Our area hospitals are for "newcomers" only

[Major Tom]

There are three hospitals in my area. Each is located in a city within 30 miles of each other and are connected via management/ownership. Area doctors have offices in all three so they travel to each one on certain days. These hospitals have announced new restrictions/rules/whatever. The up front cost for a person (hospital calls them 'clients') to see a doctor is $600.00. If the doctor has to use hospital equipment for treatment there is an additional cost of $400.00 minimum. ER visits are $1000.00 plus. Ambulance calls are $900.00. Certain medicare supplements is also restricted (Humana) for one is not accepted. If you have medical insurance (if accepted) your premiums will rise at least 400%. BUT, if you are an illegal (newcomer) there is no charge, period! Our hospital has been going over their records of 'client' past due chargers and sending out notices to pay up now in full even if you have been making payments. The average cost to see a doctor is $1000.00 per visit.
BTW, I use VA clinics and hospital. I have no primary doctor at our hospital.

[Allen]

The illegals have nothing better to do than to wait several hours for a doctor in the ER. Most of the time (always here) they get what they pay for. For the rest of us, doctor, nurse, and hospital care ended with obamacare.

[Mark in Ottawa]

Say what you will about Canadian medical insurance but basically, the cost of treatment in a hospital or for a doctor is of no concern to the patient since normally it is 100% covered. Aesthetic treatments are however not covered. If you want a face-lift, you pay for it yourself but if you need reconstructive surgery due to an accident, it's covered. In the last month, I've been to see a doctor twice and to the ER twice. My only cost was $15 for parking and about $4 for the antibiotics that I needed. I am not sure about how illegals might be covered since you have to be a legal resident and have to have lived in the province for 3 months before being covered. I do know that if you are a foreign tourist, you will be treated and then billed later but my sense is that the bill will be less than half that of an American hospital

[Allen]

I am not sure about how illegals might be covered since you have to be a legal resident and have to have lived in the province for 3 months before being covered.

Mark, the problem is when a person comes to a doc office or hospital no one wants to refuse them if they have no insurance or can't (won't) pay. In this case being legal or not wouldn't make any difference. Illegals are no worse than minorities that drain our economy.

That's the way it's always been here. Free health clinics were set up and krappy hospitals run at taxpayers/ins expense were assigned to assure people could get med care for little or no expense.

When obamacare came out all these people going to the free clinics and hospitals for low income patients emptied out. They all went to the nicer, newer, more elaborate hospitals that the people paying a fortune for health insurance were using. Now, they are crowded so care is limited and cost are added to pay for those who do not pay.

It's an age old problem. People who can't afford themselves continue to populate for others to take care of.

Me and my wife have a deluxe BC/BS package added to our medicare so most all of our cost are covered completely. Yeah, it cost, but you have to have your priorities in order if cash is limited. Most people I know that don't have ins have internet, ipods, nice cars, party a lot, and have other costly lifestyles since they have no ins cost to be concerned over. Let someone else pay for it.