We were not aware that it would be a long weekend here. South Korea is celebrating its Liberation Day, which is its version of Independence Day.
Our original plan was to leave on Thursday, August 14, and to stay at a hotel for two nights before departing for Manila. But Edmund was still under extreme pain so we moved it to Saturday. We will just leave the hospital on Saturday, and straight to the airport.
Since most of the hospital staff will go on holiday, all our bills must be settled today, Thursday 15 minutes before the cashier and the finance department close at 6 pm.
At 4 pm, the hospital’s interpreter and coordinator, Ruth, came to the room with two plastic bags of medicines with accompanying instructions. Medicines that we will bring home etc. And she said we have to settle the bill now. I asked how much is the bill, she said because we were extending by two more days, the room and the food, and some other stuff, she said we need to pay US$__________ total or the equivalent in Korean Won na sangkatutak na zero. WHAT!!!! We were naturally shocked.
What followed was two hours of explaining, counter explaining, not understanding, misunderstanding, English-Korean-Korean-English lost in translation. Even Google translate couldn’t help our minds connect with theirs.
Ruth kept going back and forth between the hospital’s two buildings only to come back with
“we have to pay first the total amount before we can leave on Saturday”. Or we pay daw using our credit cards.
Or we could stay daw until Monday, until the hospital receives the money in their bank account.
I told my husband—- “Ano tayo parang hostage dito? Hindi tayo makauwi kasi wala tayong bayad?
Para tayong kumain sa restaurant na wala palang pera, maghuhugas tayo ng pinggan.”
Here’s the background:
My husband eagerly and speedily remitted the money n the morning of August 8. He informed Ruth and sent her the online transfer receipt. She said “OKAY”.
When my husband told me the amount I remember asking him “lahat na yun?” Ibig sabihin, hospital stay, surgery, doctors’ professional fees, MRIs, CT Scans, blood tests, lahat lahat package na.” Oo daw.
Yun pala, Ruth didn’t inform the finance department. And our fault, for not asking for a printed receipt or acknowledgment receipt Kampante lang kami.
The hospital’s finance officer claimed that as of 5:30 pm on August 14, they haven’t received any payment.
They wanted us to pay again, the whole amount. Nanay ko po.
They said naman they will refund the excess payment after they have received my husband’s online transfer. We didn’t doubt naman na they will refund. Pero hustle.
My husband didn’t want to pay again. He just wanted us to pay for the two days extension plus the companion food (that’s me) which is US$1,800. And if after we’re back in Manila, the hospital hasn’t received the bulk of the payment. he commits to remit the amount asap. Syempre ayaw ng hospital ng ganun, uuwi kami walang bayad?
I told my husband we can just use a credit card to pay AGAIN. In my mind, basta na lang gumaling itong asawa ko, ayaw ko ng isipin itong pera. Ayaw namin ma-hostage dito. We looked at each other and just mentally making sure our cards were ready. Nay ko ano ba yan para kami kawawa.
Edmund called the bank’s account officer in Manila several times to trace where the funds are. The amount had already been deducted from his bank balance, but the hospital finance claimed it’s not yet in their bank account.
At 5:55 pm, the finance department said they have verified that the money is already in their bank account. They have received the money. Grrabe! Akala ko magdo-double pay kami.
Ruth burst into tears from stress and tension.
Oh hayan, happy na. nagkainitindihan na.
I went down to the cashier and paid the $1,800 additional charges.
Equivalent of $1,800 more or less.
Sana po gumaling na itong asawa ko para maka-uwi na kami.
