Comments on: Emergency Care – Where’s The Line?

By: Teresa

Teresa — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 04:45:23 +0000

Cindy, I’m right there with you except for one thing. If we don’t allow people to be turned away from the ER, then the doctors and facility should be paid by “us” for treatment rendered. I oppose unfunded mandates. If we’re going to impose a duty on someone to treat poor people, then we need to pay for it.

By: Cindy Anderson

Cindy Anderson — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 16:29:35 +0000

I do not think any emergency room should turn someone away. But I do think we should deport many people here illegally who should be receiving treatment in their own countries and not costing the American taxpayer. I fault our government for not deporting them. And I do fault the many people who can afford health insurance who don’t purchase it and then can’t pay when something catastrophic happens. I am angry that US citizens like myself have had to pay thousands of dollars in healthcare expenses with insurance since I have cancer when these people here illegally usually pay nothing. I have a friend whose brother is a OB in Texas and he said the illegals crossing the border to have anchor babies has bankrupted his hospital since they don’t pay. My daughter had to save up money to pay the birth of her child and she and her husband work very hard. It is not unfair and not right. The largest population of people here illegally live in Mexico which is ranked the 14th developing nation in the world…it is really not a poor nation but the oligarchic form of government refuses to fairly provide for its people. Why don’t we put pressure on the Mexican government to take care of their own…funny, they are very strict on illegal immigration in their own country and do not give immediate citizenship if a child is born there but criticize any US citizen who does not believe we should allow it. And one more thing, my primary doctor is a coptic Christian Egyptian…he left because of much repression of Egyptian Christians in his country. He has waited 10 years to become a US citizen and is one of the finest doctors I know…he saved my life when I had surgery. He takes nothing for free but gives back to the US constantly and feels his citizenship is a privilege not a right. Why should someone like him have to wait 10 years for citizenship while people who break our laws and use our resources expect to receive citizenship while not following our laws. Sorry call me hardhearted..I believe in fairness and justice. But turn anyone sick away in an ER that can not pay, I don’t think that is humane. We must stand strong on our government to deport people here illegally where they can receive treatment in their own country when they need it.

By: Carol

Carol — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 21:44:24 +0000

Dontae’s mother should not be upset about being questioned about insurance coverage upon their arrival at the hospital. It is standard procedure. Whether she likes it or not, the hospital would like to know how it will be paid. Private insurance pays quickly; Medicare A and B are also quick payors, but Medicaid, paying the least amount of money, very little in fact, can take one to two years to pay for services. Dontae’s mother must realize that in the meantime the hospital has a payroll to meet and bills to be paid, along with property taxes, etc. It amazes me that people pay personally for life insurance, homeowners’ insurance, renters’ insurance, auto insurance, even motorcycle insurance, but they balk at paying for health insurance, the one thing that makes it possible for them to enjoy their homes, vehicles, etc. More and more often I believe that Americans, particularly the 20 to 45-somethings, are permanently ‘stuck on stupid’.

By: ER RN

ER RN — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 11:39:16 +0000

Well I dont want to be taxed to pay for everyone elses health care. I work and I pay for health insurance for my family. Since when is it my responsibility to take care of everyone else in America? Grow up and be responsible for yourself. If you can’t do that then whatever happens to ya happens to ya; NOT MY PROBLEM. Its about time to embrace Darwinism and stop preventing it.

By: Nurse K

Nurse K — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 02:51:56 +0000

Dontae’s mother took him to the emergency department at the University of Chicago where she alleges that they began asking her about their insurance soon after they arrived. Dontae’s mom works and he has medical coverage through the Illinois Medicare program.

Um, duhr? Everyone gets asked about insurance information when they arrive; that’s called ‘registration’.

I assume you meant ‘Medicaid’ BTW.

By: k

Thu, 26 Feb 2009 02:41:56 +0000

Chicago Public Radio airs UCMC management's explanation of the Dontae Saga

By: bwg

bwg — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 00:55:42 +0000

You crazy Americans and your crazy healthcare model. I read these blogs daily and still struggle to fathom it out.

My daughter got knocked over. An ambulance was called, we were rushed to hospital, she was X rayed, monitored, ECG, blood pressure, regular obs till it was apparent that 10yr old children who are not anticipating impact do indeed bounce, even when thrown about 12ft upon impact…we were then discharged with the usual routine warning signs to look for.

None of this cost me a penny on the day. My income is taxable, and National Insurance is payable. Both are deducted before I get my monthly wage. Money goes from those deductions to facilitate our healthcare model. Yes it is abused at times. But your system appears open to abuse too, and frankly if more sick people are treated than there are people who abuse then it’s going good.

However, three things are not (always) covered by the salary contributions….drug prescriptions, depending on imcome, eyecare in terms of spectacles and eye tests, and dental work. Dental work is subsidised if you are fortunate enough to find an NHS dentist but they are few and far between. I can’t grap why my teeth and eyes, which are both firmly located in my body, are not regarded similarly to a broken ankle, or a sleep disorder…

Surely Dontae’s injury while not immediately life threatening, would result in some significant scarring, which in turn if left untreated might give rise to infection, and if not that, could give rise to scarring which in turn could precipitate low self esteem, depression, etcetera? Here (UK) Dontae would have been assessed, admitted and probably , as it is a facial injury, been treated by a plastic surgeon.

What do you think will work for the USA? Do you regard our model as a success?

By: tyro

tyro — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 20:08:09 +0000

Exactly! And that’s who would be reduced most by a single-payer, gov’t system.

By: Doc99

Doc99 — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 18:12:05 +0000

The wealth is being spread all right. The money is going from the Government, Consumers and Employers, not to Doctors, but to the Health Insurance Monopsony.

By: tyro

tyro — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 17:47:03 +0000

Toni, I wonder how you can point out folks losing insurance and then say we shouldn’t be taking care of everyone. Spreading the wealth is already occuring; right now, I already subsidize emergency care rather than preventative care for uninsured through my health insurance premiums and my taxes. The money has to come from somewhere, and the more we deny the need for universal health care that is not associated with employment the more people we’ll have with no insurance forced into using already stretched EDs, AND letting their health problems go until they are much more expensive to care for.

I’m not sure why we hate universal health care so much when both the UK and Canada have it, and we’re somewhat culturally similar. I’d rather pay higher taxes but have a working economy (since GM wouldn’t have to pay for health care) and no worries that I’ll have access. I don’t buy the ‘rationing’ myth as I already have to wait 4 to 5 months for a PMD apointment, or the ‘government will make decisions for doctors’ myth as we already have JCAHO. Seems we have the worst of both worlds.

Worried about wealth being spread? It’s already happening, IMHO.