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windchymes -> RE: Doctors refusing to treat the obese, smokers, etc. (8/8/2006 5:13:28 PM)
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ORIGINAL: Level
quote:
ORIGINAL: EnglishDomNW
ok sorry, I missed how you posted it. What if someone in the US doesn't have insurance, how do they get treated for illnesses?
*from the enotes Everyday Law Encyclopedia*
"...no patient who arrives in a hospital with an emergency condition will be turned away or transferred unnecessarily. Anyone who shows up in a hospital emergency room will be screened to determine the severity of his or her condition. If the condition is deemed an emergency, the hospital is obligated to stabilize the patient."
And:
"The hospital has no obligation to the patient if an emergency condition does not exist."
As far as I know, this is fact. You might be waiting for hours and hours, but hospitals in the United States are NOT supposed to turn anyone away in an emergency case. For non-emergencies.... it may be a case of "good luck".
This is true....every patient is entitled to be triaged to determine if a LIFE-THREATENING emergency exists. If one does (usually possible heart attack, breathing problems, heavy bleeding, woman in active labor, etc.) then the hospital is required by law to treat and stabilize the patient. For example, if you suffer a stroke, they will admit you and administer medication, run diagnostic tests, etc. But you will not be given the best in rehabilitative treatment, like speech, physical and occupational therapy, you'll get the bare minimum, if that. A friend of mine without insurance had a stroke due to a congenital heart defect. They treated him and he takes a "blood thinner", but they would not do the surgery to repair the heart because it's considered "elective" surgery, and his follow-up treatment was less-than-top quality, to say the least. But he's doing okay on his Coumadin.
If a woman comes to the hospital in active labor, the hospital is forbidden by law to transfer her to the "county" or charity hospital. They are obliged to deliver the baby, and stabilize mom and baby. Once they are stable, they may be transferred.
Most hospitals have "Charity Care" available for indigent or very low income patients with no assets. There is an application process and it's granted on a percentage based on income. There are also free clinics that are funded in various ways, either by government grants, philanthropic organizations, and the like, and are usually staffed by volunteers. One marvelous organization that comes to mind is St. Jude's Children's Hospital in (I think!) Memphis, TN. Treatment is available for all children, those with very serious illnesses and injuries and burns, all at 100% no cost to their families.
When patients receive treatment, they usually must sign a contract saying they are aware that they are responsible for paying the bill. Most hospitals will put them on a monthy payment plan, even though it might be minimal payments and take years to pay off. Many hospitals are non-profit, so they do benefit from writing off balances and taking the tax credits.
Most states also have health insurance available for children and pregnant mothers at no cost. As usual, they don't get the top-notch doctors, but they get what they need, usually.
You do hear horror stories, but these days, hospitals are in so much competition with each other, they don't want the bad publicity they would get from sub-standard care, turning patients away, etc. It's true that technically, the law does not require hospitals and doctors to treat things like broken bones, minor illnesses, etc. But most times, they do.
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