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In the USA, if I have a potentially fatal medical problem and I can't pay for treatment (myself or via insurance) what are my options? I ask because I imagine I

In the USA, if I have a potentially fatal medical problem and I can't pay for treatment (myself or via insurance) what are my options? I ask because I imagine I could not get treated which is the same outcome as 'death panels' but without the government bureaucracy.

mirimir 10y ago
That's an excellent point. You wouldn't get treated.
- mirimir 10y ago
  Upon reflection, it's just that you probably wouldn't get adequately treated. And if you managed to get adequately treated, you'd probably go bankrupt.
omegaham 10y ago
It ends up being a really terrible game. You get treated, and then you get presented with an outrageously high bill. You then have two options - negotiate with the billing company, or go bankrupt. A large number of people take the latter[1]. The result is that the hospital then has to eat the costs of the procedure... which it then responds to by jacking up the price even further for everyone else, knowing full well that most of the uninsured patients who get the even higher price won't be able to pay that, either. The hospitals then use this increased price to negotiate better rates with the insurance companies. So, you do get the treatment you need, but it nukes your finances, and everyone else ends up paying for it anyway in this ad-hoc, incoherent, uncoordinated mess. [1]http://www.cnbc.com/id/100840148 http://www.cnbc.com/id/100840148
- pnutjam 10y ago
  Well, you get the most basic treatment. If you are dying quickly, you can get treated. If you have a longer term issue or re-occuring issue, good luck. Hospitals don't have to treat everyone, they are legally able to stabilize you and let you die from complications. More often, you slowly degrade due to lack of treatment. Then you can't work and end up on medicaid and get the treatments you need. However, now your disabled. It's a great system.
  - deleted 10y ago
    [deleted]
  - refurb 10y ago
    There are plenty of charitable hospitals in the US that will treat people who have no other options.
ekianjo 10y ago
how about travelling out of the US, get treatment where it's cheaper, and come back when you are better?
antisthenes 10y ago
Medical tourism, bankruptcy or dying.

mirimir 10y ago

That's an excellent point. You wouldn't get treated.

mirimir 10y ago
Upon reflection, it's just that you probably wouldn't get adequately treated. And if you managed to get adequately treated, you'd probably go bankrupt.

omegaham 10y ago

It ends up being a really terrible game. You get treated, and then you get presented with an outrageously high bill. You then have two options - negotiate with the billing company, or go bankrupt. A large number of people take the latter[1]. The result is that the hospital then has to eat the costs of the procedure... which it then responds to by jacking up the price even further for everyone else, knowing full well that most of the uninsured patients who get the even higher price won't be able to pay that, either. The hospitals then use this increased price to negotiate better rates with the insurance companies. So, you do get the treatment you need, but it nukes your finances, and everyone else ends up paying for it anyway in this ad-hoc, incoherent, uncoordinated mess. [1]http://www.cnbc.com/id/100840148 http://www.cnbc.com/id/100840148

pnutjam 10y ago
Well, you get the most basic treatment. If you are dying quickly, you can get treated. If you have a longer term issue or re-occuring issue, good luck. Hospitals don't have to treat everyone, they are legally able to stabilize you and let you die from complications. More often, you slowly degrade due to lack of treatment. Then you can't work and end up on medicaid and get the treatments you need. However, now your disabled. It's a great system.
- deleted 10y ago
  [deleted]
- refurb 10y ago
  There are plenty of charitable hospitals in the US that will treat people who have no other options.

ekianjo 10y ago

how about travelling out of the US, get treatment where it's cheaper, and come back when you are better?

antisthenes 10y ago

Medical tourism, bankruptcy or dying.