Thursday, July 18, 2013

Men tend to put off health care when it costs more, U study says | StarTribune.com

Men tend to put off health care when it costs more, U study says | StarTribune.com:
ER visits have always been an issue concerning the high cost of medical care.  We all know that if you don't have coverage, this is where you have to go and that the hospital must serve you in the ER.  They can go after you for the bill but most who don't have coverage also don't have anything the bill collectors can take away.  We all pay for that via our own insurance premiums, taxes and the higher hospital unit bill costs inflated to cover the losses.  This article got me thinking.  Many folks without insurance also have jobs that don't pay much, don't have benefits and don't give paid time off for sick leave.  The outpatient clinics are seldom available nights and weekends when those folks are not working.  They can't afford to lose pay so they went to the ER for care.  Now, with very high deductibles, even those with insurance are not only skipping going to the doc but they skip the ER as well for fear of the debt collectors taking what little they have been able to put into a house, a car, etc.  Seems logical to me.

1 comment:

Craig said...

http://capsules.kaiserhealthnews.org/index.php/2013/07/researchers-look-at-why-poor-patients-prefer-hospital-care/?utm_source=medicaretop&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=071813

Researchers Look At Why Poor Patients Prefer Hospital Care