Like Tree21Likes

Hospital bill - can't pay won't pay?

Closed Thread
Page 1 of 7 1 2 3 4 ... LastLast
  1. #1

    Hospital bill - can't pay won't pay?

    Well what a palaver.

    Background:

    I have been resident in HK since 2008. My son was born in the UK in August and came to join me in HK in late October. I applied for his dependency visa on 8th November. Then I went back to UK for Christmas and his mum and him stayed longer, until end Jan. We heard nothing regarding visa but I was sure it would arrive any day.

    On Monday, the little fella got ill. We took him to hospital at about 11am and they admitted him to the ward. I explained in A and E that his visa was being processed and I would go to the office on the Tuesday to get it. They said "no problem, just bring the visa when you are settling the bill". There was no sense of urgency, no suggestion I get it dealt with right away. The fact that I am a resident and he was my depenent was proved by the birth cert so I wasn't too worried.

    Last night they were going to discharge him but he had a bit more diarrhoea so they said we should keep him in just to be safe though he was fine basically. OK I dutifully replied. Again, no mention of potential massive bill.

    This morning, I went to immigration who said they had written to me asking for bank statements and marriage cert. I was able to sort out bank statements there and then and they already had marriage cert due to wife's visa app. They then said they could produce visa in an hour under the circumstances and assured me all would be fine with hospital.

    Well, not so. Due to the fact that the visa starts from today, and despite my letter acknowledging application on 8/11 the Hospital policy is that he was not a resident ad so instead of 400 HKD our bill will be 8000 HKD.

    To me, this is grossly unfair. These policies are designed to deal with medical tourists which clearly I am not. My son's application was in a bureaucratic long-winded system but the visa is a bloody formality. I pay my taxes and so why should I be made to pay this bill when it isn't my fault that the system takes so long.

    I am wondering who i can complain to? I have tried patient liaison at the Hospital whose idea of help is to quote the policy back to me verbatim.

    I am going to try to ask the immigration dept to backdate the application but I am not too hopeful about that.

    What would happen if instead of paying I wrote a letter back explaining I don;t think he should be treated as a visitor and that if he was the implications of this were not made clear to me at the outset?

    And if I refuse to pay?


  2. #2

    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Posts
    14,414

    Personally speaking I'd pay up and just be grateful your child is better. That's what's more important.
    Posted via Mobile Device

    Skyhook and JaredHK like this.

  3. #3

    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Posts
    8,279

    I can understand your frustration. But I think the rules are pretty clear. Almost free hospital treatment is available to HK residents only, and your son and wife are not residents.

    jimbo, JaredHK and Skyhook like this.

  4. #4

    Of course I am glad my son is better, don't be so patronising.

    My wife is a resident. I am a resident. My son was a resident on the final day of the episode and would have been much earlier had immigration not been so slow.


  5. #5

    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Location
    Pearl of the Orient
    Posts
    4,006
    Quote Originally Posted by Cantsmile84:

    To me, this is grossly unfair.

    And if I refuse to pay?
    Since when has life been fair?! It does look like you are being royally shafted by the system but I would not fancy your chances getting the visa back dated or the hospital backing down, even if it would be the "fair" thing to do.

    $8000 for three days of hospital supervision that cured your son isn't bad value either.

    If you refuse to pay you will be simply be taken to court and your chances of winning there will also be slim.
    Last edited by Cwbguy; 09-02-2011 at 05:05 PM.

  6. #6

    And personally speaking, 8000HKD is a hell of a lot of money to us and so "paying up" is not just the throwaway approach that it might be for many expats.


  7. #7

    Life isn't fair eh? Oh yeh I forgot that. Silly me.

    I am not really in the mood to be patronised.


  8. #8

    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Posts
    4,905

    I think your situation sucks and I would also be very unhappy however you should get advice from professionals and see a lawyer instead of requesting advice from questionable strangers with no verifiable qualifications on an internet forum...

    Last edited by gilleshk; 09-02-2011 at 05:14 PM.

  9. #9

    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Posts
    8,279

    If your son was born in August, came to HK in October, then you applied for his visa in November, I think this was your mistake. You should have applied for his visa in August/September, not after he arrived here. You had plenty of time to do it. But instead you let him arrive as a tourist.

    Again, I can understand its very frustrating and its extremely bad luck. But you really could have avoided it if you werent so lazy in applying for the visa. I dont think you can really criticise immigration for being slow here.


  10. #10

    Yes Gilles. I think I will. I would be prepared to pay half as long as they acknowledged he was resident for final day. I could've discharged us and readmitted if I had have known it would save 4k but the basic point is that we should be entitled. I pay tax, I am not trying to cheat the system.


Closed Thread
Page 1 of 7 1 2 3 4 ... LastLast