Comment by rdtsc | Hacker News Reader

Comment by rdtsc | Hacker News Reader

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You got lucky.

I was an international student. Had a terrible strep throat. Lived off campus. Called university, asked if going to a nearby emergency clinic would be covered. They said "yes". Did so. Got there, waited 1+ hours in the lobby. Then a young intern saw me for 5 minutes. Prescribed a codeine pill and sent me home.

It turns out outside of campus clinic visit was not covered. I did not record the phone conversation. Got a $400 bill (in 1999 money!).

Fuck you American medical system. Should have given them the wrong name or something. It seems they are out to rob people I wouldn't even feel back screwing them over. Charging a student who lives on rammen noodles $400 in 1999 could mean not being able to pay for housing or not being able to avoid food or books.

Now I just avoid doctors as much as possible. It is irrational but I just feel like both insurance and doctors are out to screw me and take all my money. Sad thing is, my rational part of the brain understand that the next time I will see doctors might be in the emergency being unconscious or really sick (maybe I should carry a wallet with a fake name with me ;-)

As an international student, what would the consequences of just not paying that bill be?

As an expat, absolutely nothing. It drops off the credit report after 7 years.

Now before everyone gets indignant. I was a Verizon customer and had taken a job abroad. 18 months into my 2-year contract I called to say I'm leaving next month and want to cancel. The fuckers wanted to put me on a 2-month pause, stop the line for 2 months add 2 more months on the contract. I told them this was a permanent move and I didn't want to bother, just shut it down. Then they wanted to hit me with a $250 cancellation fee, not prorated. I referenced the part of the contract about coverage but the rep wasn't hearing it. While at the airport I called them and paid my final bill (they charged me to pay by credit card over the phone, too). Told them to cancel the line and goodbye.

I got a few very large bills in the mail after that, a few creditors calling my Google voice line, and then silence. It's been that way for 6 years.

Wow. That's impressively bad, even for Verizon.

A few years ago, when I moved overseas, T-Mobile had no trouble waiving the termination fees (for both my line and my wife's) once I'd shown them proof of the move. And they'd already unlocked our phones for a previous international trip, which was handy because we could easily go prepaid until we picked a carrier post-move.

Good point, but I didn't want to find out.

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