Best way to pay overseas bills after return to states?

deere1

deere1

Level 2 Member
A little background:

In June we traveled to Copenhagen via Brussels. While in the Brussels Airport, my daughter fell and broke her arm (heck of a way to start a trip!). The medical staff at both the airport and hospital were great, and we had to pay a 100 euro deposit at the hospital, which I did using a credit card. So far, so good.

In August, long after we had returned home to the states, the insurance companies finally got done arguing about who owed how much, and we received our final billings from the hospital and ambulance company. I ended up using Western Union to pay the bills, but it was a huge run around at the beginning due to the fact the website allowed the use of a credit card to pay, when it turns out that you are not allowed to make your first payment with a credit card. So, cancel payment, send money from bank, redo payment, hope nobody comes knocking at my door with a baseball bat.

Is there a better method? My bank would not process the forms I was sent from the hospital because they are not allowed to wire money overseas.
 
Maverick17

Maverick17

Level 2 Member
I send money overseas through my bank, through western union (not a fan), and moneygram (better). Most banks with the swift code should be able to make a transfer for you, so I'm a bit surprised. Do you use a smaller bank or local bank? Did the hospital want you to pay into an account or where did they want to get the money?
 
Matt

Matt

Administrator
Staff member
deere1 said:
Is there a better method? My bank would not process the forms I was sent from the hospital because they are not allowed to wire money overseas.
Click to expand...
Strange bank, I've never encountered that.

The most important part of an international payment is the vig on the rate, how much are they charging you above par. In the past I used Amex FX, they had some signup of 30000 pts, I don't think it is currently active, but might be worth looking for something similar.

Here's the link with 1 MR for $30 txf https://www.americanexpress.com/us/content/foreign-exchange/membership-rewards.html
 
deere1

deere1

Level 2 Member
Local bank. Hospital wanted it deposited in an account. It wasn't a huge amount of money to deal with, but my frustration level ratcheted up with Western Union after they seemingly allowed me to make a payment online using a credit card, and then contacted me later saying I couldn't use a credit card for the first payment. What should have been a 10 minute process turned into delete existing transaction, wire money from my bank to Western Union, wait three days for it to show up, redo transaction, hope the payment goes through.
 
Maverick17

Maverick17

Level 2 Member
I tried with a card to do Western Union a number of times. Worked only a small percentage, and then other times I tried a debit card and it was worse it seemed, as it looked like they conveniently deduct from my account, tell me a few hours later it couldn't go through for fraud risk (even though same amount to same person as other times), and then hold my cash for a few days or week of a free loan. I don't dabble in banking enough to know if they actually had my money, but sure seemed like some short term paper to me.
 
M

Mountain Trader

Level 2 Member
It's been a few years, but Schwab used to wire money overseas with no fee and no big vig through their US correspondent bank. Money arrived at overseas bank in foreign currency. However, that still leaves you open to whatever fees overseas bank charges, just 'cus they can.
 
K

kissmyjazz

Level 2 Member
If wire arrives from a bank account within the Single Euro Payments Area, there is no incoming wire fee, only outgoing wire fees and forex vig are legal.
 
B

BuddyFunJet

Level 2 Member
While the issue is probably resolved by now, many foreign hospitals will take a faxed signed credit card charge authorization if they won't take a scanned authorization via email.
 
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