I am friend/caregiver to a person that, due to medical and psych. issues, has lost his bus.and 4 houses (can't believe the "lawyer,realtor,and siblings did absolutely their bare minimum to help this ill man),has no income or insurance, has applied for medicaid and been denied -so we(he and I)go to health dept.-send us to hosp.-nothing but triage gets done- HOW can this person get help from a NEUROLOGIST a PSYCHOLOGIST without having the funds ??These Specialists,at least in our area , WON'T take you unless you walk in with at least 2-300 just for 1st. consult! INDIAN RIVER COUNTY > Is there any physician that will be willing to help us in this area ? I will drive him to you and follow-up carethat he needs, I will make sure he won't be neglected!
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What state (and city) are you in? I'd suggest finding out from the state medical licensing board the names of doctors in the required specialty in your area, and call each one of them and see if they will take him on a humanitarian basis. Alternately, take him to your county public hospital's emergency room, and wait for however many hours in the E.R.; they are required to take him and examine and treat him (and hospitalize him, if necessary) regardless of his ability to pay.
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This is one more reason why we so desperately need a universal health care plan in this country. If he were in Canada, Germany, France or any other country with National health care you would not be having this problem. He would be able to be seen by a therapist and an MD. without problem. Too bad he lives here until we get what the rest of the world has and EVERYONE has access to health care.
Dr. Dave gave you the best advice about taking him to an emergency room and they will have to treat him regardless of his ability to pay. How long you will have to wait, and how much govt. red tape you'll have to suffer through, I have no idea, but I do know that they cannot turn anyone away because of the inability to pay.
Too bad it has to be this way, but until our inept govt. officials get on the ball, (thank god Obama's trying to push it through with expediency), this is the fate many in this country have to face everyday, due to lack of medical coverage. Hopefully it will change soon and your friend won't have to suffer through any more humiliating scenarios like this one or go without treatment.
Thank you , but this doesn'nt help the "matter at hand "! He needs help ASAP before his issues slip past repair!!! Unfortunately, the E.R. ,which we,ve tried , brought us back to $$$$$$$$$$!!!
What do you mean, the E.R. "sent you back for Money"? They can't, without incurring many governmental penalties. I'd suggest calling an ambulance for him and have them take him to the hospital. Go to the local public hospital (every county or area has to have one.) If he's in the shape you say he is, there will be no problem; even if it's not a really an emergency, they'll have to take him. The E.R. will have to take him right into a room where he will be examined by a doctor. They will then ask him for his insurance papers (asked by a different person than the doctor or nurses); you then say that he doesn't have any, and they will have to bill him. (He can ignore the bill when it comes; more about that later.) The doctor will have to compete his examination, make a decision as to whether to admit him or give him a prescription, and refer him to an appropriate physician (you don't have to go to the doctor he recommends).
About the bill. You can sit on it for a while when it comes in the mail; they won't start the collection calls for a few months. If you don't care about ruining your credit (who does, nowadays?), you can ignore it and the calls completely. Meanwhile, you can proceed with the application process with Medicare/Medicaid, which will take a while. (If it's already in process when the ambulance takes him in, when he's approved, they'll pay for everything that was incurred after the application was first made [I think]). Anyway, if he's already applied and been rejected (they always reject the first application as a matter of course; keep appealing on up the line.) When it's finally approved, the payment will revert to the first application, so everything will be taken care of. Then, credit rating restored!!
If you have one, take a video camera with you, and record all the things that happen. If they don't treat you right, the local T.V. stations would be very interested in seeing it. You could also use it as evidence when (and if) you want to bring a lawsuit against the hospital for breach of the law.
So, in summary:
A) Call an ambulance.
B) Have them take him to the E.R.; you follow right behind it in your car.
C) Videotape everything that happens; they'll try to get you to stop, but keep rolling; put the camera in your purse, but leave it recording; you may not see any images, but the sound of the happenings will be recorded.
D) His evaluation, and treatment, may have to be private, and they might ask tyou to leave the room. Have him (the patient) insist on your staying; that may or may not work.
E) If they treat him and send him home, take him home, and go from there.
By the way, you never did say where you lived; that would help us greatly.
And finally, let us know what happens.
HOBI, I agree 100% with Dr. Dave. Do as he instructed you, call a rescue unit and have your friend taken in now! They cannot refuse him treatment. To do so is to suffer severe repurcussions from govt. agencies. Do you have a county hospital in your area, that would be the best place to start? Then call your local courthouse and ask for someone in the county public assistence department. Explain the problem and they should be able to direct you further. If your friend is that disabled whether physically or mentally he should be approved for disability benefits immediately, in which case as Dr. Dave stated medicare/ medicaid should pick up the medical bills, and it should be retroactive. Call your public assistence advisor in the morning and get the ball rolling. Other then that I don't know what else to tell you.
I do know for a fact that in some states you have to qualify for disability in order to qualify for medicaid benefits. But I'm sure if you call your public assistence office someone there can help you.
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