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Hasn't been true for ages - at least as long as I've lived in the US (since 1990). Hospitals are required to give emergency medical service regardless of insur
by djrogers 10y ago
Hasn't been true for ages - at least as long as I've lived in the US (since 1990). Hospitals are required to give emergency medical service regardless of insurance or proof of ability to pay if you show up in the ER. An unintended side-effect of that is that it's sadly not at all uncommon for people to show up to the ER for non-emergency services, then stick the public or the hospital with their bill if they can't pay it.
- dragonwriter 10y ago> Hospitals are required to give emergency medical service regardless of insurance or proof of ability to pay if you show up in the ER. Hospitals (that take Medicare payments) are required to screen for emergency medical conditions and provide treatment to stabilize any emergency conditions found through the screening if you present at an ER; they are not required to either screen for and diagnose or treat any other conditions. > An unintended side-effect of that is that it's sadly not at all uncommon for people to show up to the ER for non-emergency services, then stick the public or the hospital with their bill if they can't pay it. Note that hospitals are not required to screen for, diagnose, or treat non-emergency conditions without regard to ability to pay when a patient presents at an ER.
- deleted 10y ago[deleted]