Posted on 07/31/2014 8:34:48 PM PDT by Republican Wildcat
CYNTHIANA — The emergency rooms of Kentucky’s hospitals are facing a crisis of too many patients, but not because of an increase in illnesses, like the rest of the nation Kentucky saw an increase in non-emergency visits because more individuals have health insurance coverage.
In Kentucky, more than 330,000 people became Medicaid eligible when the state expanded the program on January 1. The expansion covers residents earning up to 138% of the federal poverty rate which is $15,856.
The problem is many of the patients now going to the emergency rooms are not actually facing a medical emergency. This is causing a strain at the state’s hospitals as ER doctors are treating an increasing number of patients for non-emergency care.
Sheila Currans, CEO of Harrison Memorial Hospital in Cynthiana, says that her hospital has had to move staff from other parts of the hospital into the ER to handle the increase in the number of patients.
“Unfortunately, the ACA didn’t create a support structure around the implementation of the ACA, and so what we have now is a system of more people seeking care, but residency programs which aren’t prepared to put more doctors out,” said Currans.
The 12 percent increase in emergency room visits is pretty consistent with the state average.
(Excerpt) Read more at mycn2.com ...
Had the same situation with my wife years ago when she had passed out; after waiting a couple of hours in the waiting room, she felt better and we went home. They sent us a bill, which I straightened out when I told them nobody had seen her but the triage nurse. WARNING: If you’re in the hospital and somebody walks in the room, looks at a chart, and leaves, they are probably a doctor and you will be billed for their services. Anyway, in this case (where we never even got to that point) they didn’t contest it and stopped seeking payment. The waiting room was filled with illegals; we weren’t going to see a doctor for hours.
My town’s hospital closed because of that nonsense; these “takers” are robbing us of services - make no mistake about it.
Except maybe importing a whole new underclass of non-Americans to do the same damn thing!
Yep. The Ruling Class is afraid they’ll run out of people who will vote for corrupt government.
But the funniest (ha-ha) are the people who are "allergic" to Tylenol, but oxycodone is the only thing that "works". Uh huh. Guess what oxycodone is made of?
Oh the lies they tell...guess they missed this dozy from the other day...
Obamacare Dividends Pile Up for Hospitals as Patients Pay
Bloomberg ^ | 7/30/2014 | Alex Wayne and Shannon Pettypiece
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/3187065/posts
I think the idea was that Obamacare patients would see regular, private doctors and therefore it would clear up the ER room crowds. I suspect that only the ER’s honor Obamcare as I’ve seen numerous signs that private doctors will not honor it. This thinking was more fairy dust and unicorn farts on the part of liberals.
We have a hospital here that built a ‘minute clinic’ next door. They are attached by a hallway. When you check in at the ER desk a triage nurse puts you on either list according to your complaint.
I see more hospitals doing this.
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