Thread: Fire victim medical bills

UCSD cases put focus on who pays for care
By Cheryl Clark and Leslie Berestein
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITERS
October 31, 2007
The fact that 11 of the 18 wildfire victims lying in UCSD Medical Center's burn unit are illegal immigrants with no apparent health coverage highlights the daunting financial challenge hospitals face in providing long-term, intensive care for all those who need it.
“These are the most expensive kinds of cases, but we don't look at these patients and say, oh, because they aren't legal residents, we'll stop providing care or stop changing their bandages,â€

Burn care requires ventilators, multiple surgeries, round-the-clock intensive care and grafts from human cadaveric skin. McAfee said grafts can be grown from patients' own skin to minimize tissue rejection at $500,000 per patient.

My husband and I both work. We pay a lot of $$ for our insurance and have a high deductible/co insurance and he works for a major insurance company. The coverage is simply horrible. I know there is no way we would get a $500,000 skin graft. They would deny it-I have no doubt.

It is nice to know that the sky is the limit and no expense is spared when it comes to illegal lawbreakers. So glad that I am not only paying for my health insurance but contributing to theirs as well.

They get anything-no questions asked. Our insurance-practically everything needs to be preapproved or you are out of luck and you don't get the procedure.

I guess this is the American way.

So, we'll be sending the Mexican Consulate the bill, and Mexico will pay it, right?

I still think our government should tax their millions being sent back to mexico, If nothing else it could help to pay for their medical bills we pay!!!

WHAAAAAT?

“[quote]An illegal immigrant who is in Chicago and goes to the ER, it's hard to say the Mexican government should pay for it,â€

I volunteer for hospice. I was shocked when the director said that the last 2 years the patients in their care have gotten younger. Alot of them are in their 30's, 40's, 50's, and of course children. We figure it might have something to do with unaffordable healthcare. American's are choosing death over high medical bills left to pay for the rest of their lives. Or a chance to loose everything you worked for. The Medical bankruspsy law has added to this. But if you think of it it would appear the unaffordable healthcare will actually help our government when the baby boomers retire with no social secutity money left! Many are choosing death!

They should have been packed in ice and flown by a military copter back to their homeland.

Major illnes for most Americans can ruin their credit take away all their assets and put them in the street .

YET THE RICHEST MAN ON THIS PLANET IS ..." MEXICAN "!

I was surprised to read this but it is true . I would have thought it was some oil sheik somewhere not a mexican .

In light of this, I see no reason why Americans can't just say they have no insurance. If a hospital has to treat you regardless of pay, then why are we being discriminated against?

Everyone should be treated equally or it becomes racism, no?

Originally Posted by miguelina

In light of this, I see no reason why Americans can't just say they have no insurance. If a hospital has to treat you regardless of pay, then why are we being discriminated against?

Everyone should be treated equally or it becomes racism, no?

I have thought that if I ever have to go to the ER-why not give an alias and if they ask for id, insurance or anything I will tell them that they cannot legally ask and have to treat me. We get penalized big time for going to the ER by our insurance and that even includes if you are admitted with a heart attack.

I went to the ER last year because I thought I was having a heart attack. I had to have my gall bladder and a huge stone from a duct removed and was in the hospital for over a week. Because I went to the ER-I had a deductible of $1,000 ABOVE my normal deductible and had to pay a 25% surcharge ABOVE my normal coinsurance. I did not overuse the er for a hangnail I was seriously ill and was told if the stone was not removed I could have died. We pay a lot for our insurance and my husband works for a major insurance company. I am still paying these bills off.

If either one of us ever has to go to the ER, I will not give my name or insurance. Why should I?