Health Insurance Articles
What Happens If You Need Care But Do Not Have Health Insurance
2010-09-14
Due to economic and financial constraints, many uninsured have no choice other than to take a chance, hope that fate is kind, and pray they will be able to find medical assistance. Today, health insurance belongs on Maslow's first level of needs: survival needs. Actually, health insurance and care options can mean survival. It has been alleged that many people succumb and receive less aggressive life-saving procedures because they do not have health insurance.
If you need care, many believe Medicaid is the answer. Unfortunately, this is faulty reasoning; if it is an emergency situation, Medicaid is not an option. The acceptance procedure for Medicaid can be a time consuming and daunting experience due to the necessary documentation, bureaucratic "red tape", and rules and regulations that must be satisfied before approval is granted. Normally, the process can take from 30 to 90 days depending upon the caseload.
The only alternative is to go to the local emergency room of a hospital. They are required by law to stabilize the patient, provide medical care and typically give the patient a prescription. However, without insurance, obtaining the medication is another consequential issue. Unequivocally, the emergency room is expensive and the invoice for a case of the flu, which will include x-rays, blood work and other tests, will be several thousand dollars. If the patient cannot pay, it becomes another bill for the state tax rolls to satisfy.
Free clinics are an option, but usually there is a considerable wait involved before being seen by a physician. Typically, because of a constrained budget, the facility is not aseptically pleasing or as sterile as a private physician's office or clinic.
The county hospital is another alternative, but again the wait is interminable. Furthermore, because of overcrowding and prevalence of airborne germs and diseases, the person could easily contract other illnesses in conjunction with the original complaint. Rather than go to the county hospital, many patients again take a chance and do not seek medical attention. Furthermore, many do not have transportation and do not have discretionary funds to pay for public transportation.
Some rely on home remedies or obtain medications from friends and neighbors to try and manage the illness. Often, it is a hopeless situation to be ill, in need of care options, and without health insurance. Usually, if a person can not afford health insurance, they will have a consequential problem obtaining care in from a personal physician, private clinic or a critical care facility.
