HOSPITAL CHARGES
If you receive a letter from us relating to an A & E (Accident & Emergency Charge) or an IN-PATIENT (BED CHARGE)
This letter will be as a result of a hospital requesting us to pursue for collection an amount pertaining to the Health Act Charge which according to their records remains unpaid despite requests by them for payment. The A & E Charge (casualty) and Daily Inpatient Charge (bed charge) are charges imposed under current health legislation and hospitals are obliged to collect these charges from qualifying patients. Patients are only exempt from the A & E charge if they are / were the holder of a valid medical card at the time of their attendance “or if they were referred directly by their GP and present the GP’s note of referral at time of attendance”
NOTE: The GP ONLY medical card is NOT valid for the A & E charge.
However, if you were an In-patient and have medical insurance which covers your bed charge you should contact the patients accounts department of the hospital and ask them to forward you a claim form to allow your medical insurers to settle your account directly with the hospital. You should notify us immediately if there is any legitimate reason that the charge is not applicable to you.
NOTE: Once you have received correspondence from us in relation to the above mentioned charges you must make payment directly to us and NOT the hospital. Failure to do so may result in further unnecessary correspondence being issued