Edition 58
www.thecourier.es
Friday, March 30, 2012
Read it ALL online ALL week at www.thecourier.es
SICKENER
A FULLY-INSURED British ex-pat has been landed with a €1,300 medical bill after suffering a minor stroke just because he was taken to the ‘wrong’ hospital.
Stroke-victim Paul counts cost of hospital mix-up
After the intervention of The Courier, the insurance company told Paul Woodward they would consider paying the EXCLUSIVE By bill "if he would keep the TONY MAYES story out of the newspaper". They have now come up two days he was returned with an offer of just 400 euros home. - and, understandably, Mr It was when Mr Woodward is not happy. Woodward contacted Paul, who lives with his ASSSA his troubles really wife in the El Trampolin started. He was told that urbanisation near Roldan the hospital he was transsuffered a mild stroke in May, ferred to was not on 2008. ASSSA's approved list of A neighbour took him to hospitals and therefore he Sorocco Hospital in was not covered for treatCartagena, in accordance ment there. with the instructions from Mr He says: "I really couldn't Woodward's insurers, believe it. I was obviously ill ASSSA. at the time and was not able "They have a book of to argue the case as to which instructions and a list of hospitals where patients who are hospital I should be transinsured with them must go,” ferred to. Frankly, it was the said Mr Woodward, “but last thing on my mind at the when we arrived at the hospi- time." Paul appealed against tal I was told I needed more tests and X-rays and ASSSA's decision, but was because it was the weekend, told the first hospital had no would have to go to another right to refer him to one not on their list; that it had haphospital in the city." He was transferred to pened before and ASSSA Santa Lucia public hospital, had refused payment in all where tests were carried out those other cases. Subsequently he went and he was admitted. It was discovered that the stroke back for further treatment at was caused because his the approved hospital and all heart was not pumping suffi- is now well medically. But he is now left with that cient blood to his brain. After
Paul Woodward: He was not in a condition to argue over hospital switch
bill for 1,300 euros which dropped in his letterbox about three months ago from Santa Lucia Hospital. “They are allowing me to pay by instalments of 200 euros a month,’’ says Paul, “but ASSSA refused to cover the cost, regardless of the fact that it was not my decision to be transferred there for treatment and that I did everything I could do in the circumstances.
vate hospital and the social services hospital where I was sent." Paul is now questioning why there is such a huge gap in costs between the private and public hospitals. “Either the standards at the private hospital are appallingly low, or the standards at the social security hospital are so high. Perhaps they have caviar every day, if so I never saw any of it. Perhaps I am paying for all the solicitors' fees and the bureaucratic costs of ASSSA fighting my case. “This may be nearer the mark because I have since heard there are plenty of other people like me who “It was at this point that I have been caught out and in contacted The Courier, and some cases it the costs run when ASSSA got wind of it into tens of thousands of they offered to consider euros." meeting the bill provided the He added: “All this has left story did not appear in print. me with a very poor opinion “But now, after loads of to- of insurance companies. ing and fro-ing and them say- They appear to do all in their ing they had to consult solici- power to dream up every tors they have said that pro- reason in the book not to pay vided I pay all the money to out. the hospital, they will pay 400 “On the surface I had a euros, which is the difference Turn to Page 3 between the cost of their pri-
Striking workers in angry clashes SPAIN was on strike yesterday as workers across the country downed tools to protest labour reforms and austerity cuts. As we went to press, unions were already claiming the strike as a success with reports of almost total stoppage in many sectors. Yet, even before 11am, more than 60 people had been detained and isolated incidents of violence were being reported from around the country. Several people were reported injured, including six police officers. The most serious incident occurred in Torrelavega, Cantabria, where a woman picket was stabbed in the hand by the owner of a hotel. In Madrid, police detained seven people for public disorder and damage offences. And in Barcelona, parts of the city came to a standstill when a bomb was reported close to a school. The device turned out to be a fake. Two people were arrested. In Murcia, a police patrol car was hit by a Molotov cocktail, while i n Malága seven people were detained for throwing smoke bombs.