Emergency Care Cost Management

[jtadd]

The faster you can respond the better, my first question here.

We have a friend who is uninsured as well as an illegal immigrant who just suffered a facial injury that will require stitches as well as plastic surgery.  We are not well off but in wanting to make sure that he gets care are willing to pay some of his costs.  When we asked questions about how much the bill would be all and what programs were available, all of a sudden the plastic surgeon became unavailbale and the hsopital directed us to try another hospital.  How do we get him care?

How do we keep the bill down?  Can the final bill be in the non-resident's name with him as financially responsible.

In general what do illegal immigrants do when they require urgant medical care and who pays for it?

[Enoch Choi, MD]

your local county hospital is equipped to and accustomed to treating patients without insurance

many charge according to a sliding scale with relation to income

a laceration needs to be sutured within 4 hours, thats more important than getting the plastic surgeon right away

the final bill is in the patient's name.  you can help pitch in without being named in the medical chart of your friend.