Survive without insurance: how to get medical care in the US and avoid huge bills

Photo: depositphotos.com

No insurance - it's better not to get sick. This rule is known to everyone who crosses the US border. American medicine is one of the most expensive in the world. And the lack of a good insurance policy means that the amount for hospital care can be with many zeros. At the same time, the threat of huge debts does not frighten Americans - in 2015 every 11 was without insurance. And this is the lowest figure in the last 5 years. But there are those who just moved to the United States and have not yet received a green card or are in the country illegally. As a result, a large group of people is formed who need to be treated somewhere. ForumDaily figured out which clinics you can turn to for help if there is no insurance and a little money. And what to do if the bill for treatment still turned out to be large.

Doctor appointment for $ 35

Photo: depositphotos.com

Elena Petrenko has long been an American, she moved from Kharkov to Connecticut back in 1995 year. She has both citizenship and insurance. Two years ago, under the family restoration program, a woman managed to take her mother to her.

“Mom was 75 years old at that time. While we were waiting for the green card to be issued, she was without insurance. And since she has diabetes, we needed not only a doctor’s consultation, but also a prescription for medications,” says Elena. Therefore, the woman decided to go to the municipal clinic (Community health care). He says there are several of them in the state. She called everyone and found out prices.

“In one of them, we got an appointment very quickly. The nurse called and said that we can come when needed, the cost of the visit is $35,” the woman continues.

As a result, they not only went to the doctor, but were also able to get a prescription for inexpensive medications. For comparison, the same consultation, but in a private hospital, would cost more than $500, Elena assures. Her mother received her green card in May, but insurance is still in the process of being processed. They're trying to get Medicaid, which, as explained to Elena, can only be submitted after 6 months from the receipt of the green card.

Where to go without insurance: options for clinics

1. Public hospitals (Сommunity hospital)

A consultation with a doctor, a cold, a referral for tests or a prescription - all of this can be obtained from inexpensive clinics, where they will serve you without an insurance policy and will not even ask about your immigration status. They are not difficult to find. Just enter community health care or community hospital into the Internet search bar and choose the one that suits you best.

2. Walk-in clinics

Another option is to use a walk-in-clinic. These are private institutions that are somewhat similar to Russian or Ukrainian district clinics. That is, you will have to stand in line to see a doctor, the service will be very average, but you will definitely receive qualified assistance, and the bill will not be sky-high.

“I needed to do a simple procedure. It cost $600 at the hospital and $130 at the clinic,” says Lana Monson of Salt Lake City. She waited for an appointment for about 2 hours, half of the staff were Spanish-speaking, but she liked the doctor himself. He says that when there is no insurance, and the reason for visiting a doctor is quite simple, this is the best opportunity to get medical help. The girl in the States 3, and only recently issued a green card, and now waiting for a social security number.

Lana Monson saved almost $ 500 by contacting the clinic, not the hospital. Photo: from the personal archive

“My husband is a veteran and is a lifelong member of the military hospital, and the child has state insurance. We calculated that it would cost us $1200 a month to include me in my husband’s work insurance. Therefore, we decided to wait until I had all the documents in my hands. Then we will be able to apply for Medicaid for me, since only my husband works in the family, and our income level is low,” explains Lana.

3. Free or charitable clinics

There are also free clinics that operate with private donations. For example, in Virginia Charity Association Association there are more than a thousand such institutions. ForumDaily contacted one of them - Arlington free clinic, which is very close to Washington. There they explained to us that their patient can only be a low-income state resident who has lived in the United States for more than a year and does not have insurance. Moreover, the right to service is played out in the so-called monthly lottery. Whoever gets a lucky ticket becomes a patient. If you are unlucky, you can try your luck at another similar clinic (there are 60 of them in Virginia) or try next month.

4. Special programs at hospitals

In America there are a number of social programs that will help pay your hospital bill. “You should always ask and not be afraid to ask,” says Elena Petrenko. So, even if you end up in a large hospital, you can significantly reduce the price of medical care. For example, the New York clinic chain Health+Hospitals offers a whole system of subsidies for low-income people. They even have detailed instruction in Russianhow to get such help. The main requirement is to indicate your income level and the number of family members living with you. This information is used to determine the amount you owe to the hospital. Thus, the bill can be reduced several times.

If there are no such programs, and the patient still went to the hospital, you need to carefully look at exactly what you are asked to pay for. As ForumDaily was told at Medical billings advocates of America, about 90% of hospital bills are very exaggerated. Their experts are just engaged in that they check the amounts and defend the rights of the patient to the hospital. To reduce the treatment bill, the most important thing is to request a detailed receipt from the hospital. If you find a mistake there, immediately try to appeal it. First, contact the hospital directly; if that doesn’t help, go to a lawyer.

“We help regardless of immigrant status or insurance. On average, our company manages to reduce bills by 17-49%. And our services cost 25% of the amount won,” says Tina Pesley, director of public relations at Medical Billings Advocates of America.

With or without insurance, first emergency care will be provided in the USA

A situation like Elena’s or Lana’s is not uncommon in the United States. Some are waiting for paperwork to be completed, some did not have time to apply for insurance on time, and some simply do not have the desire or money to spend on a policy. Therefore, at least 29 million Americans, according to National Health Survey, last year were not insured. But this does not mean that, if needed, they will not be given first aid. In the US, they will first help, and only then they will ask for money.

However, Alla Kastanyan from Kiev was not asked for money even after treatment. The girl arrived in New Jersey on the program Work and travel to work hostesses at the hotel. She was returning from work in the evening when she was hit by a bus right at the crosswalk.

“There was a narrow road and a sharp turn, and the driver was driving at high speed and did not notice me. The blow was such that I flew several meters,” says Alla.

Alla had an accident in the USA, but paid nothing for the treatment. Photo: from the personal archive

The girl doesn’t remember how she ended up in the hospital. For the first 3 days she lay in a coma. When I woke up, there were 5 doctors standing around, and she was lying in a separate room. She says that all the documents at the time of the accident were with her, so the hospital knew who she was and who to contact. “I had standard insurance as for a participant in such a program - $50 thousand. And I don’t know what and how they decided, but they provided me with all the treatment, and it was much more expensive than this amount.” Alla recalls that one day they brought her a bill to sign. The amount there was $300 thousand.

“I was in shock. I say, where can I get that kind of money? To which they immediately answered that I didn’t owe anyone anything.”

The girl spent 2 weeks in the hospital, and the only thing she had to pay for herself was dental services, since during the accident the main blow fell on her head, and her teeth were also damaged.

Alla's case is rather an exception. Since the girl was injured, all medical bills were covered by the insurance company of the person responsible for the accident. If the accident was caused by a girl, she would have to pay for treatment herself.

“First aid, of course, is provided to everyone. But the question is different - who will then pay for all this pleasure. If there is insurance, then the insurance company pays, and if not, the person pays,” states insurance broker Diana Polyakova.

She reminds that if you do not have insurance, you will not only have to pay for treatment yourself, but also pay a fine at the end of the tax year - $695 for an adult and $347 for a child, or 2,5% of total income.

And Lana Monson admits, even though she has found a clinic where she can go for inexpensive help, she is counting the days until she can get insurance: “Of course, you can always get out of it, but living in the USA without insurance is very, very scary. Therefore, as soon as I receive a social security number, I will immediately go to apply.”

Read also on ForumDaily:

Medical insurance in the USA: how to start a choice

How to avoid a fine if there is no health insurance

The cost of medicine in the United States over 15 years has tripled

In the United States began to calculate those who cheat with medical insurance

Who can get Medicare and Medicaid

How to reduce the bill for treatment in an American hospital

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