Fatialofa tweet raises fresh concerns over hefty medical treatment bill

Former Worcester Warriors lock Michael Fatialofa has hinted that the disagreement over his medical bills has not been resolved. The 28-year-old was hit with a six-figure medical bill in July last year after spending months in hospital to recover from the broken neck he sustained during a match in January 2020 at Saracens. 

Worcester co-owners Colin Goldring and Jason Whittingham released a statement shortly after he received the bill. It said: “We are concerned and disappointed to hear that Michael has received a bill for unpaid medical fees. There are no unpaid fees owed by the club. Our booking made by RugbyCare has already been paid in full.

“But we will work closely with the hospital and local clinical commissioning group to understand any issues and help resolve the situation to ensure that Michael can concentrate solely on his rehabilitation at Sixways with the full and continued support of the club.”

However, Fatialofa posted a tweet on Tuesday which suggested his medical bills still have not been covered. “Hopefully the Worcester Warriors will finally pay my hospital bill this year,” Fatialofa wrote. 

The former Hurricanes forward spent four months at the private Royal Buckinghamshire Hospital after suffering a C4 vertebrae fracture and spinal contusion in London which left him paralysed from the neck down. He was to be transferred to the NHS Stoke Mandeville hospital but, with no beds available at that facility, he spent the next three months in private care.

Fatialofa was apparently charged for his treatment despite the Warriors being told that the remaining medical fees would be covered by the clinical commission group, which allows National Health Service patients to receive private health care when no public health service is available.

His recovery has been chronicled over the past year and he returned to Worcester in June to continue his rehabilitation at Sixways.