Healthcare and Illegal aliens

[rudywoofs (Pam)]

this is interesting...

[phkrause]

this is interesting...

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That's very interesting. But doesn't say it all, we also spend millions of dollars on those that don't have Health Insurance and visit the ER. From what I heard on a news show some time ago, at least in MA, it cost the state millions to do this and these are not even illegals just people without Health Insurance.

I agree that we shouldn't be paying for Illegals but at the same time we shouldn't be paying for those that don't have Health coverage either.

[rudywoofs (Pam)]

I don't have health insurance, but I've had to pay my bills. What bothers me is that people without health insurance get charged much more than insurance companies allow...more than twice the amount that the insurance companies would pay to a provider for the same services. So it really pays for health care providers to have uninsured people come in. And if they don't pay the bill, it gets turned over to a collection agency....and that ruins your credit rating. But illegal aliens are immune to that because they provide false information in the first place. And they generally distrust banks and use cash, so there's no checking or savings accounts that can be accessed.

[bonnie]

I don't have health insurance, but I've had to pay my bills. What bothers me is that people without health insurance get charged much more than insurance companies allow...more than twice the amount that the insurance companies would pay to a provider for the same services. So it really pays for health care providers to have uninsured people come in. And if they don't pay the bill, it gets turned over to a collection agency....and that ruins your credit rating. But illegal aliens are immune to that because they provide false information in the first place. And they generally distrust banks and use cash, so there's no checking or savings accounts that can be accessed.

You can generally negotiate a reduction in your bill by paying cash.If you have never tried it maybe you should give it a shot.

We went several years without insurance with four boys.

We had a couple of very expensive surgeries during that time but working with the hospital and Dr the bill was reduced for cash.

Even with the surgeries we were many thousands of dollars to the good

[rudywoofs (Pam)]

The hospital and some physicians will give a 10% reduction for cash. But that still was way more than it would be for someone with insurance. For instance, a visit to my doctor cost $325. For the same kind of visit, Medicare would have allowed $78, with the patient picking up 20% of that. Other insurance companies allow different amounts, but never as much as the amount charged to someone without insurance...

[phkrause]

The difference is both of you at least paid your bill. Many who don't carry HI don't pay. They go to ERs where they can't be turned away and those with HI get our rates raised to pay for those people.