours. It took two doctors and two nurses to keep him alive through the night. And one of the doctors told me that they emptied almost all their stock also.

 

My husband died for the third time in the port of Napoli, and they got him to live again, and rushed him to a private heart clinic in Napoli.

 

They fixed his heart and several parts to the heart, and he was in the hospital for more then a week.

 

The bill from the ship was around 29 000 dollar.

The bill from the clinic was around 250 000 dollar.

The cost to get him home with medic personnel was only 15 000.

 

And we didn’t have to pay any of it!

Thats why we always have year around insurance that covers everything!

 

[reallyitsmema]

4 hours ago, Luminated67 said:

We are about to board the Allure today but the son has a very sore thumb, full of pus and inflamed. We feel we need to seek medical advice as soon as we board just for our own peace of mind and to stop it getting worse.

 

Whats to updated costs of seeing the doctor?

 

The initial new patient cost to see the doctor on the ship is around $135.  Any additional tests or medication cost extra.  Whether you have insurance or not, they charge your on board account and you have to file a claim with your insurance when you get off the ship.  

[Reader0108598]

On 1/29/2007 at 5:40 PM, WestchesterCruiseFan said:

I just took a poll on here about the biggest fear about cruising and one of the answers was getting sick since I didn't buy insurance.... This now has me thinking we ALWAYS buy insurance but to date (and 12+ cruises behind us) we have never needed it nor have we ever had the need to visit the doctor while on board.

 

The question is... What are the charges for visiting the doctor onboard? Is it like going to a regular doctor's office...meaning an office visit charge, etc...and how much has this run you?

 

Which leads to the next question - does insurance (purchased either independently or through the cruise line) cover this charge? Say you develop a bad cold on board and need medicine?

 

I'll be interested to read your answers

 

Thanks

My regular medical insurance covered me but the staff at the clinic on board were top notch when you cannot breathe nothing else matters called the next day to check up on me!

 

 

Edited May 12, 2019 by Reader0108598

[willde]

On 5/12/2019 at 4:41 AM, Luminated67 said:

We are UK citizens, I’m think that due to the fact it’s Sunday to call out a doctor would be considerably more than running down to the medical team on the ship. He’s on antibiotics but would like someone professional to take a quick look and advise whether to keep it covered or let the air at it, also whether to bath it regularly or not.

(...)

We have insurance cover, this is more about a quick check to see if everything is ok.

 

I'm curious what you ended up deciding to do, and what the cost or billing process was?

[Reader0108598]

1 hour ago, willde said:

 

I'm curious what you ended up deciding to do, and what the cost or billing process was?

You pay on board, It is added to your bill. Then get reimbursed from your insurance company when you get home.

 

Reader

[Luminated67]

5 hours ago, willde said:

 

I'm curious what you ended up deciding to do, and what the cost or billing process was?

 

As said above. He has been to medical twice, first charge was $151 and second was $48.

[Ourusualbeach]

15 minutes ago, Luminated67 said:

 

As said above. He has been to medical twice, first charge was $151 and second was $48.

Unless some posts have been deleted this is your first post since last Sunday. 

 

Thanks for the update. 

[Mr. Candyman]

7 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

Unless some posts have been deleted this is your first post since last Sunday. 

 

Thanks for the update. 

I think OP was saying "As said above." in reference to the prior post about how the billing is handled.  

[Ourusualbeach]

9 minutes ago, Mr. Candyman said:

I think OP was saying "As said above." in reference to the prior post about how the billing is handled.  

Gotcha.