my sister in law told me - if you get sick, you can go to the emergency room

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

that was her defense of the current health care system, and her advice for me,
a person without health insurance.

Yes, rather than get proper care and AVOID a heart attack, I can always
go to the ER and get treatment for the heart attack that will damage my heart.

And I can always go bankrupt paying the bill.

JEEZBUS.

[elocs]

1. I would love to see this numbers crunch:

The cost of everyone without insurance who end up in the ER minus the cost of the same people if they could have simply gone to a primary health provider.

Anyone who does not believe that this country is already paying a high cost covering ER visits by those who do not have health insurance is a fool. A FOOL.

[FreakinDJ]

15. About 20% of what America pays for Health Care

Hospitals charge an extra 20% on every thig to cover Un-Reimbuersed (uninsured) Medical Cost

[hedgehog]

25. Don't forget, someone who is treated in advance for diabetes,

heart disease or whatever remains an economic asset. Someone who ends up with a sever heart attack or amputation may end up on disability.

[elocs]

27. This is what makes it difficult to suss out the truly great savings of healthcare

through a primary health provider as opposed to trips to the ER when things have gone badly wrong. The cost of prevention and treatment early on must certainly pale with the cost of repeated ER visits and the treatment of a disease or condition that is advanced. We need to have a true comparison of costs between what kind of healthcare we have now and what kind of healthcare we could have.

[TellTheTruth82]

36. but part of the problem

is changing the culture in America with regards to treatment. This is a bit off the point you made (however it is tangential), but how many obese people go to the doctor to try and change their lifestyle? (and I'm just using the obese as an example, there are plenty of others out there)). The real cost comes in caring for these people because they haven't done what's necessary to become fit and trim. There will be no change under any health care reform unless we change this kind of mindset.

This is also an argument against those who say we have the most expensive healthcare system but not the best. Other countries (for the most part) have gotten over this hurdle through education and whatnot.

[Captain Hilts]

2. A friend of mine thought that individuals buying health insurance got the same deal as those

getting it from the same company, but through an employer.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

11. Wait -

What?

No, seriously.

What?

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

3. You can go the emergency room for immediate treatment

if you're having a heart attack, but you won't get bypass surgery there if that's what you need. At the ER they stabilize you and keep you from dropping dead, if possible. But that's it.

If you have cancer you can't get chemotherapy or surgery for it in the ER; you have to wait until you are bleeding internally or something, and then it will be too late.

If you have a bad back you can't get disc surgery in the ER. If you need knee or hip replacement surgery you can't get it in the ER; you just have to keep limping until you can't walk any more.

If you have diabetes you can't get your regular insulin shots in the ER; you have to fall into a diabetic coma and then they will treat you.

You can't get a mammogram or a colonoscopy or CAT scan or an MRI in the ER. You can't get prenatal care or flu shots or vaccinations at the ER.

If you're in an accident you can get stitches or burn treatment, but you can't get reconstructive surgery for the scars. You can't get prosthetics if you've lost a limb.

In other words, for probably 90% of all medical conditions you can't get treatment if your only recourse is the ER. Your sister-in-law is an idiot -- and she can't be treated for that anywhere.

[tabatha]

4. Your comment should be a post by itself. Very good.

Make people understand what emergency room service does and does not mean.

[Mind_your_head]

7. Yes, this post should be a thread all it's own!

:applause:

And the final sentence is two :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

[Tangerine LaBamba]

12. I must say this to what you posted here -

[YewNork]

20. And regardless of whether you have the money to pay for it or not, they will bill you

And if you don't pay it, it will end up going to a collection agency, where unless you have absolutely no savings, you will be forced to pay it.

[knixphan]

34. Bravo!

:toast:

[YewNork]

35. Bookmarked for the next time someone throws the "Hospitals can't refuse to treat you" line at me.

[Grey]

5. That may be true, But

as my cousin said, shortly before she dropped dead in a Safeway parking lot, "What's the point if you can't afford the medication they prescribe?"

[Inspired]

6. Oh yeah! Like my husband's $1000.00 thumb injury. This is with insurance folks.

The local walk in clinic could have taken care of this injury for a whopping $20.00 co-pay. For some reason the on call doctor didn't want to touch it. The emergency room doctor was appalled that they sent my husband to the emergency room. He knew that the costs for him to put 2 stitches in would be huge in comparison to the injury.

Yes, emergency rooms are necessary for life and death situations. They should not be used for anything else, unless you want to go bankrupt. It took me months to pay off that stupid bill.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

18. So your husband went to the ER and only got 2 stitches from an ER doc and you had to pay 1,000?

My wife went several times for dog bites had x-rays, consults, debridement, stitches, Tetanus shots and antibiotics and our bill was never more than $500. You really should check and make sure there wasn't a mistake on the bill.

David

[YewNork]

21. Three stitches in a Florida ER about 5 years go cost $2,500.

At least that is what they billed my insurer. Whether the insurer paid them that, or negotiated a lower price I don't know.
I was living in Canada at the time, and I purchased "out of country" health insurance to cover me while visiting the US. I
needed three stitches in my ear at an ER in Florida and the bill I received from the ER was for $2,500.

I submitted to the insurer and never heard anything else.

[Inspired]

24. Yep, that is correct. There was first a deductible to pay, then the 80/20 rule set it.

It was around $1000.00.

My insurance is pretty good. Your's must be better.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

28. No x-rays, no hand surgeon, nothing special?

[YewNork]

29. My $2,500 stitches were done by a nurse practitioner.

A doctor came in and inspected them, but that's all.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

30. I guess competition does reduce costs. There are 6 hospitals within 30 minutes of my house.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

32. So the bill was over $5,000?

[Inspired]

33. Yes, I believe there were x-rays. The end result was a couple stitches and a huge ass bill.

edited for spelling.

[iamjoy]

8. I Don't Want To Pay For That

screw that, I don't want to pay for you to get care at the emergency room, like it will if you can't/won't pay. ERs are inefficient and cost a fortune!

No, but I don't mind helping to pay for you to go see a nurse practitioner or physician's assistant to help keep you healthy.

Oh, BTW - my reference to nurse practitioners and physicians assistants has nothing to do with ability to pay. I think we need to look at ways to lower the cost of care in this country. One way may be for routine care to be handled by competent medical professionals other than MDs.

[hedgehog]

26. I'm thinking that if a lot more people get coverage, we're

going to need more health professionals for things like well baby visits and routine follow-ups. Nurse Practitioners and Physicians' assistants can fill that gap far more quickly than doctors.

[havocmom]

9. Gee, if the ER could fix stupid, your SIL should go

Thanks for a good illustration of why the lobbyists can get away with the crap they are pulling on the American people.

[Kahuna]

10. Are you supposed to go to the emergency room to get treated for cancer..

or high blood pressure...or diabetes?

[YewNork]

22. At this point, the average uninformed person would say

that it's not their fault you followed an unhealthy lifestyle that led you to get cancer or diabetes.

But, they forget about people who have diseases or conditions without having done anything to cause them.
People who get Multiple Sclerosis, or Type 1 Diabetes, or Parkinson's Disease, or who have Epilepsy,
or Autism, or Down's Syndrome, or a hundred other things that weren't brought on by any specific
action. They just happen, and people end up being uninsurable because of them.

Unfortunately, because the majority of people have insurance, our health system has morphed into a system
that has become unaffordable for those who can't get insurance.

[Naturyl]

13. Good to know your sister in-law wants only the best for you.

Health insurance for me, but not for thee.

Even the concept of family means less in this post Reagan "me first" culture.

[rwheeler31]

14. I wonder if any congress critters have been in an emergency

room.

[Wickerman]

16. Excellent, all the poor without insurance should use ER's, too

and not worry about the bill. Ooops, that is already happening. Idiots like your SiL don't get that we already pay for those who can't afford healthcare. Hospitals sure as hell aren't going to eat the losses.

[Shagbark Hickory]

17. It's like I've been saying.... The freeloading republicans don't even have insurance either.

They go to the ER to get their free healthcare.

[TellTheTruth82]

37. kinda contradictory to this entire thread - don't you think?

[Historic NY]

19. Yeah and you could be dead when they get to you too because of the wait.

[WVRICK13]

23. You Can't Choose Your Relatives

Is she brain dead or just a Republican? Ooops wait, their the same thing.

[iverglas]

31. how come only 4 recommendations?

Just gave it mine -- half of which goes to The Velveteen Ocelot's post. ;)