Have you ever been expected to pay when leaving the ER?

[longboard55]

They really need to fix the ER situation. Everytime we go its like 75% of the people have no business being there and should be at an urgent care. But the urgent care doctors love to send you to the ER if it is after hours or something they do not have the right machine for,

 

[ronandannette]

Never

Our system definitely has its shortcomings, but never once in my life given even a second's thought to the "price" of any needed service. It's a huge blessing.

 

[Chili327]

Back in 2000 (my late 20’s early 30’s) I got into an accident off roading in the desert in CA, and they airlifted me to a Las Vegas hospital, where I was treated for broken ribs and a collapsed lung, after my 7 day stay they handed me a bill for $38k. The helicopter alone cost $8k.
At that time I had no credit, no emergency fund, nothing but a full time job (without benefits), and they said Medi-Cal wouldn’t help because I was treated at a hospital in Nevada, and Medicaid wouldn’t help because I was a resident in CA, so I filed bankruptcy… About 25 years ago.

 

[OhMari]

I have an auto immune disease that put me in the ER a few times. I remember throwing up and a clerk with a roll cart came in, waiting for me, and asked for the $100 co-payment. I told her, I met my out of pocket deductible and out of pocket payment and she didn't care. She told me, I will be reimbursed if that was the case, but for now, it was cash, check or credit card. In Wisconsin, this is pretty much common practice at all the ER's.

 

[chicagodisneyfan]

At Northwestern in Chicago, I have had a person and a laptop come in - and they give me an estimate of what my charges will be (depending on my co-pay and whether I have met my deductible) - and ask how I want to handle. I have always paid it then and there - not sure what happens if someone says no?

 

[RedAngie]

At Northwestern in Chicago, I have had a person and a laptop come in - and they give me an estimate of what my charges will be (depending on my co-pay and whether I have met my deductible) - and ask how I want to handle. I have always paid it then and there - not sure what happens if someone says no?

I think it’s against policy and the law to refuse medical attention if a person declines to pay up front.

There are programs for indigent patients and those with means can be sued for non payment.

 

[CdnCarrie]

Nope. Canada.....

 

[DL1WDW2]

To further complicate Make sure the payment is used with the patient’s credit info…
Technically if you make a payment for somebody else, you might legally have just accepted responsibility in case of death of patient.
And they will immediately start Calling !
I am not a lawyer so I am not certain but would love further discussion with more expert advice .
Thanks

To further explain my experience…my husband passed away (2018) and I received a phone call
I asked the person to wait while I got a pencil & & paper. ( Before scammers took over )…
They were asking for payment that would prevent the amount going into default with further penalty.
When I asked them to identify the Business they said they were not allowed to disclose personal info …So I said if you will not identify yourself, I will not identify myself and hung up.
I never heard from them again but I think it is best to be prepared for Emergency Issues.
Just don’t volunteer without understanding .

 

[TiggerTrigger]

I think it's very common with high deductible plans. I've usually been asked to pay $100-250 at the hospital/ER and then I get hit with the big bill in the mail after the fact.

 

[disneychrista]

They really need to fix the ER situation. Everytime we go its like 75% of the people have no business being there and should be at an urgent care. But the urgent care doctors love to send you to the ER if it is after hours or something they do not have the right machine for,

Unfortunately not everyone has access to a walk in urgent care, we have no choice but to go to the ER.

 

[Kitty 34]

Unfortunately not everyone has access to a walk in urgent care, we have no choice but to go to the ER.

That's us. The urgent care is open 8 to 8.

 

[disneychrista]

That's us. The urgent care is open 8 to 8.

We don't even have an urgent care at all in my town. And getting a doctors appointment is usually a week or so out.

 

[barkley]

when I worked in civil service I was loaned out to another county to sit on scoring panels for the oral exams for their civil service hiring lists. once I sat for 2 or 3 days on one for the classification of hospital billing clerk (that county's main hospital was county owned and all employees were civil service). it was fascinating to speak to the 'experts' on the panel who actually knew the in's and out's of the job and some of the rough data. we were told that the most experienced of the staff was assigned to emergency rooms b/c they had the highest default/non payment rate of any hospital department. the experts told us that it was a VERY difficult job and that people who worked in that classification had to develop a 'tough skin' because they bore the brunt of patients/families frustrations and anger at being asked for payment at what could be highly stressful times. MAJOR burnout rate.

 

[Kitty 34]

We don't even have an urgent care at all in my town. And getting a doctors appointment is usually a week or so out.

Yeah, we don't have any in our town; the town where the hospital has an urgent care. Our town has a dentist and that's about it.

 

[RedAngie]

Yeah, we don't have any in our town; the town where the hospital has an urgent care. Our town has a dentist and that's about it.

Yet some areas, including mine, are practically overrun with urgent care centers. It seems a new one opens every six months or so.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

They really need to fix the ER situation. Everytime we go its like 75% of the people have no business being there and should be at an urgent care. But the urgent care doctors love to send you to the ER if it is after hours or something they do not have the right machine for,

I know others have already talked about this but I agree with you and agree with the others.

One of my sister-in-laws was one such person who would often go to the ER instead of the urgent care and I think that's more who you are speaking to (she doesn't seem to do it nearly as much).

That said there were times it was a necessity due to operating hours. One time she was in the ER at 10pm another time at 1am. Around me (and around her as well as she lives near me) you've got a decent amount of urgent care locations. However, some aren't open on Saturday or Sunday, some close at 5pm Monday-Friday, some close at 5pm Saturday or Sunday, others are open until 6:30pm-8pm depending on the location. The latest seems to be 8pm no matter what.

It's the downside to the functionality that urgent care represents which is a situation that could more easily be handled with them as opposed to an ER (as in it's not super serious or very emergent in needs) and where someone couldn't easily get a doctor's appointment. When you are unable to get to urgent care during opening hours and yet need to be seen by someone the ER is kinda your last resort. And as you said urgent care doctors send you to the ER when it's after hours or where they don't have the right things for you.

Urgent care isn't meant to be the full alternative to a doctor's office but isn't meant to be the full alternative to the ER either, it's our weird in the middle place to go in our healthcare system. As a kid I used to always think it was a strange that it wasn't open all that late or for some places not on the weekend, when do kids most often get sick? Often at night, and of course the weekend too. I'm sure you'd see less people in the ER if an urgent care had much later hours and were open steadily during the week but pretty difficult to do that and has been difficult to do that. But I do agree and do know of some people who do not seek out alterative options and just go straight to the ER.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Yet some areas, including mine, are practically overrun with urgent care centers. It seems a new one opens every six months or so.

We have a lot around here too but they seem to be almost like a rotational schedule, not owned by the same people either but it'd be pretty lucky for your area for all the plentiful locations to all be open long hours 7 days a week as opposed to this location is open X-Y days from A-B time and that location a different time with less overlap despite the amount of buildings labeled as urgent care. The pro there is that is can help serve different areas of one's area if staffing doesn't allow for all to be open.

 

[RedAngie]

We have a lot around here too but they seem to be almost like a rotational schedule, not owned by the same people either but it'd be pretty lucky for your area for all the plentiful locations to all be open long hours 7 days a week as opposed to this location is open X-Y days from A-B time and that location a different time with less overlap despite the amount of buildings labeled as urgent care. The pro there is that is can help serve different areas of one's area if staffing doesn't allow for all to be open.

I really don’t know the days or hours of all the urgent cares in my area. One has an electronic sign by the road advertising they are open 6am to 1am 7 days a week.

It’s unlikely that the others have such long hours.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I really don’t know the days or hours of all the urgent cares in my area. One has an electronic sign by the road advertising they are open 6am to 1am 7 days a week.

It’s unlikely that the others have such long hours.

1am would be amazing in terms of service!

 

[Dan Murphy]

I really don’t know the days or hours of all the urgent cares in my area. One has an electronic sign by the road advertising they are open 6am to 1am 7 days a week.

It’s unlikely that the others have such long hours.

We have a very nearby pediatric urgent care by us, open 7 days a week, 8 AM-midnight.