[UA] A question

[brighoff at lexecon.com]

IIRC, there is a federal law (with a jazzy acronym) which requires hospitals to
treat anyone in danger of dying, regardless of condition to pay.  Gunshots and
knife wounds in the neck would qualify.  There are some caveats, however.  First
of all, the hospital has to have an emergency room open to trauma.  Second, the
person actually has to get to the hospital.  There was a bit of a stink in
Chicago a while back when someone died on the sidewalk right outside.  The
hospital's liability would not allow them to treat him.  Thankfully, if he gets
his ass in ambulance, his ability to pay will not affect his initial treatment.

Keep in mind I did say initial treatment.  After he's stable, the hospital can
move him to one preferred by his insurance.  If he has no insurance (which seems
likely, from what you say), then they are only obligated by law to patch him up
enough that he won't die.  He may qualify for Medicaid, which is socialized
medicine in a country without socialized medicine.  He may have to declare
himself indigent, and he'll probably end up paying something.

Of course, he will be visited by the police, but that's a different kettle of
fish.

Ben Brighoff



|--------+----------------------->
|        |          "Ronnie      |
|        |          Grahn"       |
|        |          <zyko at telia.c|
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|        |          12/15/00     |
|        |          12:32 PM     |
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  |       Subject:     [UA] A question                      |
  >---------------------------------------------------------|






Hello!
I'm wondering about medical care in the US (especially Texas if it's very
different from the other states).
One of my pc got seriously injured (knife stabbed in the throat, shot in the
stomach and severly beaten) and he's just a poor Bodybag.
How does it work in the states if you'r dirt poor like Mr. Bodybag is? Will
he get the treatment and then be handed a BIG bill? Or do they have some
kind of quota for non-paying customers (this is what watching ER has told
me)?

Keep up the good work

/Ronnie


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