I have a buddy who is an ER doc. Tells me there are folks, many many folks, who use the ER as their primary care. They don’t go to Urgent Care, just the ER. They show up with minor issues and he has to treat them. Most don’t pay either...
And many times they complain of pain, saying that their pain is a 10 so they get painkillers.
And a lot of these are on Medicaid.
I happen to know someone who is on Medicaid and made over 60 visits to an ER in a single year. Each time to get pain pills.