Some people say we don't need healthcare b/c a hospital has to treat you even if you are unable to pay, but a single mother with 3 kids works at Wal-mart and does not have insurance and gets strep throat and has to be treated at the ER. Then the hospital sues her for $2000 for the visit and the shot she recieves and she has to pay for 5 years for getting sick and meanwhile has to support her kids. This is not healthcare and it is not fair. People in an advanced society should have a right to healthcare and other basic necessities of life without being rich.
2007-04-19 07:06:50 · 18 answers · asked by kyeann 5 in Politics & Government ➔ Law & Ethics
Yes it seems that an enlightened society would help, but even though they have to treat you, doesn't mean that they won't bill you, or that there was no charge because you couldn't pay.
2007-04-19 07:17:34 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
Here in New Hampshire, the laws state that a hospital cannot refuse to provide care if a person is unable to pay. It does not say that the hospital does not have to send a bill.
In NH, hypothetically, if the person does not have health insurance and they are in a life and death situation, the state's Medicaid will pick up the tab of that particular bill.
Hypothetically, if it's not a life and death situation, the hospital can bill the person later. Most hospitals that I'm aware of have a financial aid office were people can fill out a form and may be eligible for a grant or funding available through the hospital to pay their bill.
If they do not apply for financial aid and could be eligible, they will still get a bill. The hospital does not know what the person's finances are. A person needs to ask all the right questions and advocate for themselves.
2007-04-19 07:38:11 · answer #2 · answered by Erica, AKA Stretch 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
An Emergency Room (ER) is just that. A medical facility for emergencies. No, the visits are never free. If you don't pay, your insurance doesn't pay, or someone else doesn't pay....the taxpayers pay. The ER is a widely abused "clinic" for people without true emergencies and no method of payment. Some use it as their Primary Care because ER's cannot refuse anyone with a medical complaint! If you have a true emergency and need help, go to the ER regardless of your ability to pay. If you do not, seek some sort of payment method such as Medicaid etc. (great if they pay past 3 months as someone else said!) Keep in mind that the unpaid bills from the ER could end up on your credit history though. Also keep in mind that an ER is a temporary fix for chronic problems. You will still need to follow up with another doctor. I wish I knew of organizations that can help but I do not. Good luck with your ailments and sorry you are in pain!
2016-04-01 09:02:27 · answer #3 · answered by Donna 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I agree with you - having no health insurance is horrible and risky. Even with insurance healthcare can be really expensive. I wish that everyone could have health insurance.
I have a suggestion to anyone who is sick but not about to collapse - go to an urgent care clinic or a regular doctor's office. Most doctors will charge between $75 - 100 for a visit and will bill you if you need them to. They can also provide you with some medications because they often have samples in the office.
2007-04-19 07:20:51 · answer #4 · answered by Susan G 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
First off, for something like strep throat, the single mom with three kids probably should have visited an urgent care or clinic, rather than the emergency room. Would have cost her around $35 plus the cost of the prescription.
Emergency rooms are just that -- for things that are emergencies that cannot be handled in a doctor's visit. Broken bones, chest pain, difficulty breathing, car accidents/trauma, gun shot wounds -- things like that.
When somebody comes in with to the emergency room, they are required to treat that person, no matter what -- because it would be considered morally reprehensible to almost any health care provider to deny anyone treatment based on whether or not they can pay...
But, ERs have to be staffed and equipped at all times to be able to address any type of emergent situation that arises, and they are very expensive for a hospital to run.
Hospitals are a business too, and they need to make money to stay in business, so yes...
If you present yourself to the emergency room with even just a a sore throat, yeah, they're still going to want you to pay for using their facility and services....just the same as you would if you came in with a gunshot wound to the chest.
I agree with you though that the cost of health care is absolutely outrageous and completely out of reach to many, many people. Nobody should have to go broke -- just to stay healthy.
Yes, we should have a system in place to help those who simply cannot afford to pay for it.
2007-04-19 07:29:59 · answer #5 · answered by biiiiaaach 3 · 5⤊ 0⤋
First off, unrestricted access to the greatest healthcare infrastructure the world has ever known is not a constitutional right. It has to be paid for by people who work for a living. Second, yes, the hospital does have to stabilize you, but that doesn't mean they can't go after you for the money. If you don't like it, move to Canada where healthcare costs nothing, and by the looks of things is worth every penny charged.
2007-04-19 07:15:49 · answer #6 · answered by trentrockport 5 · 3⤊ 1⤋
They are required to treat you I agree. They are not required to give treatment for free. It costs them money to keep the hospital going so as to treat all. I am not rich but I do carry health insurance and it is not cheap. I am charged more for care than people without insurance to help pay for the cost of people not paying. My friend and I both used the same ER and she got charged $300 and they charged my insurance$800. My insurance covered it but that is one reason my insurance premiums are so high.
2007-04-19 07:20:42 · answer #7 · answered by mnwomen 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
They have to treat you regardless if you can pay for the cost of the visit up front. Here's my suggestion to the single mother - GO TO A DOCTORS OFFICE - much less costly, and you don't bottle neck the ER's with stupid things that are not emergencies.
The care is not free, but you get a chance to pay it in payments. Same visit at an doctor's office would have way less than one quarter of that ER bill.
People who have insurance pay for their health care all year long -- we pay over $400 a month for coverage for our family, plus deductibles. And we do that happily to know our family is cared for. There is no free lunch, unless your drag you butt to a free clinic.
2007-04-19 07:20:43 · answer #8 · answered by Susie D 6 · 3⤊ 2⤋
I'm sure the cost of health insurance is less than the amount she is going to have to pay.
I dont know I live in uk and we dont pay for health care everything is free but because of this the system gets abused.
people visit their doctors very often demanding antibiotics for every sneeze, and because of this we have a major problem with resistant strains of staph.
2007-04-19 07:22:05 · answer #9 · answered by taylor p 2 · 4⤊ 0⤋
They are only required by law to stabalize you. Once you are stabalized they no longer have to treat you and in most cases they will not treat you any further if you cannot pay.
The best option is to find a free clinic. They are funded by grants and allow you to receive free care from good doctors.
2007-04-19 07:15:26 · answer #10 · answered by jenlynn42 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋