by Beks
I was CERTAIN my husband would be healthy and accident free until he received healthcare from his employer. He started work in mid-January and was promised coverage by February 1st. I was finally starting to feel at ease about his healthcare issue.
When my husband called me from work on Friday to let me know he had injured his eye and needed urgent care he mentioned…he had no healthcare coverage.
His employer had failed to send the application.
We panicked. Goodbye tax refund. Possibly goodbye house…goodbye car… goodbye right arm.
Thanks to some quick thinking on my husband’s part, his was rerouted to the hospital at his school rather than to the local emergency room.
A few hours later he was bandaged, drugged, and… bill free. Because he is an active student, he is given certain medical care for free. Whew!
For those of you who attend, or have children who attend, large universities, consider researching the medical options available. It could save you a bundle.
Beks is a full-time government employee who enjoys blogging late into the night after her four kids have gone to sleep. She’s been married to Chris, her college sweetheart, for 15 years. In 2017, after 3 long years working the Dave Ramsey Baby Steps, they paid off more than $70K and became debt free. When she’s not working or blogging, she’s exploring the great outdoors.
Jesus. Being in a country with free healthcare, I can’t say I have ever been in your position so I can’t relate, but I hope I am never in the position where financial concerns are a factor in urgent medical treatment. It’s the sort of thing people have nightmares about.
Wow, so glad that turned out okay! I sure hope his employer puts the application in now. Duh.
Wow! I’m so glad everything turned out okay and you avoided a huge medical bill.
Since he was hurt at work it should have been covered by worker’s comp.
I loved the care I got at my school doctor offices. It was excellent. I got a mole removed for $14! ($7 for the removal and $7 for a checkup).
If he was injured at work, that is a Worker’s Compensation claim. He shouldn’t have to pay anything for the medical care he received. His employer should have arrangements with an ED or urgent care that employees are required to go to when there is an on-the-job injury. If his employer doesn’t have this type of insurance, your husband needs to look for a new job. Injuries are so common in the construction industry. I would want to be sure that your husband (and you) would be taken care of in the event of a more serious injury.
Yikes!! Great quick thinking by your husband! And time to get on his employer to send in the health insurance forms!!!
Uh, yeah no question that that should have been a workers comp claim. Doesn’t matter if he was on lunch break or even doing something personal, it would be covered by workers comp.
That is so awesome he was able to receive that care…extra tuition “fees” comes in handy every once in a while!
Thank God all worked out ok financially for you. I hope your husband heals quickly.
Sorry! I should have been more clear. The accident happened before work. He didn’t realize the how severe it was until after he got to work and could no longer see and had extreme pain.
Even if the employer fails to send the application on the correct day, the coverage is retroactive to the first day of eligibility. In this case it appears to be 2/1. Once the application is processed, remember to go back and submit the expenses to the insurance company.
To live in a society where there isn’t universal free medical care is unthinkable! Everybody I know, young, rich, old, poor uses the National Health service (NHS) in the UK. Unlike Spain (who also boasts a free health care service) people do not even have to hand in ID to be treated. Everybody who enters a UK hospital will be treated regardless of their status. It is one of the very few things that the UK can be proud of.