In case it hasn't been obvious on its face to everyone but teabaggers, here's but one example of the stupidity of the oft-heard Republican claim that American health care coverage is already universal, because we have emergency rooms for the uninsured.
TEXAS CITY — A woman injured in a wreck by a wrong-way driver claims a hospital’s $20,211 fee is unreasonable for four hours of examination and diagnostic tests.
[...]
According to Torres’ court filing, her hospital chart showed her total treatment time was 4 hours and 2 minutes.
“She was not admitted as an inpatient, and her treatment consisted of an examination and diagnostic testing,” the filing claims.
The hospital filed a lien on her property in Galveston County, the filing claims.
I can tell you -- and so can anyone else in the medical profession or anyone who's made a trip to the ER -- that this is anything but a singular experience. And yet the impenetrable wall of noise from the RWS™ and Fox "news" drowns out what ought to be easily-understood reality. Hence, unencumbered by any voice of reason from our so-called "liberal" media, and ineffectively retorted by D politicians, R candidates, to a man, proudly proclaim -- to the cheers of those most at risk of medical bankruptcy in their lifetimes -- their plans to undo The Affordable Care Act the minute they plunk their asses in the Oval Office.
Best health care in the world. What a country!
This is a complicated issue, from one standpoint, everyone in the U.S. (regardless of whether or not he/she is a citizen) is entitled to some form of care. If I recall, per EMTALA regulations, hospitals cannot refuse to provide treatment (which may only include a diagnosis) to a person who enters the facility's emergency room. Additionally, all non-profit hospitals are required to provide communities with a certain amount of uncompensated care (which usually takes the form of charity care). Finally, community health centers will treat low income patients free of charge.
ReplyDeleteWith that said, the current system is horribly inefficient and does not meet the health needs of a large portion of the U.S. population, thereby resulting in thousands of deaths per year and a lower quality of life for millions more in the U.S. The inefficiencies in the system also cost Americans billions in wasted healthcare costs, but that is a topic for another time...
The 'Accountable Care Act' provisions should resolve some of these issues (for American citizens anyway); however, as with any new (and expansive) bill, it will likely have unintended consequences (some good and some bad).
Yes, as these politicians are so fond of telling us, anyone can visit an emergency room. What they fail to mention is that you still have to pay for it, and ER treatment is not cheap.
ReplyDeleteAnd just try getting a refill for your blood pressure meds in the ER, or a PAP smear, or a prostate exam, or a skin cancer screening, or...