a word of warning if you ever need medical treatment

[craigs bride]

we had to take dd16 friend to see the doctor while out in orlando as she had very bad tonsilities .so we took her to a medical center by walmart on the 535 .the center is called Century Medical Center 2611 west vine street Kissimmee .
....luckliy we have got insurance but we were never prepared for this they charged us $400 dollars to have a look at her and take a swab just to tell us she had tonsilities (which we already knew as she suffers with it regurly (sp) )
then told us the tablets would be another $400 on top unless she wanted a jab then it would have cost less .she hates jabs ..bless her ! so that wasnt going to happen ! lol
the receptionist rang round for the tablets and told us to go to cvs about 2 miles down the road they were the only place that done the brand tablets , off the counter tablets wouldnt work .
we got to cvs and the pharmicist told us that she was a crazylady and we could have gone else where cheaper and the presrciption was only going to cost us $78 instead ....
my mum had to visit the doctor also at a medi center going near dixie stamped ..dont know the road sorry but they charged her $ 50 to be seen ..that is a hell of lot of difference to the first center .so be warned check the centers out with your villa complex hotels before going to see a doctor.

 

[rpbert1]

WOW, that was expensive. I had to take DW to doctor in July, it cost $233 to see the doc and $63 for the prescription.
will need to check out the one your mum went to , just incase we need to go again.

 

[wayneg]

Even Disney charge crazy amounts. We saw Doctor on the Disney Magic in 2005, $150(plus treatment) just to look in DS's ear to tell us it was swimmers ear. No more than 10 seconds, no swabs or anything, just a look.
If in Orlando we goto Pharmacy and ask, thankfully always got treatment without need for a doc.

 

[madmumof2]

Do you always need to pay upfront for this kind of thing, even if you have necessary insurance?

The reason I ask is that I have no credit card and not that much spending money. If one of my children needs to see a doctor in our last week I doubt we'll have $400 left in total!

 

[alisonbestford]

We had a similar experience a few years ago with Eve and a 'possible' ear infection........
We took her to the medical centre close to Universal Studios as we were meeting friends......

Cost us about $200 to be seen and an extra ridiculous amount for a bottle of antibiotic liquid!
After 4 hours waiting to be seen and followed through I couldn't be bothered to ask to take the prescription elsewhere

 

[craigs bride]

Do you always need to pay upfront for this kind of thing, even if you have necessary insurance?

The reason I ask is that I have no credit card and not that much spending money. If one of my children needs to see a doctor in our last week I doubt we'll have $400 left in total!

we did, i have to now claim it bck on the insurance ...it sucks doesnt it !! ?

 

[rpbert1]

Do you always need to pay upfront for this kind of thing, even if you have necessary insurance?

The reason I ask is that I have no credit card and not that much spending money. If one of my children needs to see a doctor in our last week I doubt we'll have $400 left in total!

They tell you how much it will cost to see the doc, and if you have the money or CC to pay for it. I would get a CC just in case.

 

[alisonbestford]

I would never travel without a CC and 'forced' Mum and Dad to get one in case of them needing medical treatment............

They've never used theirs but I've had to use mine in Florida and Lanzarote to pay for medical treatment covered by our insurance.

I'm not sure how accurate it is but we were told, in Lanzarote, that we could only get 'free' treatment using the E111 if we were prepared to travel 10 miles to the nearest hospital..............Needless to say we 'coughed up' and paid at the clinic which was just around the corner from our apartment

 

[natalielongstaff]

Gosh that was a lot of money

 

[JohnnySharp2]

We had to visit a doctor in April, when Joshua pulled a muscle in his neck the day before we were due to come home.
It was one close to the shops at the junction of the 535, where you turn right to go to I drive.

I do agree it is expensive, but just underlines the importance of having insurance. To be honest we were just happy there was someone to look at him that was closeby.

 

[Jets fan]

I have needed a doctor twice in Orlando and both times the Disney hotels recommended ones, who came and picked me up, but I defo had to pay upfront and then claim back. If I remember rightly both times came to around $300 each as I had tonsilitus.

When my mum was taken ill Christmas 2006 she was rushed, by ambulance to hospital in Celebration and given tests and remedies as she needed strong steroids as she had an asthma attack, coupled with mild pneumonia. She was insured by Saga and they faxed over a form to the hospital for them to complete and they sorted out everything. We only needed to pay for additional medication from the pharmacy, which we claimed back in the UK.

Seeing a doctor in the US usually incurs some sort of charge that you have to pay and claim back, so credit cards are invaluable for this. If you are unfortunate enough to have to go to hospital, before you go to a clinic then your insurance should cover this as it's mega bucks - my mum's bill was over $3,000, but Saga settled it.

Tina

 

[snookhams]

about 14 years ago our eldest DS was taken really ill in Cocoa beach, so much so that he had to have an ambulance etc etc, and we had to pay a certain amount up front, it took months to claim back as up to a year later we were still recieving written bills from different parts of the hospital (x-ray, pharmacy etc). 2 years later both the boys needed medical treatment at different times, eldest had tonsilittus and youngest had an allergic reaction to peanut oil (no idea he was allergic prior to this) we had saved really hard for this hols and money was short and no credit left on CC so told both hospitals I did not have a CC and gave them my insurance co. details had to wait about 40 mins but on both occassion left with out paying anything they just dealt direct with insurance and I recieved no bills at a later date! so would always do that in future rather than spend valuable holiday money

 

[madmumof2]

Ooh eer. I have no credit card and can't get one. If someone gets ill and we can't pay the costs, would they honestly turn you away if you had proof of valid insurance?? Surely not?

 

[wayneg]

Ooh eer. I have no credit card and can't get one. If someone gets ill and we can't pay the costs, would they honestly turn you away if you had proof of valid insurance?? Surely not?

If you have insurance they will deal with the insurance company but I doubt they would start any treatment until payment has been guarenteed, which takes time. Ok if not an emergency.

 

[Beth__WDW23/6/02]

I will never holiday without having some form of money wether cash or a CC with us stashed away.
We learned this lesson in the canaries last year.
Step father went to save a football (playing with our children),sadly it broke his finger,not very nice at all.
He had to pay upfront before they would operate this was until his insurance would confirm he was covered,and that he would have to claim his expenses back once home,he also had to pay for an ambulance and the onsite doctor at the hotel!,it proved a costly sum at the time.
So always be prepared.

Insurance is a must.
But also be prepared to pay upfront before the insurance is sorted.

 

[brer_rabbit]

Prescription charges are a killer - i had to go to the docs with a chest infection as i'm asthmatic and our insurance didn't cover the prescription as it was below $100. Came to $85 for a teeny tiny inhaler and some antibiotics.

The crazy thing was that when I went to the docs they only charged $15 for an hour long consulatation, a steriod injection (i think) and a nebuliser!

Dad went the following year (to a different docs) for a chest infection and it cost him $200 for just a consultation. Trouble is when you're ill you don't want to be "shopping around" for a cheap doctor!

I think our insurance company said we'd have to pay the bill if it was under $200, but they would handle it directly if it was over $200.

 

[madmumof2]

Aahh, I must read the small print of my insurance! lol

 

[stephensmum]

Do you always need to pay upfront for this kind of thing, even if you have necessary insurance?

The reason I ask is that I have no credit card and not that much spending money. If one of my children needs to see a doctor in our last week I doubt we'll have $400 left in total!

I had a bad reaction (turned out to be from the sun) in 2008 & had to go to the medical centre. Over the phone they had said that they would ring the insurance company & ask for a fax sending to show cover. When we arrived they said no to phoning England & we had to go buy a phone card & ring ourselves. We confirmed it was ok with the insurance & ended up paying by cc, rather than waiting any longer. I doubt very much that they would see you without payment or fax, they would not even ring UK for us & I was in tears.

 

[2Tiggies]

The USA has a totally different medical system - not that anyone who has read this hasn't already realised. That is why they make such a big deal of health insurance there - it costs a FORTUNE to have it, but no insurance = no treatment. We just have a different way of doing things. Generally the healthcare in the US is of comparitively high standards to that we have in the UK, but the cost is extortionate. I'm glad I read this post though - somethimes it is good to remind myself of how things work.

 

[fairytale]

I'm not sure whether or not its just my Insurance provider but my Dh and I have HSBC Premier Accounts were all our insurances are included.

Last year during our Disney stay DH needed to see a doctor as he thought he had "slipped a disc in his back"

We spoke to our Insurance first who faxed over an authorisation to Centre Care confirming that they will be paying for the treatment and that was the last we heard. They dealt with everything from there on, the only contact we then had was when they rang us in the cabin at FWC a week later asking if DH was now okay.

Great service imo.