In a message dated Wed, 2 Jan 2002 9:56:58 AM Eastern Standard Time, Ronn Blankenship
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes:
> At 08:29 AM 1/2/02, Alberto Monteiro wrote:
> >Ronn asked:
> > >
> > > Cash, or will proof of insurance do?
> > >
> >Cash
>
>
>
> If proof of insurance (or cash if no insurance) would have sufficed, I
> would have said the US, 'cuz that seems to be about the first question they
> ask you whenever you go to a hospital, doctor's office, dentist's office,
> etc. ("Where does it hurt?" comes _after_ that . . ;-( )
>
>
>
But non-profit hospitals in the US are constrained by who they can treat and who they
can turn away. Basically if the Hospital operates an Emergency Department or Clinic
individuals can get admitted to the hospital for emergency procedures regardless of
ability to pay. Once in the hospital level of care will not be determined by ability
to pay. In this specific case if a woman gives birth in the hospital and the infant
needs to be in the Neonatal ICU it will be transferred without requiring financial
guarentees. If on the otherhand the mother gives birth at a hospital without an
intensive unit capable of caring for the infant, transfer to another instituion would
be necessary and the institution accepting the transfer might require financial
guarentees. (Neonatal ICU care is extremely expensive; it is not unreasonable to ask
for some assurance that costs will be covered before accepting a patient).
> God bless America,
> Land that I love!
> Stand beside her, and guide her
> Thru the night with a light from above.
> From the mountains, to the prairies,
> To the oceans, white with foam�
> God bless America!
> My home, sweet home.
>
> -- Irving Berlin (1888-1989)
