this post was submitted on 12 Feb 2026
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Is US healthcare always paid even in the most extreme circumstances? (lemmygrad.ml)
submitted 4 months ago by Conselheiro@lemmygrad.ml to c/asklemmygrad@lemmygrad.ml
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Like imagine you suffer injuries in an armed robbery, or from a hurricane or other severe climactic event. Do the hospitals still expect you to pay money even in those cases? I imagine it also applies to police brutality.

I ask because an acquaintance got a broken leg from being ran over by police in a protest recently and, naturally, everybody just called an ambulance and they got to the hospital and that was that, because free healthcare here is a universal right (even if severely underfunded). But then with the recent protests in the US I realised even getting a broken finger from being handcuffed could actually cost people real money.

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[–] gnuthing@lemmygrad.ml 0 points 4 months ago (2 children)

Also consider that only emergency stabilizing treatment must be provided without upfront payment. Many emergency depts don't treat breaks, they just refer you to an orthopedist to set the break, which must be paid before treatment. And then also consider that the ER doctor might not be in network for your insurance even if the hospital is in network. And that the radiologist is another Dr so same thing applies

[–] LordFireCrotch@lemmy.today 0 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Take a look at the "no surprises act" passed in 2022. It makes this kind of approach illegal.

[–] gnuthing@lemmygrad.ml 0 points 4 months ago

I had forgotten about this, thank you for sharing. That law doesn't provide full protection though, like it doesn't apply to ambulances, you can sign away your protections after you're stabilized & the estimate is only required for uninsured if they ask for it. But it has way more protections than we used to get. Not as good as socialized healthcare, but better than nothing

[–] davel@lemmygrad.ml 0 points 4 months ago

This is one of the more insidious aspects, because you can’t shop around for in-network treatment in an emergency.