ER Rant

[farris2]

Ok so my son gets really sick on Wednesday.He missed 4 nights work.He goes to the ER in New Orleans where he is living and is there for 7 hours.I can understand this since they are down to like 30 doctors from 3800 before Katrina.What I dont understand is why the nurses had to be so mean to him.He has no insurance but I am taking care of the bill.I am 7 hours away from him and I so wanted to be there to tell them a few things.

I know a lot of people never pay their medical bills,and for a lot of reasons. They prob figured James wouldnt either,but why do they have to be so mean,and make him wait hours for relief? He had horrible tonsilitis that we tried to treat with a Z-pack that didnt work. My husband said screw making payments.The entire bill will be paid off when it gets here.He is not even James' bio father. No one should be treated like they are low class trash just because they dont have health insurance.

 

[Aprill]

ITA!!!! Doctors and medical professionals as a whole have completely fallen off the wagon about how they treat others in relation to their insurance. In the hospitals here, they will take you w/o insurance if you are in labor, having a stroke, heart attack etc. (something major and you cant wait). But if you can be sent to a teaching hospital, they will so fast it will make your head spin and that is very sad. The image of healthcare in the US is compromised anyway. I try to go to the ER as less as possible, but it makes me feel bad when I go and they call me first before someone with Medicaid or Medicare.

 

[farris2]

Thanks so much ladies. I do understand that they are overworked and so short handed,but damn,be nice to your patients. Insurance or not.

 

[marshall1704]

I'm sorry to hear about that hun. Docs shouldn't turn down anyone because of no insurance or not. When my son fell and hit his chin on the coffee table we had to take him to get stitches. We sat in the ER for I know at least 5 hours. I know how your son felt. I believe they should all be treated fairly as well. Insurance is so expensive these days and they wonder why a lot of American's can't afford it.

 

[StereoXGirl]

Hmm...to be perfectly honest...I've had to wait 6 hrs to be seen at a hospital before and I had health insurance. I don't think it's all that uncommon.

I was throwing up repeatedly (it got to the point where I was just throwing up stomach acid because there was nothing left in my stomach...yet I kept throwing up). After they were finally able to see me, nothing they did helped because I couldn't hold any medicine down...so they ended up just putting me on an IV and knocking me out so I'd stop.

I'm sorry your son is sick, though!

 

[makeupfreak72]

by law nobody can be turned away at an emergency room unless its not a medical emergency but unfortunatley alot of people with no insurance will go to the emergency for minor non health or life threatning reasons and will only be turned away because its something a regular doctors visit can help, and thats why people get turned away or have to wait for hours, giving doctors an attitude that they are taking advantage of the er when their are people with life thrreatning or potential life threatning illnesses. it sux. but sometimes thats the only way people can be seen by a doctor is by going to the er because they dont have insurance to see a regular doctor.

 

[Sirvinya]

I don't understand the health system in the US. I mean, if I went to the ER tonight I wouldn't pay anything. I don't have medical insurance.

 

[PaperFlowers]

Healthcare in the US SUCKS.

My cousins don't have insurance and I have seen them treated like crap!!!

I do have insurance because my father was in the military, but when I got so sick (like...seizures/blood infections/staph infections/etc) I STILL had over thousands of dollars in bills total.

And guess what?

I'm still damn sick!

 

[justdragmedown]

thats terrible...People who come to the ER are usually helped right away unles their younger its quite sad...

 

[krazykid90]

I'm glad I live in Canada right now. I've never had to go to an emergency room, but insurance isn't even a factor here.

 

[farris2]

Originally Posted by marshall1704 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm sorry to hear about that hun. Docs shouldn't turn down anyone because of no insurance or not. When my son fell and hit his chin on the coffee table we had to take him to get stitches. We sat in the ER for I know at least 5 hours. I know how your son felt. I believe they should all be treated fairly as well. Insurance is so expensive these days and they wonder why a lot of American's can't afford it. Its insane.My son works for a nightclub so there is no chance at health insurance. He is 24 so he cant be covered on mine.

Originally Posted by StereoXGirl /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hmm...to be perfectly honest...I've had to wait 6 hrs to be seen at a hospital before and I had health insurance. I don't think it's all that uncommon.
I was throwing up repeatedly (it got to the point where I was just throwing up stomach acid because there was nothing left in my stomach...yet I kept throwing up). After they were finally able to see me, nothing they did helped because I couldn't hold any medicine down...so they ended up just putting me on an IV and knocking me out so I'd stop.

I'm sorry your son is sick, though!

Thanks,he is getting better,he tried working last night but go sent home.Its going around at work,a few others are sick now. I just cant understand why it takes hours in an ER...I mean E is for emergency....

Originally Posted by makeupfreak72 /img/forum/go_quote.gif by law nobody can be turned away at an emergency room unless its not a medical emergency but unfortunatley alot of people with no insurance will go to the emergency for minor non health or life threatning reasons and will only be turned away because its something a regular doctors visit can help, and thats why people get turned away or have to wait for hours, giving doctors an attitude that they are taking advantage of the er when their are people with life thrreatning or potential life threatning illnesses. it sux. but sometimes thats the only way people can be seen by a doctor is by going to the er because they dont have insurance to see a regular doctor. In new orleans,there is not much of a choice as there are only around 30 doctors there now.The ER is pretty much everyone's means of primary care now.

 

[Jennifer]

aw, i'm so sorry

i hope he's okay.

 

[farris2]

Originally Posted by Sirvinya /img/forum/go_quote.gif I don't understand the health system in the US. I mean, if I went to the ER tonight I wouldn't pay anything. I don't have medical insurance. I know Becky you have it made over there.

Originally Posted by PaperFlowers /img/forum/go_quote.gif Healthcare in the US SUCKS.
My cousins don't have insurance and I have seen them treated like crap!!!

I do have insurance because my father was in the military, but when I got so sick (like...seizures/blood infections/staph infections/etc) I STILL had over thousands of dollars in bills total.

And guess what?

I'm still damn sick!

That sucks!

Originally Posted by Ohappydayes /img/forum/go_quote.gif I've never had a point in my life where I didn't have health insurance and I've almost always waited for what seemed like days in the ER BUT I was never mistreated or disrespected by healthcare professionals. I've seen people w/o insurance talked to very ugly, ignored when they asked questions and completely overlooked. I even told the nurse that a lady could go before me b/c she looked "horrible" and she refused me. And it was b/c the lady didn't have insurance, I had heard the earlier conversation and was hoping if she knew I heard she'd let the lady go back...but no. It's really sad and they should be ashamed. There should be some type of punishment for that. I will be paying his bill,which is a hell of a lot more than they will get from most people...and its not even their fault. The situation there is awful.I wish he had never moved there.

Originally Posted by Jennifer /img/forum/go_quote.gif aw, i'm so sorry

i hope he's okay. He's better,thank you! He is at work tonight.