The ER could be full. You could be waiting on a gurney in a hallway for hours. Even when you are seen, assuming no deadly damage has taken place yet, you will be stabilized and referred elsewhere, even if it is to the cardiac practice (a separate business)within the hospital. You will be triaged for the OR and all life support machinery. Your in hospital days will likely be 4-6 and there are incentives in place to not re-admit you for the same issue within a mandated time period.
You age, gender, general condition and ethnicity will be taken into account. If you do have a deductible, some institutions will demand the entire deductible up front immediately.
The hospital will be understaffed. You need a friend or family member with you for care, feeding and as observer/advocate.
It isn’t as simple as whether they admit you or not.
I know we like to feel like hospitals are villains, but I have never seen an ER prioritize on insurance. I am not sure they even tell the care providers. If you come in during an accident they wont even ask until you are stable.
Well they can try to demand the deductible upfront but they still have to treat you emergently if you say..”it’ll have to wait until payday; but you still are required to treat me emergently under federal law...just like those Mexicans I see in the waiting room!