Health Care in America, Anywhere USA

[Segue]

I went to the emergency room last night with some really horrific symptoms. I felt SIIIICK and dizzy and weird. My heart was pounding and I had a screaming headache. I have hyperthyroidism and my heart felt like it was going to rocket out of my chest.

I don't have health insurance.

I was admitted into the ER and waited and waited and waited to be seen. When the doctor came in, I was in the throes of another spasm in my stomach and had trouble even answering him. I vaguely remember him saying something about fluids and something for the pain.

The 'something' turned out to be morphine. I was also given anti-nausea medication, medication to control the spasms, and one other thing I can't even recall.

The medication kicked in almost instantly and itcompletely knocked me out. Two hours later, the nurse returned with discharge papers. I was completely OUT of it. I could barely walk and I was dumped onto streets that had no buses running, and no available cab.

I still can't focus properly. My fingers are skipping on the keys, and now I feel really sick and weird and horrible and I also feel doped.

I do not understand how I could be tossed onto the street with this cocktail in my system. All this doctor did was mask my symptoms - and then declare me stable because I was so stoned I could not feel the nausea, or the cramps .

[kerri0500]

I dont knwo what to tell yo uabout your symptoms, but this happens alot with and without insurance. Not having insurance has nothing to do with it. Insurance is great and all, but there are sooo many rules to it. I had hernia surgery in Aug and my surgery STARTED at 9am and i was HOME by 1130am. this is just how it is now i guess

[AFH]

I have been there also. I was admitted to the ER just as I started a new job and my new health insurance didn't start yet.

I had a blinding headache and numbness on one side. I remember being taken care in a routine matter when someone from the Administration office came to see me. She approached me with all smiles and said she had a problem with my paperwork, as I didn't list an insurance company. When I told her I was UN insured that smile dropped from her face and she was down right nasty! I over heard her say to the nurse "how do you come to the ER without health insurance"

Before the Admin women found out I had no insurance The ER doctor was very concerned with my symptoms and insisted I be admitted until all my testing was done - so I stayed overnight. I got no attention throughout the rest of my stay. A soon as I woke and felt the pain medicine was out of system (4 am), I got dressed and walked out the door (without being discharged).

I knew from the start that I would get a hospital bill and I had no problems making payment arrangements, as that is all I could do - but to stay there and have to pay for no treatment just becaue they realized I had no insurance - was a different issue!

The insured are no more sick then the Un-insured!

*I had to fight the amount of the bill because they charged me for a full day of treatment when I wasn't even there. I wrote a letter in detail about my treatment and asked what the policy was for people such as myself without insurance. The returned letter back had NO answer but did discount the bill.

Health Care in America, Anywhere USA - stinks!

[KittenPaws]

Im on medicaid and on disability so i come from both sides.

I went to the ER last year for throwing up blood for a week, i was given 2 tylenol and got refered back to my GP (and i told the ER my gp wouldnt DO anything for it )

Also this past month i went in for severe nausia, Pain of about 9 (1-10 scale.. 10 being worse) and horrible muscle spasms up and down my back. Now i have fibromyalgia and epilepsy..... and they KNEW this. Later on I passed out during the 3-way blood pressure test (laying, sitting, standing) and then went into a grand maul (that they didnt document and it was the first one that was SEEN by a "doctor") .... i was given ATIVAN...and no pain meds... i suffered for 9 and a half hours and was sent home only to go to the dr's 6 hours later for anti nausia meds!

WHAT GIVES??