Legal Indigent Hospital Care, Can One Get Preventative Treatment?
Someone said if you don’t have insurance and you can’t afford health care, that hospitals are required to treat indigents. Can those people legally go get a gynecological exam to catch possibly early gynecological cancer, dental exam (they claim gum health is connected to heart health now), general exam, etc. so that they can catch problems early and live a longer life just like those who can afford the high cost of health care?
You don’t need a hospital for a GYN exam or dental or general exam either, so I hope they’re not providing those.
What IS in place is this:
Health Centers provide health and dental care to people of all ages, whether or not they have health insurance or the money to pay for health care.
Find the Health Center closest to you
Hill-Burton Free & Reduced Cost Care at hospitals, nursing homes and other facilities are required to provide a specific amount of free or below cost health care to people unable to pay. Eligibility is based on the size of your family and your income. You apply for Hill-Burton care at the facility where you were or will be treated.
More about Hill-Burton and find facilities in your State http://www.hrsa.gov/help/default.htm
Hospitals shouldn’t be for routine screenings.
No, hospital treatment is for cases of life and death. If the person is not in any immediate danger then doctors and hospitals can refuse them and should refuse them.
There are countless people who end up dying each and every year because the hospitals are full of people lives are not in immediate danger.
My mother was one of those who ended up dying because the ER rooms were full so they had to take her to a hospital that was further away. Mind you she did have insurance. Imagine how many people would be dying if the hospitals were performing PAP SMEARS and checking out people gums.
All hospitals are required to treat all people whether they can pay or not. The hospitals that have an indigent patient load (usually county hospitals) do offer preventative care to indigents.
No, emergency care only. And that means crowded emergency rooms.