Assuming nobody else is at fault
They’ll fix everyone at the ER.
But you get a ridiculous bill, then likely “settle” for a much lower amount of if you’re truly pennyless, you just never pay it and eventually the hospital gives up and uses it as a tax write off.
It’s a shit system
It’ll also wreck your credit, and if you’re unlucky they’ll sell your debt off to debt collectors to harass you and your family. Even if they’ve died. And then the truly desperate will sometimes commit heath insurance fraud making the system even more immensely fucked for everyone except for the hospitals and insurance companies
Not exactly. Medical debt is different compared to retail debt like credit cards. It still sucks but the rules are different to protect people at least a little bit.
Yep. Medical debt is often not calculated into your credit score by the credit agencies, either, though not in all cases. Or if it is calculated in, it is heavily weighted against so it doesn’t cause much damage.
And it makes sense. Credit score is supposed to be a judge of your credit worthniess based on your history seeking credit and repaying debts. While medical debt is legitimate debt, it isn’t credit seeking behavior in the way an auto loan is. You didn’t choose to take it on, it would be inaccurate to take a trip to the ER into account when determining your credit seeking habits.
The big story in my city a while back was a shitty debt collector that stole money from a guy’s bank account.
‘It is like robbery’: A debt collector wrongly wiped out an Oregon man’s entire bank account
According to court records, the debt collector said Salazar owed money for treatment at Providence Portland Medical Center in late 2007 and 2008. Providence claimed it sent 26 billing statements and six financial assistance applications to the home address provided by the patient. The unpaid bills for six emergency room visits originally totaled $4,750 but have since ballooned to more than $14,000 after costs, fees and interests associated with the debt collection.
Salazar tried explaining to Professional Credit Service that he didn’t have the money to pay, but a customer service representative seemed unsympathetic.
“They did not care if my brother is sick and this is going to put us on the street,” explained Salazar. “They did not care.”
In April, Salazar filled out court papers challenging the garnishment. It temporarily froze his bank account, preventing the debt collector from taking any more money. At the same time, it kept Salazar from accessing much needed funds, including his paycheck, which is electronically deposited into the account.
I feel like a lot of people ignore collection agencies when they advise others to “just not pay.” Yeah you could probably get away without paying, but you and your entire family will be harassed nonstop. There’s been few things more chilling to me than a stranger calling me out of the blue with my sister’s name and info telling me to get her to settle up (thankfully just a small amount).
I’ve been telling people that the notion that the ER lets poor people die in the US is false; instead, they make you wish you did.
ER patches you up, you get a large bill, you declare bankruptcy, life goes on.
The question you should ask is, what happens if you have no insurance and you develop a serious chronic illness.
The point of a bankruptcy is to move on. You start off at zero again, but you can start building up assets again.
As far as the health issues go, because of the bankruptcy and the ACA you probably qualify for medical care under one of the programs.
Yeah, you get fucked over pretty good. Life goes on because you’re not dead. But everything you had, everything you worked for, is gone. You are left literally with life, not with your life.
For all its faults the ability for an individual to declare bankruptcy sounds like a rather good thing in the US and something we don’t have in Finland. Granted we don’t have that level of healthcare bills either but if you somehow get youself millions into debt here it sticks with you your whole life.
Emergenty rooms in hospitals are legaly required to help all patieints, so you would recieve care. Usually until you are able to leave the hospital. You would not receive followup care without going to the emergecy room, or paying cash. You would be billed for all services, usually at a higher rate than insured patients
What kind of care is the question. Often times stabilize and terf em is the name of the game.
My wife worked in the ER for a few months and had to change departments because of a mental breakdown.
Understaffed, abused, and a huge chunk of people who are in the ER are desperate and came there as a last resort because of our fucked up healthcare system.
Not to mention the unstable. Say what you want, but I can count a dozen times where patients threatened to harm my wife for providing care.
Holy shit what the actual fuck is your health care system America. This thread is nightmare fuel.
We’re a cruel people, and the majority think you’re not entitled to anything you can’t pay cash for.
If someone calls an ambulance and you’re unconscious they will take you the hospital for treatment. You will be responsible for the bill. Including the thousands of dollars for the ambulance ride.
And no, even though you were unconscious and not able to consent to treatment willingly you will still be responsible for the bill. There are ways of dealing with it, but one accident is all it takes for a ruined credit score for some people. It is as fucked up as it sounds.
There are ways of waiving bills, getting financial assistance etc but it’s a total nightmare dealing with hospital billing departments
If I’m unconscious indoors in a safe place then leave me alone I’ll wake up eventually
