Hazer-Re: Health costs in the USA

In America, we have what is called charity care for people who are under or uninsured.

Non profit charities raise money in order to help people with their medical bills. Low income families can receive their medication free or at a low cost.

If I were to have a medical emergency and ended up in an Emergency room at a hospital, they could not refuse me care. Sometimes people are transferred to county hospitals but if life saving measures are needed, they must be performed.

In King County, the area where Seattle is located in Washington state, we have community health centers which offer care on a sliding scale according to one's income.

If surgery is needed, one is referred to a hospital that gives charity care so your bill is either eliminated or greatly reduced.

It pays to live near a major city though, that way you have access to specialty hospitals.

Transplant care is possible at a lower fee. We have agencies which sponsor fund raising drives to help defer the cost of say, a lung transplant.

People have to be aware of their health care options in the country. Social workers may be able to assist.

I have known people who have had major surgeries performed free of cost here.

Television is television. Take it with a grain of salt.

Donnaiel

Just chiming in from the crohns board (hit yours by mistake somehow and love this topic) the free services donnaeil refers to are usually for the VERY poor. If you are middle class and lose your insurance and have a pre-existing condition there really isn't much you can do. And forget just going into endless debt for a needed (but not emergency) surgery. Many hospitals require pre-payment or a down payment up front. There was just an article about a woman who was denied chemo while her husband tried to find money for a down payment because they had lost their insurance. I am not saying socialized medicine is the best plan either... we just need a system where ANYONE can find health insurance regardless of employment status and health status.