[lightbyte]

>Surely if people know they could be fined thousands for simple treatments like stitches they avoid medical care altogether?

This is what happened to myself. I've had persistent breathing problems and the last time I went to a specialist for it they charged me $3,000 to breathe in a tube for 15 seconds and say they don't have any ideas as to what was wrong. I haven't been back and try to ignore the fact that I have trouble breathing daily.

[heywire]

Same with me and these random chest pains I get. I've wiped out my HSA, still not close to meeting my deductible. Hooked up to an EKG for 15 minutes and monitored for an hour in the ER? That'll be $5k. 15 minutes on a treadmill with an EKG attached for a stress test? That's $2.2k. I would continue to pursue until I had an answer, but I simply can't afford it.

[gscott]

There are two options for you you can set up a fake business and buy health insurance for your employees as long as you have two such as you and your spouse. Another option is to visit a private urgent care clinic. The doctors and prices at urgent care are usually pretty good. Make sure the urgent care is not attached to a hospital.

[EForEndeavour]

Your anecdote reads like something out of a Neal Stephenson novel, writing style and all.