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by jmalicki
2278 days ago
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"People will be crushed with medical debt (up to 20k) if they get coronavirus and have no insurance." - will people without insurance be allowed COVID-19 treatment? From what I understand it's emergency only and if you don't have insurance you'll be denied admittance into the ICU as that is not emergency care? |
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It wasn't well received here, but there is technically legislation you can fall back on. Even if uninsured. EMTALA. At a minimum, they have to stabilize you such that you are not in immediate danger of dying. Which, again, severe respiratory distress tends to qualify.
This was the website linking to a battlefield consent card for the uninsured. https://www.rickbradley.com/healthcare
Know your rights. It doesn't mean they have to do much more than that, and be ready to fight and raise all hell if need be if someone gets creative on their definition of "emergency". I'd recommend having your attorney, or the State Attorney General on speed dial, and be on good social terms. Make sure to have someone healthy and willing to fight tooth and nail for you as possible. There are few things as effective as a strong patient advocate who will not back down. Make your arrangements now, while you can.
Also, spread the word to everyone you can, and tell them to do the same. I highly doubt any hospital is going to want to risk the backlash of large swathes of their community slamming them simultaneously. Especially if many do escalate to the Attorney General. It's a pandemic, and they are the people in a position to help.
Note, if you have insurance, don't bother trying anything linked there. It's more of a last resort, and is basically guaranteed to eventually result in legal action to resolve things.
Has not been tested personally, but may well end up happening if I or the SO are unlucky and contract something in the next month or so. Also, I am not a lawyer. Just a guy who reads too much.