Just saw 'Sicko' - Is it true? (unemployed, to buy)
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The Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (42 U.S.C. § 1395dd, EMTALA) is a United States Act of Congress passed in 1986 as part of the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act. It requires hospitals and ambulance services to provide care to anyone needing emergency treatment regardless of citizenship, legal status or ability to pay. There are no reimbursement provisions. As a result of the act, patients needing emergency treatment can be discharged only under their own informed consent or when their condition requires transfer to a hospital better equipped to administer the treatment.
My GOD people, learn a little bit about the topic at hand before you respond - basic insurance mechanics, EMTALA act!!!!! Geez, I'm going back to the politics forum to find people with a clue!
My Daughter was refused service because I did not have my insurance card. Fortunately, 5 mins later my wife showed with the card. Again, when was the last time your were in a Hospital/ER? Try to get service without having a credit card or insurance and see if they admit you. Just because it’s a law it does not mean it’s followed. I am not sure how are others getting the free care I was refused.
Just because it’s a law it does not mean it’s followed. I am not sure how are others getting the free care I was refused.
*sigh* yes it is followed at all hospitals except, like, VA hospitals which have specific intentions. Basically - all hospitals.
Hospitals can get in a LOT of trouble if they don't. They know better.
Don't know the specifics of your case, maybe it was an insurance issue and the "refusal" was to do specific treatment non-emergency related or non-elective treatement.
If I walked into a emergency room and said "hey xray my leg", yeah they probably would refuse.
My Daughter was refused service because I did not have my insurance card. Fortunately, 5 mins later my wife showed with the card. Again, when was the last time your were in a Hospital/ER? Try to get service without having a credit card or insurance and see if they admit you. Just because it’s a law it does not mean it’s followed. I am not sure how are others getting the free care I was refused.
By law they have to or they can get serious fines or even risk being shut down. This is a fact. I don't know the exact circumstances of your daughters situation. The problem is too many people with an agenda never tell the truth about our health care. Do we need reforms? Sure, but that has more to do with the insurance companies themselves and tort reform, not medical service itself. Again, the truth should always be paramount to one's ideology. Many of our Canadian friends are under the belief that Americans are refused medical treatment at hospitals due to lack of insurance and that is not the truth. It is against the law to do so. The end.
Dude, seriously, look back 1 page something like 6-8 posts prior to yours. Since you obviously either didn't do that or allowed your ideology to cloud your honesty, I'll repost it for you:
The Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (42 U.S.C. § 1395dd, EMTALA) is a United States Act of Congress passed in 1986 as part of the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act. It requires hospitals and ambulance services to provide care to anyone needing emergency treatment regardless of citizenship, legal status or ability to pay. There are no reimbursement provisions. As a result of the act, patients needing emergency treatment can be discharged only under their own informed consent or when their condition requires transfer to a hospital better equipped to administer the treatment.
Got it? Good!
All I ask for is that people be honest even if the facts contradict their long held beliefs. Is that too much to ask for?
Ever hear of "dumping"? Hospitals do it all the time. If there's an issue with your insurance or you don't have any hospitals have been known to refuse care or likely have you transferred somewhere else despite the fact that you may need care at that moment. This is exactly what happened in Sicko when the mother brought her daughter to the emergency room and it's happening all across america. It's a loophole around the law or it's so unlikely to be enforced they simply don't care. Either way the end result is the same.
*sigh* yes it is followed at all hospitals except, like, VA hospitals which have specific intentions. Basically - all hospitals.
Hospitals can get in a LOT of trouble if they don't. They know better.
Don't know the specifics of your case, maybe it was an insurance issue and the "refusal" was to do specific treatment non-emergency related or non-elective treatement.
If I walked into a emergency room and said "hey xray my leg", yeah they probably would refuse.
I am not aware that hospitals get into trouble for doing this. If they did why would they still continue to do it as part of their policy? No they wait for the lawsuits if there are any and deal with those. They probably worry about fines from the government like they do the average person who worries about getting a ticket for jaywalking.
This is exactly what happened in Sicko when the mother brought her daughter to the emergency room and it's happening all across america.
Spend enough time with a video crew and you can make absolutely ANY situation look horrible. Michael Moore's propoganda films are based on this concept.
You have to accept Moore's films for exactly what they are. He either creates propoganda or entertainment. Either way, the result is not an accurate representation of the truth.
A woman in Calgary recently has a miscarriage in a hospital hallway waiting for a room to open up. If Michael Moore had a camera crew there, would we all believe this is standard practice across all of Canada?
Ever hear of "dumping"? Hospitals do it all the time. If there's an issue with your insurance or you don't have any hospitals have been known to refuse care or likely have you transferred somewhere else despite the fact that you may need care at that moment. This is exactly what happened in Sicko when the mother brought her daughter to the emergency room and it's happening all across america. It's a loophole around the law or it's so unlikely to be enforced they simply don't care. Either way the end result is the same.
People are in strong denial here, this is really getting embarassing. Once again, EMTALA, from another source:
EMTALA
In 1986, the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act known as EMTALA (Section 1867 (a) of the Social Security Act) and sometimes referred to as the "Patient Anti-Dumping Act" was passed by Congress and signed into law by President Reagan. The purpose of the Act was to ensure that acutely ill patients who are uninsured or underinsured receive appropriate emergency care and to prevent hospitals from refusing to treat certain populations of patients who present to the emergency department. Although EMTALA was passed to protect those who lack financial resources or medical insurance, it applies to all seeking care from a hospital's emergency department in all states and territories of the United States. The CMS and the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) enforce EMTALA. The OIG can fine Hospitals $50,000 per violation ($25,000 for hospitals with less than 100 beds) and possibly terminate their Medicare provider agreement. Individual physicians may also receive a fine up to $50,000 and be excluded from future Medicare funding.
That being said, I am sure now people are searching the internet for "dumping" cases. With the millions of emergency room visits in the U.S. a year (maybe per month), I'm sure it occurs. I'm sure Michael Moore was able to find (or stage) a dumping event. But I don't see hospitals wanting to risk medicare funding, which will essentially put them out of business.
People are in strong denial here, this is really getting embarassing. Once again, EMTALA, from another source:
EMTALA
In 1986, the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act known as EMTALA (Section 1867 (a) of the Social Security Act) and sometimes referred to as the "Patient Anti-Dumping Act" was passed by Congress and signed into law by President Reagan. The purpose of the Act was to ensure that acutely ill patients who are uninsured or underinsured receive appropriate emergency care and to prevent hospitals from refusing to treat certain populations of patients who present to the emergency department. Although EMTALA was passed to protect those who lack financial resources or medical insurance, it applies to all seeking care from a hospital's emergency department in all states and territories of the United States. The CMS and the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) enforce EMTALA. The OIG can fine Hospitals $50,000 per violation ($25,000 for hospitals with less than 100 beds) and possibly terminate their Medicare provider agreement. Individual physicians may also receive a fine up to $50,000 and be excluded from future Medicare funding.
That being said, I am sure now people are searching the internet for "dumping" cases. With the millions of emergency room visits in the U.S. a year (maybe per month), I'm sure it occurs. I'm sure Michael Moore was able to find (or stage) a dumping event. But I don't see hospitals wanting to risk medicare funding, which will essentially put them out of business.
If I'm an uninsured, single, male American making $25K a year, no credit card, no money in the bank, and I'm experiencing gruelling back pain because of a herniated disc that requires surgery, will EMTALA cover me? Does gruelling pain meet the test for emergency treatment?
If I'm an uninsured, single, male American making $25K a year, no credit card, no money in the bank, and I'm experiencing gruelling back pain because of a herniated disc that requires surgery, will EMTALA cover me? Does gruelling pain meet the test for emergency treatment?
I don't think you quite grasp the act. It's not "coverage". It's a law saying that if you walk into an emergency room, a hospital can't turn you away if you have no medical insurance.
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