FWIW,
I'm totally "pro Bono" now. Mary is a spectacular woman, isn't she? I've always thought so.
best,
Flea
Ouch -- that's a painful pun for this early in the morning!
Great minds think alike
But sometimes the links don't work: check out Jan 29th on my blog.
Wow, I must say I never even thought of being forced to treat someone for nothing. That's totally unreasonable. Can these people turn around and sue you if something goes wrong? Tax credits sound like a good idea.
Mimi
Tax credits? How about a free-for-life gas card!
Great to know this bill is out there. It'll become part of my standard soap-box speech.
Since illegal aliens in the US account for a significant amount of the economic losses under EMTALA, taxpayers asked to constantly pick up the bill for care are starting to rebel.
Good for them. There's no free lunch.
I tried getting Sen. Bill Frist interested in this (when he still had a majority and influence in the senate) a few years ago with no reply from his office. It makes too much sense to happen with Democrats in control.
I think this is a great start, and will contact my rep. to encourage their support for this bill. The ER docs shouldn't be forced to just absorb this revenue loss.
If we got tax credits based on medicare rates for completely uncompensated care, two great things would happen.
1) I would get all my tax money back (as a trauma surgeon I do ~30% free care)
2) The problem of the uninsured would essentially go away as doctors would LOVE to take care of them for at least a good percentage of their practice.
It sounds like a logical request to me...
That's actually a really brilliant idea.
as a younger generation cares less and less about insurance- the problem of uncompensated care is only going to get worse.
I think a lot of it would be helped by people taking a more responsible role in their insurance practices- but of course, that would mean that people would have to care about healthcare- have it easy to access, etc. I'm trying to figure that out myself.
What do you think?
Allison
I thought docs only had to deal with EMTALA when they accepted federal money or their employers did.
If that's the case, and you don't want to do that, why don't you just quit taking the govt.'s money and you won't have to put up with their requirements for that money?
I thought of you when my emergency room visit bill arrived yesterday. I had fallen, got a bloody nose -- and 30 hours later got what I thought was the flu. But unsure, I went to the walk-in clinic in case I had a concussion. They refused to see me, sent me to the ER because they said they could care for me better.
The ER doc walked in, asked if I blacked out when I fell, I said no, and he said you probably have the flu. I didn't need an ER doc to tell me that. The clinic would have done just fine.
So what did he do? He ran every test in the book for $$$. Then he hooked me up to an IV just to be "safe" I didn't dehydrate -- and I got the bill yesterday.
$1,039.00 for a two hour, routine visit.
Absurd! I'm sure the ER doc didn't see much of that money-- and the hospital took it all.
As a patient, we need reform. This is insane! Not that I blame you. You are probably well aware, but those prices are ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous.
Eyes for Lies, you're right, the physician probably didn't see any of that. You'll get a separate bill for the physicians fee.
As a urologist, I see much less of this than you do, but my fair share.
As to the question as to whether they could sue, the short answer is yes.
Aggravated can tell me what he thinks, but I am pretty sure percentage wise you are more likely to be sued by someone who does not have insurance and can not pay than someone with insurance.
we should really be talking about the unconstitutionality of EMTALA and the "hold harmless" HMO clauses that violate the contract clause and involuntary servitude sections of the supreme law of the land. begging for tax credits obscures the real issue.
i am more than happy to provide charity care to the needy, but coercion is THEFT and SLAVERY.
yourhumbleservant MD
My right eye bled out while I was eating lunch 6 mos ago. I would liked to have seen an ophthalmologist in the ER--but he wouldn't come. He just told the resident or attending or hospitalist or whatever the heck she was to tell me I was having a vitreous hemorrhage and to go to the doc on Monday. Six mos, three surgeries later, with my eye on the line, I think of how I would have liked to have talked to a specialist that day. You see, I was scared and didn't know what I was facing.
I like your delicious martini pix, but have to say, almost everything wrong with me has come from something some doctor did or didn't do--adhesions, the eye (warfarin I prob didn't need), amiodarone (almost died). I could go on.
My take home message? People are scared in the ER. You know the first thing docs have asked me there twice? "Will your insurance pay me?"
The New Life Detoxification program uses vitamins, minerals, exercise, and sweating to rid the body of drug residues. Drug residue within the body triggers cravings and withdrawal symptoms. The sauna detox program at Stone Hawk lessens the body
’s cravings, helps manage withdrawal symptoms, and clears the student’s head in order to best take advantage of the life skills courses.
The Drug Rehabilitation Center program offered at Stone Hawk focus's on providing students all the necessary skills and tools that are needed to re-enter general society at the completion of the program. The student
’s take a series of life skill classes, in which the progress through at their own pace. Each classes gets the student prepared for the next class, the purpose of this series of classes is to provide the student with an understanding of their addiction, the causes, and their solutions. Giving the student the skill and tools they need in order to maintain a drug free life.
We feel that our program addresses all aspects of addiction, eliminating the need for on-going meetings. Stone Hawk instead provides aftercare programs that help students transition back into society.
Commenting by HaloScan
