“If people do not have proof of insurance, will the ER still see them?”
I work for a regional hospital: WE ARE REQUIRED TO TREAT ALL PATIENTS WHO COME TO THE ER! Insurance or not. Paper cut or major trauma. You would be amazed how many people come to the EMERGENCY room for non-emergencies (i.e. trivial complaints). Our town has a lot of illegal aliens and others without insurance who use the ER as a routine walk-in clinic...cannot turn anyone away for any reason.
Since doctors’ offices can (for the moment) legally not see certain patients, ERs across the country will be burdened further and further. Many hospitals will go bankrupt. Keep in mind that if an ER turns away a patient, or doesn’t fully treat a patient: AN EXPENSIVE LAWSUIT FOLLOWS!
I live in Massachusetts and there are a lot of people without insurance (even though it is “required”). You cannot make someone buy something not matter how much you legislate it....Obamacare is designed knowing this. Overwhelm and collapse the system into one-payer socialized medicine. The quality of care will start declining quickly.
apparently some hospitals have stopped providing routine or pecautionary care, like a chest X-Ray for Maria who has a cough. “Treat” may mean see and asess, but not further treat
once the obamacare middle class figures out the cost of paying deductibles and copays, and that a trip to the ER means hundreds or thousands out of pocket, the rush to the ERs will be all or mostly freebie seeking gimmedats
sadly some Americans will die because of their hesitation to seek care due to the new very high costs, a sea change for Americans needing healthcare
Not exactly. The ER is required to screen and stabilize any emergency conditions. Once they screen you and you have been evaluated and no such condition exists they can then discharge you. Failure to do the above can result in an EMTALA Federal Law violation. You can’t sue for that. Unless they get that wrong.
Practically most ERs just go ahead and treat non emergencies and try to bill what they can. In most ER s I’ve worked in about 25 to 35 % of the patients were a complete write off ie “ no pay”.