Scan Medical Insurance

Can a hospital refuse a patient without health insurance?

One of my best friends lost her health insurance a couple of months ago. She was laid off work and had the Cobra option, but it was over $600 a month and could not afford it. She is due the end of May. She went to one of the local hospitals here and was told that she had to come up with $2500.00 in advance or they could not assist her? I have always had health insurance through my husbands employer, so I have never had to deal with this. I had always assumed that a hospital could not refuse you. What if she were to go into labor and go to the hospital, could they actually refuse her? I thought there was some sort of law against refusing medical services or am I incorrect. Any help would be great, especially women who have delivered without insurance. A lot of people are saying Medicaid. But the problem is that her and her husband are going through a divorce and she does not qualify due to his income and he will not assist with medical bills at all. Unfortunatly they consider his income for state assistance and she cannot make him pay. It is such a horrible situation, I am so happy I have never had to deal with that, I would not know what to do.

Public Comments

1. No they cannot
2. yes
3. The Hospital can not refuse anyone even if they do not have health insurance. Your friend can go to social services or the health dept and apply for medicaid. Her L&D will be completly covered as well as her child after there born.
4. I would look into Medicaid as an option. Since she is unemployed she may be able to qualify for it. I am a student and I don't work currently. Medicaid covers me for all my women's health issues like yearly paps and such. It would also cover me if I were to become pregnant. Look into getting some Medicaid from your state. Most hospitals and birthing centers accept Medicaid like any other form of insurance and its absolutely free. If you tell me what state you are in, I could give you more information. Hope that helps and good luck with the baby :)
5. The hospital can refuse her for normal visits, but when she goes into labor they have to take her in the E.R. After the delivery she can apply for state aid to pay the bill and cover check ups for baby.
6. If you go into labor and go into a public hospital, there is a law that they can't turn you away. Otherwise just deliver that baby in the ER waiting room. I am sure they will help. The only thing I have ever heard of is military or private hospitals turning people away, but even those don't turn away a woman in labor. Tell your friend to go to the public health or social services in your area right now. Let them know about her being laid off and apply for MedicAid insurance. Even if it doesn't kick in before she delivers, once it kicks in it's retroactive, and will pay those bills from the delivery.
7. By law, a hospital can not refuse anyone because they do not ave insurance. Maybe she can apply for state Medicaid. it would cover prenatal care and the delivery of her baby. I don't know about your state, but in Michigan there is a ten day waiting period and I would think other states are just as fast.
8. No there are not allowed to refuse medical care .. Unless they want a law suit .....But most likely she will be billed if she doesn't have health insurance
9. They can not turn her away in a medical emergency, and being in labor counts. This is part of the Federal Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act. They are required to give a thorough examination and not discharge her from the hospital until she is stabilized. In the case of being in labor, "stabilized" means that the baby is delivered and is healthy and stable. They can not dump her on another hospital; they must admit her. See the link for the full text of the law.
10. I've heard horror stories of this happening. The doctors refuse to treat people without insurance even if they're dying. In the case of your friend, what also could happen is that she'll get transferred to a big city hospital, which is often in a crappy area of town, and dumped there. It's truly horrifying to think these sorts of things can happen in our country but unfortunately, they do.
11. A private hospital can refuse her. A public hospital will take her, but she may not have some of the same options available such as an epidural. Just because she doesn't have the money now, doesn't mean that they can't dun her for the money later. They will. I have two hospitals within 5 miles of me. One would refuse her and send her to the other once they have assessed that she is not going to deliver in the next 15 minutes. That is because the other hospital is a public hospital and receives substantial sums of money from the state to cover those without medical insurance. The community hospital would go under taking too many patients without insurance. In my state, they now have maternal health care for any woman without health insurance. It is sliding scale for payment. She should check to see if this is available. With this in place, even the community hospital can accept women without regular insurance coverage.
12. Tell her to go to the closest Depertment Of Human Services. Pregnant Women (with out insurance) get automatic emergancy health insurance then get evaluated for further insurance after the baby is born. Most will cover her and the baby for up to two years after the baby is born. Some will even give food stamps to help with food cost until/after the baby is born or wic which will also cover some food and even formula for the baby. Have her go check it out all hospitals accept this insurance so she shouldn't have any problem with it.
13. State hospitals cannot refuse a patient, but private-nonprofit ones still can, especially if it's not an emergency. Your friend needs to apply for Medicaid. I'm not sure if this is true but pregnant women cannot be turned down for Medicaid.
14. no they cant, but you do get a bill in the end for your stay if you don't have insurance, and don't think to skip the bill either, just move to Canada and get an OHIP card and live here. : )