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waht woudl one do if one needed surgery but neither had insurance nor the fundds to pay for it?

Panic?

Ask parents / relatives / friends for money?

2000AD wrote:Panic?

Ask parents / relatives / friends for money?

haha. iw ish they had that much. $20-$30g is alot of $$

Thank the goverment for a comprehensive health care system.

ali-sama wrote:waht woudl one do if one needed surgery but neither had insurance nor the fundds to pay for it?

Beg for the money. Take out loans if its necessary. Or shop around for another doctor/hospital. How much is the doctor asking for the surgery and how much is the hospital charging?

This is why i like the UK : NHS = free

Talk to the hospital or surgon about a repayment plan.

Become a Canadian citizen.

DPDarkPrimus wrote:Become a Canadian citizen.

blme canada! no wait. blaim congress. lol

ali-sama wrote:waht woudl one do if one needed surgery but neither had insurance nor the fundds to pay for it?

If you were in canada? go to the hospital since we have universal health care.

ali-sama wrote:waht woudl one do if one needed surgery but neither had insurance nor the fundds to pay for it?

Depends on how bad I needed it. If it's really bad, go to one of those hospitals that have to treat you if you're dying.

neoolong wrote:Depends on how bad I needed it. If it's really bad, go to one of those hospitals that have to treat you if you're dying.

Don't they bill you later, and then call the collection agencies who will hound you to the ends of the Earth and force you into bankruptcy if you can't pay?

All hospitals must render treatment, regardless of your ability to pay, by law. They can and will bill you later and turn you over to collection agencies (I have had this done). But there is a piece of paper on the wall of every hospital I have ever been in that states they must render treatment, and that while you are in the hospital, they can evaluate you for medicaid, and if you qualify, the government will pay for it. (I have had this happen too.) Most of my life I have been without insurance. It isn't fun, either. get the surgery, man. Your life is worth WAY more than 20 or 30 Grand.

Chardok wrote:All hospitals must render treatment, regardless of your ability to pay, by law.

Only if one is approaching death. For example, I have a deviated septum and chronically congested sinuses. The doctor has said that the only way to alleviate the constant discomfort is surgery. Benedryl, flonase, that one that just went OTC, none of them do any real good. However, it is not life threatening. Unending but relatively mild pain is not life threatening. There isn't a hospital in the country that would fix my nose and ream out my sinuses if I could not prove beforehand that I can pay. They will only treat you without questions if your life is in immediate danger.

So that leads to the question, what is the surgery for? If it is just uncomfortable or even debilitating, you may just have to live with it. If it is something fatal, then you might have to wait until it has reached an acute stage before the hospital will treat you. It might depend on the hospital. If you are lucky, you might find a hospital that will treat you now, understanding of course that you will have to pay the money eventually or go bankrupt, or, as Chardock said, you might qualify for Medicaid.

Get a flight to the UK, the Labour goverment is only too happy to shell out it's NHS money to foreginers who don't contrabute to the NHS in the 1st place.