Unfortunately I was in a Hospital in Bordeaux for five days with pneumonia in October.
The treatment and care were very good and I am now fully recovered at home in Virginia.
At check out we were given a list of the tests and diagnosis etc. but never was this bill (le addition) discussed. How long before we get a bill so we can submit a claim with our primary health insurance? We have travel insurance which covered my wife's extra hotel days.
Jim and Bonnie.
Perhaps my post in 2022 can answer some of your questions. My husband took a fall in Paris in December 2022, went to the ER, had xrays and saw a doctor.
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/france/interesting-billing-system-at-a-paris-emergency-room
It's unfortunate that you ended up in the hospital, especially in France, while on vacation! Glad you recovered.
We had a trip to France's version of urgent care in April. We paid while there, and we marveled at how little it all cost. We submitted it to the medical insurance policy we purchase for international trips for reimbursement.
So, I'm sure you'll get a bill sometime, but I'm just going to guess it's not the extreme costs we see in the US.
Others report that it may take a while. Take some relief in that the total will be nowhere near what 5 Days in a US hospital would cost.
A previous poster shared their experience, but be aware that in most European countries, Emergency Care is handled as a public service and carries no cost to residents or visitors, except for medications, consumables, and limited items. Once you cross over to hospital or physician care (after you have been stabilized) then the charges start. Pneumonia not being an emergency care ailment, you should be charged for most or all of your care.
An edit: If you don't mind, maybe after months of waiting and successful payment, you might update this thread. I am sure everyone else has the same curiosity I do as to how it all plays out.
I'm going to add some information that I forgot to in my original post about my husband's Paris ER visit in 2022. Even though we are Medicare recipients, our secondary insurance reimbursed the full cost.
A member of my family, a Canadian resident, came to see me this summer. After 2 days, I had to take him to the hospital emergency department where we spent a good part of the day (I'll skip the details). Since he didn't have French social security, I gave my contact details for billing.
There was no night at the hospital, the amount was about €120 for two medical consultations, including a specialist + a blood test + an ultrasound scan)
I received the bill about 5 weeks later.
When I was hospitalized in France for a shattered elbow there was in the business office posted charges per day -- it was X for a medical stay and Y for a surgical stay. Both daily charges included everything. Our total cost for 4 days in the hospital was about $4000 and thus a few less Euros. The only cost we had above that was to pay for fiberglass tape for the cast since they use plaster unless you buy it it extra. The cost at the pharmacy when my husband got the tape was 15 Euro.
We had the travel insurance pay the hospital directly. They then reimbursed us for out of pocket costs for follow up care and PT in Paris -- which added up to about $500.
I am surprised you didn't deal with this at the business office at or before discharge. Let us know how this turns out because I am sure others will be in the same situation.
In 2020, I went to ER in Italy, was admitted for an emergency appendectomy, and spent 8 nights in the hospital. We received a bill 4-5 months later for €3500. Our deductible for expat insurance was $5000, so didn’t file a claim.
