[trimethylpurine]

I didn't say that. But at the very least a nurse or PA will take your vitals while you wait for the doctor. And the doctor will determine when you are low risk enough to be discharged. They aren't taking your vitals in the lobby anywhere I've seen, unless that's where you collapse.

[shiroiushi]

The whole conversation here is about Americans not getting life-saving healthcare, and you haven't refuted my claim. If you need chemotherapy for cancer, for instance, you're not going to get that in an ER. If you need bone reconstruction, you're not going to get that in an ER either. These are things that are done by appointment after consultation with specialists. They're not immediate life-threatening emergencies (you're not going to die in an hour without chemo), so the hospital has no responsibility to provide these treatments to you without regard for payment. Their only obligation is to stabilize you so you can see a specialist later.

[trimethylpurine]

You're right. They will help you get your forms filled out so that you can get the insurance coverage to handle that. It would be a huge oversight to let people walk away who could be a major profit center for the hospital if they'd just fill out the paperwork. It was, of course, the hospital lobby who pushed for a ban on refusing coverage for preexisting conditions. And they did succeed.

That would delay treatment, sadly, same as it would everywhere else in the world. Filling out forms is a barrier to healthcare no matter where you go. That barrier does seem to be bigger in the US. No doubt.

But healthcare is available, it is partly socialized, and given enough effort, it does work for a large majority of cases, as is evidenced by life expectancy.

I think what's unique about the US is that the burden of cost for the average American is put on their employer, which for many is a rich cooperation.

It's a tax on the rich. It's not perfect. But it's far from bad when compared with most other countries. Maybe even all others. Not sure.