A B.C. woman is sharing her distressing experience to warn others about the potential pitfalls of travel health insurance, after receiving a staggering $108,000 hospital bill from the United States.
RoseAnne Timbrell, who believed she was fully covered by her employer’s extended health plan, was caught off guard by the unexpected charges months after her hospital visit in Florida.
In February 2025, Timbrell and her husband planned a trip to Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. However, before their departure, she was feeling flu-like symptoms. “I work at a university, and we’re around a lot of young people. Norwalk was going around, so I wasn’t feeling well,” she recalled. Concerned, Timbrell consulted with her family doctor, who did a blood test. Despite feeling unwell, there were no alarming symptoms, and she felt fit to travel.
Once in Florida, her condition worsened, with severe stomach pain leading her to seek help at an urgent care center. The doctor advised further testing, and Timbrell eventually decided to visit the emergency room. Before going, she called her insurance provider to confirm her coverage.
“The agent assured me that I was covered and that the hospital would fax them the necessary details,” said Timbrell. “They told me everything was fine, so I proceeded, thinking I was covered.”
Little did she know, the $108K hospital bill would soon arrive, and her insurance provider’s response would not match her expectations.
Timbrell’s experience highlights the critical importance of verifying insurance coverage before traveling, and the often overlooked possibility of hidden costs in foreign healthcare systems.
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