Are you or do you know anyone that is unisured? Please come in.

[dud]

I have been blessed enough to have had med insurance for as long as I can remember. I am ignorant as to how the uninsured (not covered under Obamacare) get ANY medical care. I have a friend who is uninsured and may be getting sick (probably an upper respiratory infection). They have breathing problems and these types of infections can be particularly hard on them. The friend is low income and has no savings. Before you jump in with any snide comments about being poor please remember that these comments will not help. There are many more out there than you can possibly imagine.

My question is this: Where can they receive free medical care? I understand that hospital ERs are required by federal law to provide care to all patients, regardless of their ability to pay. The hospital may push a payment plan but this person cannot make enough to make ends meet let alone make payment plans.

Please be constructive and school me on how to help a bud going through a rough time. Thanks ...

 

[manimal]

what state and city?

 

[lxskllr]

Don't really know. He could try the ER. Don't take ID, and give a fake name. Tell them he's homeless.

 

[dud]

what state and city?

Orlando, Fl

 

[BoomerD]

I went without health insurance from the end of 2004 until I became eligible for Medicare a couple of months ago. My wife still doesn't have any coverage. We've looked at the local version of Obummercare, but haven't bought a policy yet.

For your friend...have him sign up for a Obamacare policy. That's what lots of young people seem to be doing...foregoing insurance until they need it...then signing up to cover the emergency...then dropping the plan later.

 

[HeXen]

You go to ER and lie. It's that simple. Most addicts do it all the time which sucks cause it makes it worse for those actually needing the ER.

 

[PlanetJosh]

They may have free clinics like this one in Ohio designed for the uninsured -

The mission of the Madison County Health Partners (MCHP) Free Clinic is to provide healthcare services to the uninsured population of Madison County.

http://www.madisoncountyhospital.org/freeclinic.php

I'm assuming this kind of clinic is not the same as an ER and probably doesn't offer as may services as an ER. And there's probably a limit on what they can do for free.

 

[HeXen]

Nothing worse than waiting in a room full of non covering up their mouths to hack and cough, pajama pants wearing, cold sore ridden scrubs. *shudders* I hate doc in the boxes.

 

[xochi]

http://www.doctoroz.com/clinics

The one in Orlando FL, http://shepherdshope.org/

Its faith based but should be able to assist with nonemergency care and will be either free or low cost.

 

[alkemyst]

Don't really know. He could try the ER. Don't take ID, and give a fake name. Tell them he's homeless.

Quite a few of our legal foreigners play this game. Go in, don't speak english and don't carry any idea. If you need an address they use one of the various shelters.

It's sad, there is a ton of fraud like this in S. Florida where people can claim they came from Cuba or Haiti.

 

[rudeguy]

I have been blessed enough to have had med insurance for as long as I can remember. I am ignorant as to how the uninsured (not covered under Obamacare) get ANY medical care. I have a friend who is uninsured and may be getting sick (probably an upper respiratory infection). They have breathing problems and these types of infections can be particularly hard on them. The friend is low income and has no savings. Before you jump in with any snide comments about being poor please remember that these comments will not help. There are many more out there than you can possibly imagine.

My question is this: Where can they receive free medical care? I understand that hospital ERs are required by federal law to provide care to all patients, regardless of their ability to pay. The hospital may push a payment plan but this person cannot make enough to make ends meet let alone make payment plans.

Please be constructive and school me on how to help a bud going through a rough time. Thanks ...

been uninsured for a while now

Free miedical care doesn't exist for me. But then again I never really looked. For a URI, I would just go to the doctor. Mine bills you if you don't have insurance, so it gives me 30 days to plan for it. Walmart has $4 scripts for most things and I take advantage of that. If your friend lets his doctor know that he doesn't have insurance, the doc should be able to write one of those.

DON'T GO TO THE HOSPITAL! A $80 doc visit turns into $500. Have your friend call his doc and see if they are able to bill.