[armydoc]

So, this gets really complicated. What happens if you stop paying, then get the 30 days coverage obligated by the insurer so you still have 60 days of the 90 day grace period of medical treatment the doctor is obligated to provide even if you've stopped paying. 1. And then once the 60 day free medical treatment obligated from the doctor expires, you then are not eligible for any medical treatment at all, except I suppose from hospital emergency rooms but doesn't probably include prescriptions you need. 2.Who is to enforce that doctors give appointments to patients who stopped paying that the doctor knows he won't be getting paid for? 3.What happens when doctors won't see people who stopped paying? Call in the National Guard? Arrest the doctors for not giving appointments to see patients? 4. What about people who are in critical condition, who've stopped paying and need life-saving surgery? 5. What happens if after the 90 day grace period, having received free medical treatment, the ObamaCare recipient wants to start paying again? Where does the period of medical treatment resume? I could go on, but it gets even more complicated.

Not all that complicated. First, doctors and hospitals are only obligated to provide care to stabilize emergency conditions (EMTALA). For non-emergency conditions, a doctor is never required to provide an appointment or treatments, regardless of the patient's health plan. He would be stupid to do so if he knows the patient is over 30d delinquent on his obamacare premiums. If there's no way to know if the patient is actually in this "60-90 day loophole", then it will only take getting burned a couple of times before he will stop taking obamacare plans, as they can't be trusted. This type of provider revolt combined with sticker shock from massive deductibles is going to be the ultimate downfall of obamacare. The only question is what post-obamacare will look like-sensible market based reform or single payer.

[Myrddin]

The medical profession should have the equivalent of a credit check for patients. When faced with fraudulent behavior, report that patient. Make that information available to the whole community as a paid professional service e.g. multiple listing services for realtors. Make sure there is a way for a bad actor to "cure" the listing by paying the bills that caused the listing. Don't defraud the medical providers if you want to stay off the "no fly" list.

[lbryce]

When I said it gets complicated, I meant for the people who need serious medical attention. Sure, you've got all the emergency protocols down pat, everything prioritized on what to do when a medical system is collapsing under its own weight, in dire consequences for those who need medical attention, know exactly what to do regarding what is required and what is not.

But your response is analogous to people jumping off the roof of a burning building and there's a gaping hole in the firemen's safety net where most fall through.

That gaping hole where they all fall through is what I was referring to when saying it gets complicated.