While visiting Canada, received a hugh hospital bill. What to do now...

[Nordiques32]

Hi everyone,
We need some help here , please. I'm Canadian, my girlfriend isn't. Here's our story: She was here as a tourist, fell in love, we visited and lived together for 6 months times, and got pregnant (wanted pregnancy I might add). We applied to extend her tourist visa for another 6 months in order to get the 12 months of living together. Because she stayed more than 6 months, her health insurance only covered 6 months, so she was without insurance. I read and asked prices, and was told giving birth, without complications, would cost around 2000$ so we decided she would stay and have our child here. Several months into her pregnancy, she got sick (unrelated to the pregnancy) and was hospitalized for a week. No surgury or complications, but for the medical advise received and hospital stay, we received a bill of 20+ thousand dollars.
Fearing more medical bills, we decided it was best she went home to give birth, but the Hospital is pretty adamant for their money...
My question is, will this unpaid medical bill ruin our chances of being together in Canada? Has anyone had similar problems? I wanna buy a house and pay monthy morgage, not get stuck for the next 20 years paying this rediculous hospital bill for "consultant" fees. I mean, she did not even have surgury nor give birth.

I read the "Spousal Sponsorship" FAQ and have been reading this board but haven't found anyone in a similar situation. Hopefully someone knows and can help us out, please!!!

"Spouses and dependent children are also exempt from the clause about excessive demand on health care so you do not have to worry about them being refused for that reason.
"
PS. No immigration application has been filed yet as this unpaid medical bill is looming over our heads.

[Nordiques32]

PPS. She gave birth to a beautiful, healthy baby boy

[CharlieD10]

Congratulations on the birth of your son!

That said, I think the best you can do is some re-organizing of your financial priorities in order to service the hospital debt.  If you default on it, it will not look good.  I doubt it will be held against you for how much it is if you do try to pay it down, though.

You went ahead and made the decision to have her stay, regardless of her lack of coverage, so there's no point now in lamenting the size of the bill, or questioning its validity based on what service she received.  The point is, she did receive the service, and as a visitor she is not entitled to have it at the taxpayer's expense.  You gambled with Murphy's Law, and lost, and just have to re-prioritize and deal.  Put off the mortgage for a couple more years, pay down your debt, sponsor your partner and move on with your lives.

[scylla]

Congratulations on the baby boy.

The hospital bill won't prevent you from sponsoring your girlfriend for permanent residency. You can go ahead and sponsor her.

However the hospital bill will have to be paid (just like any other bill). If you haven't done so already, I'd recommend you sit down with a financial adviser to determine how to best pay it off.

[Nordiques32]

yeah I know we gambled with Murphys law and lost in a bad way. I've accepted it though; what's done is done.

I was just wondering if someone had been in a similar situation. This hospital bill isn't recent; their lawyers are sending me letters and demanding I pay them in full. They don't want a monthly arrangement and I can't get a loan that size, so the letters keep coming. Heck, I can't even get a loan for half of that.

 I don't know what else to do other than look for a second job, but they still want the lump sum.
I might reach out to a Financial Advisor as my work provides those kinds of services free of charge. I hadn't thought about that until you mentioned it....

thanks again guys!

[sidkrose]

yeah I know we gambled with Murphys law and lost in a bad way. I've accepted it though; what's done is done.

I was just wondering if someone had been in a similar situation. This hospital bill isn't recent; their lawyers are sending me letters and demanding I pay them in full. They don't want a monthly arrangement and I can't get a loan that size, so the letters keep coming. Heck, I can't even get a loan for half of that.

 I don't know what else to do other than look for a second job, but they still want the lump sum.
I might reach out to a Financial Advisor as my work provides those kinds of services free of charge. I hadn't thought about that until you mentioned it....

thanks again guys!

Maybe I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure if you can't pay all at once, you can work out some kind of instalment plan (they'd rather get the money slowly than not at all), but you'll have to talk directly to the hospital lawyers I expect.

[mumsie64]

I came here 2 years ago, got married to a Canadian citizen. In Alberta, where we were married I was covered under Alberta health and my husbands plan. We moved to Ontario, and much to our surprise, all benefits and health coverage was gone.

[shiftpro]

Wait there is a remedy!
First write letters to the lawyers to remind them you do not have a contract with them and they are only third party interlopers and not to bother you
again or you will charge them $2000 an hour to talk with them. Get the letter notarized and send it registered with the option (whatever it's called) that
the post office notify you that they have received the letter.
Write a letter to the hospital. A CONDITIONAL LETTER OF ACCEPTANCE.  Tell them you agree to pay in full (this way there is no dispute that can go to court)
providing they:
1. show the accounting.... prove the debt
2. show the two party signed contract you made with the hospital (you never did this I will bet, their bad!)

Without a contract there is no law.... but do not go into default by not communicating.
You can lead the hospital into default when they don't reply directly to your questions.

Here check this out...  http://www.mindwarpsectorfour.com/creditcard.html 

[cantor2537]

If you don't pay you pretty much won't be able to get a mortgage for a house. In fact, if the bank does a credit check and it shows this huge unpaid bill in your past even if you do eventually pay it off, it maybe difficult to get a mortgage, if not impossible.

[YorkFactory]

Wait there is a remedy!
First write letters to the lawyers to remind them you do not have a contract with them and they are only third party interlopers and not to bother you
again or you will charge them $2000 an hour to talk with them. Get the letter notarized and send it registered with the option (whatever it's called) that
the post office notify you that they have received the letter.
Write a letter to the hospital. A CONDITIONAL LETTER OF ACCEPTANCE.  Tell them you agree to pay in full (this way there is no dispute that can go to court)
providing they:
1. show the accounting.... prove the debt
2. show the two party signed contract you made with the hospital (you never did this I will bet, their bad!)

Without a contract there is no law.... but do not go into default by not communicating.
You can lead the hospital into default when they don't reply directly to your questions.

Here check this out...  http://www.mindwarpsectorfour.com/creditcard.html 

This is utter nonsense.

[scylla]

This is utter nonsense.

Agreed. Unless, of course, you want to completely ruin your credit.

[rjessome]

First let me say that I know NOTHING about hospital billing procedures so maybe this is a dumb question.

How is this the OP's bill?  He didn't have any medical treatment.  His girlfriend did so isn't it her bill?  Unless of course he signed something upon her being admitted where he said he would be responsible for it.

Most provinces have a debtor's assistance program.  He should look for this through his provincial government.  They can help him negotiate an installment plan with the hospital if it is his debt.