[lynn85]

I know that ER's have to treat patients reguardless of their ability to pay (right)? But what about cancer patients, diabetics, etc who don't have health insurance, medicare...?

I'm asking because a girl at my school despertley needed a heart transplant. Since she didn't have health insurance or the money to pay up front she was unable to get on the transplant list or receive surgery. Her family and friends were able to fundraise a significant amount of money but unfortantly she died before they raised enough. I was just wondering if this was an isolated incident, or if potential transplant patients have different regulations?

[Daytonite]

If someone in the U.S. doesn't have, or can't afford, private health insurance, then they need to apply for MedicAid. If they qualify, they can get the care they need. However, I think that it still takes some time for the application to be processed and approved. If they don't qualify, then they are SOL. It happens more than you can imagine.

Also, once you are discovered to have a major medical problem, even if you could purchase a private medical insurance policy, most of the carriers have a stipulation that they do not cover an existing condition. So, again, the person would be SOL.

There is a big gap in health care coverage in our country. It's one of the reasons many leaders are looking for ways to correct this problem. It will, however, take years to resolve. Look at what happened when the Clintons tried to do something when he first got into the Presidency. It got shot down. For this reason, it is very wise to have health insurance. This is one of the benefits of many jobs, particularly in nursing that you want to look for when you are out there job hunting. I think as time progresses we are going to see some health care insurance reform that will allow everyone to be covered in some way or another. Money and funding are always at the heart of it.

[Tweety]

I'm sorry to hear about your friend. I didn't realize that you needed insurance to get on a donor list.

Daytonite, not everyone who doesn't have or can afford insurance get MedicAid. Some middle class/lower middle class people make too much money, yet find it difficult for whatever reason to afford the high premiums.

[Daytonite]

Originally Posted by Tweety

Daytonite, not everyone who doesn't have or can afford insurance get MedicAid. Some middle class/lower middle class people make too much money, yet find it difficult for whatever reason to afford the high premiums.

I know. That's why I said "they need to apply for MedicAid. If they qualify, they can get the care they need". There are a lot of reasons why someone can't qualify for MedicAid, financial status is one of them. There are others as well.

[lynn85]

Yea, it sounds like changes do need to be made.

[Jenny67]

Just a FYI:

If you do not have medical insurance apply for your states insurance program, if you are not approved save the denial letter and go to the local hospital that you frequent/or would use in an event of an emergency and request their sliding scale paperwork.

I work in a Family Practice that is owned by a hospital, we have many, many patients who receive sliding scale which depending on finances, family size etc helps immensly in the office and if they have to visit the hospital.

Jenny