A B.C. girl is sharing her journey medical health insurance nightmare as a cautionary story to warn others after a visit to the USA.
RoseAnne Timbrell ended up in a Florida hospital and thought she was totally coated by her prolonged well being protection via her employer. Nevertheless, she obtained an sudden hospital invoice months later.
“Simply completely stunning. I simply wished I had obtained on the aircraft and are available house,” Timbrell advised Client Issues.
Again in February, Timbrell and her husband deliberate a visit to Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. Nevertheless, previous to her journey, Timbrell says she was experiencing flu-like signs.
“I work at a college, so we’re round loads of younger folks and everyone has colds and flus. Norwalk was roaming round, so I wasn’t feeling effectively earlier than I went on trip,” stated Timbrell.
As a precaution, Timbrell says she consulted along with her household physician about her signs and had a blood take a look at. On the time, Timbrell says there was no trigger for alarm round her well being. “I’m nonetheless capable of go to work. So if I’m capable of go to work, I feel I’m capable of go on this trip,” she stated.
Timbrell departed for Florida, however says her signs obtained worse when she arrived. She says she was experiencing extreme abdomen ache and went to go to an pressing care centre in Florida, the place a doctor advisable additional screening.
Get day by day Nationwide information
Get the day’s prime information, political, financial, and present affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox as soon as a day.
Along with her situation deteriorating, Timbrell says she determined to go to emergency, however earlier than she went, she known as her insurance coverage supplier to verify her hospital go to could be coated.
“The agent stated ‘Sure you might be coated. Once you go to the hospital, they’re going to fax us one thing. They’re going to fax us one thing again and also you do have prolonged well being for out of nation’ and I stated okay as a result of if not, I’m leaping on the subsequent aircraft,” stated Timbrell.
Timbrell arrived on the Florida hospital, the place she was recognized with ovarian most cancers.
“It was traumatizing. It’s not one thing you’ll ever assume that will occur on trip,” stated Timbrell.
Timbrell spent 5 days within the Florida hospital present process additional assessments.
When she returned house, months later, she obtained extra stunning information. Her insurance coverage supplier denied her declare, stating: “…bills incurred at journey had been instantly associated to your unstable pre-existing situation.”
There was additionally a stability clause inside her coverage, which implies a pre-existing medical situation should stay steady for 90 days previous to touring. Timbrell was hit with a medical invoice of U.S. $108,000. “Completely stunning. I simply wished I had gotten on the aircraft and are available house as an alternative of coping with all that within the States,” stated Timbrell.
Journey skilled Claire Newell says Timbrell’s declare denial isn’t unusual. She says stability clauses are sometimes written in customary medical insurance coverage insurance policies and studying the tremendous print of any coverage is essential.
“Lots of people don’t understand there’s a stability interval. Some insurance policies it’s three months. Others it may be as excessive as six months,” stated Newell.
Newell says medical-related assessments, remedies, even adjustments to your treatment previous to your journey may influence your stability interval and your protection.
“There are all the time caveats in each single coverage and each single coverage is completely different so you could be an advocate in your personal self. When you have it [insurance] via work or you have got it in your bank card, don’t assume that it’s going to be sufficient as a result of these ones usually have essentially the most caveats,” stated Newell.
Timbrell says the remaining hospital invoice has been negotiated right down to U.S. $65,000, which she is struggling to pay.
“Actually, discuss to your insurance coverage firm. Perceive your coverage very, very, clearly since you are having to be your individual greatest advocate,” stated Timbrell.
A GoFundMe page has been set as much as assist RoseAnne Timbrell.
© 2025 International Information, a division of Corus Leisure Inc.
