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To: kitkat

You said — “If anyone doesn’t have insurance, all they have to do is walk into an emergency room and get taken care of, thanks to the taxpayers.”

That’s not a very good health maintenance option. You don’t get good care, because they are set up for emergencies. If you don’t have an emergency, but simply a “health care issue” (like soeone would go to the doctor), then you’ll wait for about 4 hours and then hardly get any attention, be told to leave and go see a doctor (we’re talking about “not” life-or-death” issues here, which they will take care of quickly in the emergency rooms).

I took someone to an emergency room (they didn’t have insurance and needed a ride). So, we waited for about three hours and it was going to be another hour before being seen. It was a relatively minor item, but did require medical attention as the doctor said, after seeing it.

Afterwards, there came the bill, although, the person didn’t have the money. However, the bill goes on the record, it stays there (for years on end), it goes into collections and it gets bigger — so that once the person gets a job and starts taking care of these kinds of bills, they find themselves saddled with costs that are about — 5 to 10 times — more costly than merely going to their own doctor, if they had health insurance. So, they are *further behind* than they were in the first place, and it *carries into the future* with big bills being put on the person.

So, going to the emergency room is *not encouraged* for medical care. It’s a very stupid option for anyone to suggest.


10 posted on 11/13/2008 4:47:14 AM PST by Star Traveler
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To: Star Traveler

So, going to the emergency room is *not encouraged* for medical care. It’s a very stupid option for anyone to suggest.
______________________
So I guess that depends on what hospital you go to . . . I agree with long waits but not all hospitals give you the saft if you can not afford to pay. Some (if not all) have dollars available (not sure from where they come but they are there) meant to assist those without health insurance. Our daughter was recently unemployed and no insurance. She became ill, went to the ER (because the physician said bring the $130 fee with her if she was to be seen in the office), was treated with respect (as though she had insurance) and was charged $50 for all services and meds. It meant she had to apply for the dollars the hospital had available for those in need but it was all very painless and taken care of quickly.


23 posted on 11/13/2008 8:39:57 AM PST by RepubRep (God Bless America and may He guard our borders until we WAKE UP and do it ourselves!!)
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