Should hospitals be allowed to turn away non payers/no insurace or liars at ER rooms?

There are also free clinics, subsidized and free healthcare and insurance programs - why aren't they enough? Why does there have to be a law forcing emergency rooms to provide care?

As for someone I love being turned away, I come from a very responsible family. My father bought great insurance for the whole family - even though he was self employed and it cost quite a bit. When I moved out, I started buying my own insurance - even though I was only working part time jobs. My brother did the same thing - in fact any reasonably responsible person would do so. Not bothering to buy insurance puts you in the risky position of being financially ruined because of an accident, or being trapped with a pre-existing condition when you get a good job that does offer healthcare. Only a fool would let their insurance lapse.

Also, note that if a person truly can't afford insurance (which is only about $30 a month for a single adult) they will probably be eligible for medicaid. If they have cable TV, smoke, visit a bar or watch a movie once a month or have a cell phone, they can afford a catastrophic health care plan - which would make any hospital quite comfortable providing whatever treatment you need.

 

Because they are not open 24/7 like many ER's. I think if someone has a heart attack they deserve care no matter what time it is. Also hospitals are better equipped to handle many things that clinics cannot.

Because we live in a civilized society that places humanity above money.

Respect for your family. But IMO you are very black & white here... either you are responsible and buy insurance or you are irresponsible and do not. There are good reasons some people cannot afford insurance. You are missing a lot if all you can see is black & white. Are you even trying or open to reasons some cannot afford insurance?

Whowa!!! Stop the presses!!! Where in the heck are you getting health insurance for $30 a month?! My car insurance alone was $40 a month alone in Idaho... for basic liability! My health insurance premiums were always a good $100 a month, probably more because the company I worked for paid part of my premium.

 

To equate a medical emergency with securing food from a grocery store is disingenuous at best.

Under your views, you'd have the blood of tens of thousands of humans on your hands. Its safe to assume that your not pro-life in that case.

 

I am neutral in this concern as I am having low knowledge in this context. Therefore if you people provide me detail information about it then I would be able to figure it out.

 

Nevada dumpin' their crazies on California...

San Francisco probes alleged psychiatric-patient dumping
April 22, 2013, -- The city attorney Monday announced a formal investigation into allegations that Nevada’s primary state psychiatric hospital had bused hundreds of indigent mentally ill patients out of state with few or no resources.

 

This could get worse the ACA cuts funding to hospitals and states opting out of expanding Medicaid is going to have to deal with this problem or hospitals will pass the cost to existing insured patients.

But I will add on the topic hospitals are equipped to deal with serious health issues say a bad infection or a heart attack while free clinics and other options are not. This used to not be an issue every county generally ran the only hospital or they funded one public hospital for those who were poor paid for by taxes and what the people could pay. Now those are rather uncommon.

 

Y'all see my post above if you want a clue as to what is really going on.

If ignorance is bliss then it's folly to be wise.

 

Why should the hospital not be allowed to turn non payers away?
How can you force a hospital to treat people? What about forcing a dentist to treat people? What about forcing a hamburger restaurant to give out free hamburgers to those who cannot afford them?

 

My answer is no. Contrary to popular belief, we are supposed to be a civilized society and an overwhelming majority of American's recognize that.

 

That's right, "we". Not doctors. Not the hospital. You can't discriminate against certain businesses just because they happen to be hospitals.

 

Would the people who believe hospitals should be forced to treat deadbeat patients acknowledge that the hospital should be fully compensated for the services that they provide? That the hospital shouldn't be forced to just eat the loss thrust on them by this law?

 

Well that is really hard to determine if they have a drivers license and other proofs of residence.

But it any case, these are the individuals that Obama Care will not apply to and if they don't report income or file an Income Tax Return, they won't be subject to the IRS penalty and the law doesn't penalize anyone for not applying for Medicaid or Premium Assistance if they fall below the poverty line, HHS and IRS has set.

So, we will still be paying for these individuals health care, plus; paying to subsidize health insurance premiums for those that qualify, and will see our premiums continue to climb.

The whole reform bill is a hoax, sham and a lie.

 

Totally agree, and don't forget the doctors and surgeons that have to eat the fees for their services and can't even write it off as a loss because you can't write of services, only goods. So, what happens is that Hospitals and Physicians have to base their fees on their overhead, losses like we are discussing, their education, training, experience and the difficulty in providing the treatment/care/surgery they provide.

All of us that pay ordinary income tax, health insurance premiums, own a small business are paying for these people. Not the federal government.

Obama Care cuts the cost of health care by cutting medicare and Medicaid reimbursement to Hospitals, Doctors, Surgeons and other providers of medical services and equipment. Not to mention increasing the medicare premiums that seniors pay and in many instances reducing benefits and not covering many durable goods and home health care.

We didn't need Obama Care to do the above. It isn't reducing the cost of providing health care, it is simply paying less for the services provided. That can only go on for a short period of time. Then it will become impossible, financially for doctors, hospitals and other providers to provide services to Medicare and Medicaid patients. So much is wrong with PPACA that it would take me 100's of pages to explain it all.

 

I'm disabled, worked all my life and just never made over the Federal poverty line which is not uncommon and would gladly pay for health care something but I must be able to afford it. In Florida the Senate bill would require I pay $15-20 a month, $10 co-pays to see a doctor and cover the big costs if needed with a limit of four prescription drugs paid for. I can afford that. But I can work myself hard and not ever afford insurance as some of you want. So right now I show up at the ER if I'm bad off and get treatment and simply can't pay since that with the Free Clinic ,which as limits, is my only option.

What gets me the fix is easy county public funded and run hospitals, where a local board oversees it and they control costs and services are based on ability to pay. There used to be many of these.

 

Historically, most hospitals were founded by churches and non-profit organizations. The primary purpose of these hospitals was to provide medical care to the community, collecting money was only secondary, and they only collected as much money from poorer patients as they needed to keep the hospital running. New buildings were financed almost entirely by private donations, not profits.

But with the growth of larger, more ethnically diverse cities, there has become less and less of a sense of community, and the larger populations have also put severe strain on the available healthcare facilities. When there is a much larger segment of the population that is low-income, private donations are no longer enough to provide medical care to all the patients who cannot afford it.

 

Hospitals currently get from the state for uninsured individuals that accumulate high hospital fees a percentage of their costs. Most hospitals have staff that will fill out the paperwork so they get covered by the state for these people. The high cost of healthcare that has risen so much has occurred since the 90's. The healthcare companies had finally gotten control over the majority of workers in the U.S. under their control.

Hospitals and private doctors if they wanted to have any volume of patients they had to contract with the insurance companies and accept their fee schedules in order to operate a business practice or hospital. They had to keep raising their charges in order to get a few cents more out of the insurance companies. This worked out great for the insurance companies since now every citizen could now not afford health services with coverage.

If we were to eliminate the insurance companies altogether we would see a decrease in healthcare costs. We also would have the power to set up a better system. Until we get rid of them we are going to see healthcare cost rise. It is obviously not going to work for very long considering wages is well below the ability to pay for it with insurance coverage.

 

[QUOTE



Also, note that if a person truly can't afford insurance (which is only about $30 a month for a single adult) they will probably be eligible for medicaid. If they have cable TV, smoke, visit a bar or watch a movie once a month or have a cell phone, they can afford a catastrophic health care plan - which would make any hospital quite comfortable providing whatever treatment you need.[/QUOTE]

Just on the slim chance you are telling the truth why don't you give us the name of the Insurance company that is giving you full medical insurance for $30 per month.

Also there are people who cannot get insurance at any price. I know because I am one. If you want to actually learn something see my thread below.

 

Well, you can thank your leader Obama. Now he is FORCING everyone to buy comprehensive insurance from these companies. Even those who have the money to pay out of pocket.

Seems like a stupid idea to make people buy comprehensive insurance, when many could get by perfectly fine with a high deductable policy. That would mean less money having to go through the insurance company.

 

You left out the biggest change; people expect more and want to pay less. They think buying insurance is like joining an all inclusive club.

Historically, insurance was purchased to pay for inpatient hospitalization, surgery and costly medical treatments. Not visits to the doctor for a soar throat or other minor conditions. Not for preventative tests or treatments. People paid cash to their doctors for such visits and that is why the doctors were able to charge less. You want more to be covered, you pay for it. Its that simple. It costs doctors far more in operating costs to bill insurance companies and on top of that they are basically forced to agree to lower reimbursements to "belong" to the insurance groups their patients have coverage through.

It is far more complex than most posters seem to understand. Most Physicians and Surgeons have seen their earnings steadily decrease since the mid 90's and their earnings continue to decrease every year. I know of nobody that wants to work for free.

 

Just on the slim chance you are telling the truth why don't you give us the name of the Insurance company that is giving you full medical insurance for $30 per month.

Also there are people who cannot get insurance at any price. I know because I am one. If you want to actually learn something see my thread below.[/QUOTE]

Not in Florida to be on Medicaid as a single person you must be deemed disabled the standards the same as SSD/SSI that is not easy to do plus be able to prove income. That issue makes Obamacares expansion for me under Medicaid off the table very likely.

 

Hiimjered,

We are all still waiting for you to post where to buy health insurance foe 30 dollars per month.

 

Just on the slim chance you are telling the truth why don't you give us the name of the Insurance company that is giving you full medical insurance for $30 per month.

Also there are people who cannot get insurance at any price. I know because I am one. If you want to actually learn something see my thread below.[/QUOTE]

$30.00/month? You live in fantasy land.

 

Here is one for $36 per month:

http://www.ehealthinsurance.com/ehi/ifp/plan-details?planKey=3506:99010&productLine=IFP&noSelectedPlan=true&ifpUIState.planDetailsBackUrl=/ifp/all-plans

 

Were you able to buy it at 18?

People who choose to wait until they get diagnosed with a chronic medical condition before they decide to look for insurance will pay for their irresponsibility - as they should. A person should maintain insurance coverage or accept the consequences for their actions.

 

Never said they could get money from a turnip. However, there are consequences to giving false information on any application. Instead of owing money it could mean a jail term.

- - - Updated - - -

the quote on the website was per month. I see none for $39.00/month. Care to explain?