Patient guide
Billing and insurance
Nobody should have to guess what hospital care will cost. Here is how deposits, bills and insurance work at Andrews, and how to get an estimate before you come.
Deposits and your final bill
- Deposit
- Required for every admission
- Final bill
- Issued at discharge
- Cashier
- Open 24 hours, every day
A deposit is required for all admissions. It is an advance against the charges we expect during your stay:
- Room and board
- Nursing care
- Operating room fees, where they apply
- Medicines
- Disposable supplies
- Laboratory tests and scans
The deposit is not your final bill. The final bill is issued when you’re discharged and may be more than the deposit, depending on how long you stayed and what your care required.
Two kinds of bill
Patients are sometimes surprised to receive more than one bill. Here is why.
- The hospital’s bill
- Covers what the hospital provides: your room, nursing, the operating room, medicines, supplies and tests. You settle it with our Cashier.
- Your consultants’ bills
- Your surgeon, anaesthetist and any other consultant who cares for you are private practitioners. They set their own professional fees and bill you separately.
Ask your consultant for their fee when you plan your treatment, so you can see the whole cost.
Ways to pay
- Cash
- All major debit and credit cards
- Manager’s cheque, payable to Andrews Memorial Hospital
The Cashier is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, so you can pay a deposit or settle a bill at whatever hour you’re admitted or discharged.
Health insurance
Local health plans
Andrews accepts most major local health insurance, once we can confirm your cover with your insurer. Bring your health card and photo ID. For a planned admission, our Patient Services team checks your eligibility and requests pre-authorisation before you come in.
Your plan may not cover every service, and most plans leave a portion for you to pay. That balance is due at discharge.
Overseas health plans
We accept overseas insurance that has been approved in advance, and we already work with international insurers based in the United States and Europe. Not every overseas policy is accepted, so please contact us before you travel or before a planned admission. Information for international patients
Department by department
- Dental Centre
- Cash, all major debit and credit cards, and most local insurance.
- Pharmacy
- All major insurance cards, the NHF card and JADEP.
- Lithotripsy
- All major local health insurance cards.
- U.S. Medical
- A set fee by age. See the fee table.
Help with the cost of medicines
Two government programmes lower the cost of medicines for long-term conditions, and both can be used at Andrews Pharmacy.
- NHF card
- The National Health Fund subsidises medicines for diabetes, high blood pressure, asthma, arthritis and other long-term illnesses. Any resident of Jamaica with one of the listed conditions can apply, at any age.
- JADEP
- The Jamaica Drug for the Elderly Programme provides a set list of medicines for chronic illnesses to residents aged 60 and over. The medicines are free, though a pharmacy may charge a small dispensing fee.
Our pharmacists can explain how to apply. National Health Fund website
Request an estimate
Tell us what you’re planning and we’ll reply with an estimate of the hospital’s charges and the deposit. Your consultant’s fee is quoted by their office.
Prefer to talk? Call (876) 926-7401 and ask for Patient Services.
Questions people ask
Why is my final bill more than my deposit?
The deposit is an advance against what your stay is expected to cost. The final bill reflects what was actually used: the nights you stayed, the medicines and supplies, the tests, and the time in the operating room. If your stay was longer or needed more than planned, the bill will be higher than the deposit.
Does my insurance pay my consultant as well?
That depends on your plan and on your consultant. Consultants set and bill their own fees, separately from the hospital. Ask your consultant’s office whether they accept your card, and ask your insurer what your plan pays towards doctors’ fees.
What if my insurer doesn’t cover everything?
Most plans leave a portion for the patient to pay. You settle that balance with the Cashier when you’re discharged. Ask us for an estimate beforehand so there are no surprises.
A relative overseas wants to help with my bill. How?
The hospital accepts all major debit and credit cards. Call the hospital and ask for the Cashier to find out what can be arranged from abroad.
How much does a U.S. immigration medical cost?
Fees for U.S. Medical depend on the applicant’s age. The fee table and family estimator are on the U.S. Medical page.