- Time of past OR future Camino
- Frances
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There should be instructions on the bill about how to pay - maybe a wire transfer?From USA. Went to a clinic in Astorga and got help needed. Asked for cost when I was leaving, twice. No cost.
Home now and got a bill today, so low not worth doing anything but pay it, but how? Would have been so easy to pay for it there, but I digress.
There should be instructions on the bill about how to pay - maybe a wire
You can likely ask your back to do a SWIFT transaction.Ok, translated some of it and it says I need to pay any bank fees. I will start with my bank. Thank you.
Good luck. A few years ago Bank of America charged $40 for either a transfer or a check. Signing up with Wells Fargo online you could get the transfer for $10 but with no help with US regulations on international transfers (SACYL could be a front for terrorists after all).Ok, translated some of it and it says I need to pay any bank fees. I will start with my bank. Thank you.
Good luck. A few years ago Bank of America charged $40 for either a transfer or a check. Signing up with Wells Fargo online you could get the transfer for $10 but with no help with US regulations on international transfers (SACYL could be a front for terrorists after all
Thank you.I haven't used it, but there is an online service called Wise (formerly Transferwise) that may have lower fees than your bank to make the transfer.
Wise, Formerly TransferWise: Online Money Transfers | International Banking Features
Banks charge a lot for overseas transfers. We don't. Transfer money abroad easily and quickly with our low cost money transfers.wise.com
Approx 10 yrs ago - same situation. They wouldn’t take my payment either at a clinic. They recorded all my insurance & passport info but later I received the account at home. The account wasn’t worth claiming on insurance due to the excess on policy exceeding the bill from Spain.From USA. Went to a clinic in Astorga and got help needed. Asked for cost when I was leaving, twice. No cost.
Home now and got 0a bill today, so low not worth doing anything but pay it, but how? Would have been so easy to pay for it there, but I digress.
I second the Wise recommendation. I use it all the time, and it's a fantastic way to minimize exchange fees when paying in different currencies.I haven't used it, but there is an online service called Wise (formerly Transferwise) that may have lower fees than your bank to make the transfer.
Wise, Formerly TransferWise: Online Money Transfers | International Banking Features
Banks charge a lot for overseas transfers. We don't. Transfer money abroad easily and quickly with our low cost money transfers.wise.com
Agree with how they look after pilgrims! Thank you.Approx 10 yrs ago - same situation. They wouldn’t take my payment either at a clinic. They recorded all my insurance & passport info but later I received the account at home. The account wasn’t worth claiming on insurance due to the excess on policy exceeding the bill from Spain.
Like you - I had no hesitation in wanting to pay Spain for their care. For me in Australia - it was a trip to my bank to arrange the transfer (back then ). Transfer costs were much more than the cost of treatment but that’s beside the point.
Spain really looks after we pilgrims.
I don’t regret any transfer costs.
Good luck - but it would be great if they were set up to take immediate payment. It’s probably because the locals / Europeans all have a magic card ..
Buen camino.
Will look into this. Thank you.I second the Wise recommendation. I use it all the time, and it's a fantastic way to minimize exchange fees when paying in different currencies.
If the amount is insignificant, as you say, get Euros for the amount from your local bank, and mail them the cash. Risky mailing cash but perhaps worth the risk?From USA. Went to a clinic in Astorga and got help needed. Asked for cost when I was leaving, twice. No cost.
Home now and got a bill today, so low not worth doing anything but pay it, but how? Would have been so easy to pay for it there, but I digress.
I did think about doing that. Thank you.If the amount is insignificant, as you say, get Euros for the amount from your local bank, and mail them the cash. Risky mailing cash but perhaps worth the risk?
2 options. 1. If you are in the US, Walmart has a cheap money transfer capability at the Customer Service desk. 2. The pilgrim network may be another option. Although less likely in Winter, attempt to contact a pilgrim with a Venmo or Paypal account who is approaching Astorga. Pay them & they can pay your bill in person in Euros.From USA. Went to a clinic in Astorga and got help needed. Asked for cost when I was leaving, twice. No cost.
Home now and got a bill today, so low not worth doing anything but pay it, but how? Would have been so easy to pay for it there, but I digress.
Didn’t know that about Walmart! Thank you.2 options. 1. If you are in the US, Walmart has a cheap money transfer capability at the Customer Service desk. 2. The pilgrim network may be another option. Although less likely in Winter, attempt to contact a pilgrim with a Venmo or Paypal account who is approaching Astorga. Pay them & they can pay your bill in person in Euros.
I use it quite often to transfer money to relatives; excellent service.Thank you.
That's a different system. Astorga uses the Health Administration of Castile and León, SACYL. Memory is telling me they accepted three forms of payment (and not credit cards), bank transfer, check and something else no longer residing in my mind. This information was given on the SACYL bill.When I received a bill from the hospital in Santiago three months after being seen there to have my shin splints looked at the only method of payment that they would accept was a wire transfer.
Great, will definitely look into it! Thank you.I use it quite often to transfer money to relatives; excellent service.
I guess I am lucky, the 4 visits paid there and then except in Azura where they took me out to a taxi told the driver hurry he needs a larger hospital straight away and then just wished me a Beun Camino I was pretty sick in 2013. But the rest I just paid up front no problem.Approx 10 yrs ago - same situation. They wouldn’t take my payment either at a clinic. They recorded all my insurance & passport info but later I received the account at home. The account wasn’t worth claiming on insurance due to the excess on policy exceeding the bill from Spain.
Like you - I had no hesitation in wanting to pay Spain for their care. For me in Australia - it was a trip to my bank to arrange the transfer (back then ). Transfer costs were much more than the cost of treatment but that’s beside the point.
Spain really looks after we pilgrims.
I don’t regret any transfer costs.
Good luck - but it would be great if they were set up to take immediate payment. It’s probably because the locals / Europeans all have a magic card ..
Buen camino.
Ask via email if you can pay by Apple Cash or other phone payment. Worth a try. Or just mail them euros if you brought some home and the bill isn’t much. Just thinking out lot.From USA. Went to a clinic in Astorga and got help needed. Asked for cost when I was leaving, twice. No cost.
Home now and got a bill today, so low not worth doing anything but pay it, but how? Would have been so easy to pay for it there, but I digress.
I have used them to send money to Spain and it worked well with minimal cost. Much less than a bank.I haven't used it, but there is an online service called Wise (formerly Transferwise) that may have lower fees than your bank to make the transfer.
Wise, Formerly TransferWise: Online Money Transfers | International Banking Features
Banks charge a lot for overseas transfers. We don't. Transfer money abroad easily and quickly with our low cost money transfers.wise.com
I've used Wise for smallish (<100 euros) transfers/payments from Canada to Portugal. Works well. For bigger payments, I've used a bank transfer, but perhaps easier from Canada than from the US.I have used them to send money to Spain and it worked well with minimal cost. Much less than a bank.
Yes, I forgot to add: When you pay by international bank / money / wire transfer there will be fees. You usually have three options:Ok, translated some of it and it says I need to pay any bank fees. I will start with my bank. Thank you.
Thank you!Yes, I forgot to add: When you pay by international bank / money / wire transfer there will be fees. You usually have three options:
You need to tick the appropriate box on the form / bank order.
- all fees charged to the recipient or beneficiary, or
- all fees charged to the sender (you), or
- fees shared between sender and recipient.
Unfortunately, it's not so easy to send international money transfers from North American banks!Below is a copy of part of a medical bill from Spain. Such invoices will always show the name of the recipient (hospital), the IBAN code and usually also the SWIFT code (also known as BIC code). That is all that is needed for a money transfer (= transferéncia bancaría) from your bank account to the hospital's bank account. In the comments box of the transfer form, you enter your name and the number of your invoice. It's easy. We pay our invoices every day in this way, you can do it, too
That's very good information for those of us who live in countries where these bank transfers are not common practice.Out curiosity, I registered on the US websites of both Western Union and Wise and initiated a payment to a hospital in Spain - obviously only as far as I could for practical purposes. The fee for a payment of €50 (= what the recipient must receive) appears to be less than $3, with Wise cheaper than WU. It appears to be sufficient to enter the name of the hospital and their IBAN number (= standard international form of bank account number) which is always printed on an invoice. The total sum to be paid by the sender can be charged to one's own credit card. Wise requires an identification process at first registration (photo of face and ID or similar) but WU appears to only want the usual personal data (name, credit card number, address).
Yes, my bill has the same kind of information. I will do as you have said here. Thank you!Mail them cash, ask if they take credit card payment, ask them if you can use ApplePay, send it to a pilgrim's PayPal account who is currently walking near the hospital in Spain so that s/he can pay in cash (the pilgrim would have to go to a bank though!), wait until you are back in Spain again ... I read this reoccurring array of suggestions with amazement.
Although I live in the EU, I am privately insured and pay myself for every medical treatment in Spain or in my country of residence or elsewhere in the EU for that matter (and then send claims to my insurer). I would not dream of paying a hospital invoice in any other way than by bank transfer either through my bank or, in order to avoid comparatively high fees for international payments, through a service like Wise. If you don't want to use a service like Wise than just pay $30 or $40 in bank fees even when the invoice is only $50. As @OzAnnie wrote: Transfer costs were much more than the cost of treatment but that’s beside the point. Rant a bit about greedy banks and then just suck it up, as they say.
Below is a copy of part of a medical bill from Spain. Such invoices will always show the name of the recipient (hospital), the IBAN code and usually also the SWIFT code (also known as BIC code). That is all that is needed for a money transfer (= transferéncia bancaría) from your bank account to the hospital's bank account. In the comments box of the transfer form, you enter your name and the number of your invoice. It's easy. We pay our invoices every day in this way, you can do it, too.
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I am so glad that you got better...you were certainly well looked after by your Camino AngelsI guess I am lucky, the 4 visits paid there and then except in Azura where they took me out to a taxi told the driver hurry he needs a larger hospital straight away and then just wished me a Beun Camino I was pretty sick in 2013. But the rest I just paid up front no problem.
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