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My last ER visit I was seen by a PA, which is fine. They're more than competent. The part I didn't like was how they made me get out a credit card while they w

My last ER visit I was seen by a PA, which is fine. They're more than competent. The part I didn't like was how they made me get out a credit card while they we're treating me. Which, according to a story by the NY Times, is a common thing. Send a nurse around with a swipeable tablet to ask how you'd like to pay. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/25/podcasts/the-daily/nonprofit-hospitals-investigation.html https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/25/podcasts/the-daily/nonpro...

azinman2 4y ago
Same thing happened to me in Canada.
quasse 4y ago
> The part I didn't like was how they made me get out a credit card while they we're treating me. Yes, I recently had to visit urgent care after probably ~8 years of staying out of the hospital. To be allowed in the door of the building I was required to swipe a credit card (literally 5 feet inside the front door, "we need you to authorize a charge on your card for this visit to proceed") and then they had credit card readers inside the patient rooms attached to the EMR computers for "charge as you go" medical care. The whole thing made me sick to my stomach.
schemescape 4y ago
Did they tell you how much the charge would be?
bluesquared 4y ago
I was having a minor anaphylactic reaction to something - not enough to restrict my breathing or make me want to use my epipen yet - but I experienced the same thing. Went to the ER, face red and swelling, lips starting to tingle, the whole 9 yards. They had me enter all my personal info, name, address, insurance card, etc. Then swipe for my $250 ER copay all before seeing anybody competent. The worker at the desk didn't understand what I meant when I said "anaphylactic reaction" I had to gesture at my face and say "allergic reaction" ffs! At least my reaction wasn't as bad the first time. That time was pre-covid and they had somebody with experience and functioning brain cells at the check-in and they brought me right in and started taking vitals and did an IV literally right on the other side of the check-in desk. On that visit they had the payment person come around hours later while I was recovering in a bed on a different unit for monitoring while I was coming down off of the meds they pumped me full of.
wyldfire 4y ago
All businesses are like this - it saves them money on collections. If your insurance refuses to pay up -- or you refuse to pay up -- or you decide to pay your car payment instead of the medical bill -- they lose out. It might be a bit distasteful to do it in proximity to medical care. But just tell them that they can bill you, make up an excuse if you need to.

azinman2 4y ago

Same thing happened to me in Canada.

quasse 4y ago

> The part I didn't like was how they made me get out a credit card while they we're treating me. Yes, I recently had to visit urgent care after probably ~8 years of staying out of the hospital. To be allowed in the door of the building I was required to swipe a credit card (literally 5 feet inside the front door, "we need you to authorize a charge on your card for this visit to proceed") and then they had credit card readers inside the patient rooms attached to the EMR computers for "charge as you go" medical care. The whole thing made me sick to my stomach.

schemescape 4y ago

Did they tell you how much the charge would be?

bluesquared 4y ago

I was having a minor anaphylactic reaction to something - not enough to restrict my breathing or make me want to use my epipen yet - but I experienced the same thing. Went to the ER, face red and swelling, lips starting to tingle, the whole 9 yards. They had me enter all my personal info, name, address, insurance card, etc. Then swipe for my $250 ER copay all before seeing anybody competent. The worker at the desk didn't understand what I meant when I said "anaphylactic reaction" I had to gesture at my face and say "allergic reaction" ffs! At least my reaction wasn't as bad the first time. That time was pre-covid and they had somebody with experience and functioning brain cells at the check-in and they brought me right in and started taking vitals and did an IV literally right on the other side of the check-in desk. On that visit they had the payment person come around hours later while I was recovering in a bed on a different unit for monitoring while I was coming down off of the meds they pumped me full of.

wyldfire 4y ago

All businesses are like this - it saves them money on collections. If your insurance refuses to pay up -- or you refuse to pay up -- or you decide to pay your car payment instead of the medical bill -- they lose out. It might be a bit distasteful to do it in proximity to medical care. But just tell them that they can bill you, make up an excuse if you need to.