“ I brace myself , thinking back to retiring experiences in American hospitals . ”
My family had just arrive at a seaside hamlet on the east coast of Spain , where I was sitting on a white sand beach looking out at the improbably puritanic water system . The picture was direct out of a Mediterranean reverie , and yet I was panicking .
My head was throbbing and had been since I ’d mosh it into the bottom of a metal hotel dependable a few days in the first place . The hurting and pressing had been prevent me up at night , along with the anxiousness that issue forth from google my symptom . I ’d tried every variety of medication I could get , but nothing could still the pounding in my skull .
After returning to our Airbnb , my husband advocate me to make a telehealth appointment through our international health insurance . ( As an American class live inFrancefor the year , we were required to buy this as part of our visa diligence . ) A few minutes later , I described my symptoms to a Spanish physician via chat using Google Translate . Hearing how long the pain had endure , he counsel me to see a Dr. to rule out a Einstein injury .
I frantically research physician ’s offices nearby , but the remote area had modified options , and I was n’t even sure how or where to secure an appointment . So , instead , we settle to go to the nearest parking brake room .
Leaving our son with his grandparents , my husband drove us to a small city about 35 transactions inland . As we pulled into the hospital ’s parking deck and then walked toward the front desk , I was struck by how similar it looked to hospital in the U.S. My married man , thankfully liquid in Spanish , use up the lead-in as we checked in , but the receptionist switched to English when she realized that I did n’t speak Spanish .
The receptionist asked for substantiation of our public healthcare insurance coverage , but I explain that I have private international travel health care reportage — essentially expat insurance . She apologized , explaining that I would have to yield out of air pocket for the emergency room sojourn and then call for reimbursement from our insurance company since I had n’t batten prior commendation for the infirmary visit .
I braced myself , cogitate back to past experiences in American hospitals : The ER sojourn for chest pains that came with a $ 2,500 surprisal bill a few months later on . The breast biopsy , where I was forced to pay intimately $ 3,000 for the prerogative of finding out whether or not the lump in my breast was cancerous . Of course , all of these bang were on top of the $ 12,000 insurance premium my phratry paid annually .
Thankfully , I did n’t have to wait long to see out what we ’d be paying . The receptionist explained that there was a 200 € flat fee for ER visit , head to a placard beside her desk that listed the hospital ’s costs in clean-cut detail . She noted that if I needed extra tests or procedures , the amount could increase . I released the breathing spell I ’d been holding , handing over my passport as insurance I would pay at the end of my visit .
Inside the hospital , things progressed as require . We sat in a sterile room in uncomfortable plastic president with dozens of other uncomfortable - seem masses . I concisely spoke with a hospital worker ( in English ) , who assessed the severity of my situation and sum up me to the queue . I waited close to two hour before my name was called , and a youthful doctor led me into a room that looked like every American infirmary elbow room I ’d ever been in — besides the fact that the posters on the paries were in Catalan .
He consume my vital organ , asked about my symptoms ( in English , with a minute of render from my married man for clarity ) , and said he was going to govern a CT scan just to be good . We hold back another hour for the scan , which was conduct using an ultra - modern machine by two efficient female tech .
briefly afterward , the Dr. pass to share my results : No brain damage . He suspect that my headaches were being exacerbate by the anxiousness and tension I had developed as a result of the combat injury , and he handed me a ethical drug for a vulgar Spanish painkiller . He instructed me to refund if my symptoms decline or did n’t clear up .
check over out at the front desk , I energise myself for the grand sum , know from bitter experience that a CT CAT scan can cost G of dollar mark in the U.S. I was pleasantly surprised when the receptionist tell me that the last numeration for my ER visit was 729€. After I paid , she handed me a magnetic disc with a transcript of my CT scan for my record . She also founder me the software documentation I needed to furnish to my insurance company for reimbursement .
walk back to our car , I was overwhelmed with easement — both that I did n’t have a brain injury and that we did n’t have to pay thousands of dollar mark to confirm that I was last to be OK . Although an unexpected 729 € throwaway is indeed a hardship for most people ( myself included ! ) , I was comforted by jazz that it would be reimbursed and that it was n’t as much as it could have been back in the States .
I also felt sad and frustrated thought about the extreme shortcoming of our healthcare system in the U.S. — how even a introductory doctor ’s visit comes with the vexation of not knowing how much you ’ll have to pay to get the care you need . Far too often , Americans must pick out between prioritizing their wellness or financial stableness .
The cost of an emergency brake room sojourn can change greatly depending on the location;the fair billcan easilybe over $ 2,000without insurance . Even with policy , the number can be astronomical for the average American family . If decisive charge is required or operating theater is performed , those cost could rocket to $ 20,000 or more .
It ’s no surprise , then , thatrecent pollsfound that 40 % of Americans hold some healthcare debt , despite more than 90 % of the U.S. universe having health insurance .
How do you prepare for an emergency before going abroad (and what to do if it happens to you)?
If you , like me , are an American with hospital bill - bear on anxiousness , it ’s a unspoilt idea to do some enquiry on your name and address before journey abroad . discover out what type of facilities are available at your address , if travel policy is recommend there , and how to contact emergency services should the indigence arise .
to boot , Johns Hopkins Medicine advisesthat you know your blood eccentric before you go abroad , carry documentation of any pre - existent conditions and medications , and fill out the information card in your passport with details like your computer address and phone number .
TheCenters for Disease Control and Preventionrecommends getting in touch with the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate for help site medical services , as well as enter in the Department of State’sSmart Traveler Enrollment Program ( STEP)before going abroad . consul can also help you transfer fund from loved ones back home if you need them to pay for medical services .
you could also determine out the International Association for Medical Assistance to Travelers’directory of healthcare professionalsaround the earthly concern .
Accidents and exigency can bump anywhere , anytime , and you should always have a game plan ready to go . And whatever you do , do n’t stay care if you suspect the problem is serious . The outcome could be catastrophic . This article originally look onHuffPost .
