[Phlegmscope]

Unlike you, we here in the civilized world...

[Pookie]

What kind of backward country do you all live in?!

Whatever the good and bad of this country, that fucking Xrist for a decent health service.

You should all leave that shithole and come over here.

[Lamont Cranston]

Actually isn't there a new documentary about this? Some economist or something going around to various countries in Europe and Asia asking their healthcare planners and so on if people go bankrupt paying their medical bills, the reaction is usually shock - they've never heard of such a thing.

[terriblecanyons]

Originally Posted by floatingslowly

just like taking money / services on credit and not paying for them.

nobody took yr money. you went to the hospital and they fixed up yr foot, and now they want to be paid for it.

I sat in the waiting room for 4 hours in agonizing pain. They moved me to one of those partitioned emergency rooms. I waited there for 45 minutes. The doctor came in, said he'd do some x-rays, and left. Never saw him again. I got x-rays done and was told my foot wasn't broken. They tried to make me walk out of the hospital, and got pissy when I said no.
Next day they call and tell me they fucked up, it was actually broken.

Now tell me why I have to pay that bill.

Originally Posted by floatingslowly

almost every city has a community hospital that serves the uninsured public (these are mostly teaching hospitals).

just like any service you wish to buy, it's yr responsibility to be informed prior to "the purchase". it's really no different than taking yr car to the mechanic (except the mechanic can put a lein on yr shit if you don't pay).

I still insist that local Medicaid assistance is available for Ms. Crayons, but she needs to put forth the effort to secure it. some hospitals have patient advocates that assist with this.

PS: I don't work for an insurance company. I do billing for clinical services.

Trust me. I looked into it when I found out the doctor bill for the bone doctor would be. We looked into every nook and cranny to get me SOME sort of insurance, applied for all of them, and was rejected.

[afterthefact]

My credit is shot. SHOT, I tell you.

It's sort of nice now. I'm not buying stuff I don't need, and if I do, I get the good feeling of knowing I saved up and paid cash for it, instead of making promises to pay later.