The reason an ER visit in the US costs $3,000 (from page 3, I think) is that the hospital sets its 'charges' higher than its 'costs.' It has been demonstrated that people with
insurance and a modicum of
money are healthier than people with no
insurance and no
money - a bitter pill perhaps, but that's what the
research shows.
As has been said, no one in the US is "denied"
medical care. If you go to the ER of any hospital that accepts Medicare or Medicaid $$, you will get an examination. If you have a serious
medical problem, in the opinion of the practitioner, you get treated.
For most hospitals in the United States, the Medicare system pays approximately 100% (on the average) of the actual cost of caring for a patient. There is no "profit" built into that. The Medicaid system on the average pays approximately 65% of the actual cost of care. Then there are lots of folks that have no insurance, and the hospital receives nothing at all.
So the ER charges reflect both the cost of care of you, plus some part of the cost of care of others who cannot or will not pay.
The O'care plan shifts the responsibly to pay 'something' to either the state (through the Medicaid system) or directly to the federal
government. Where the money that those entities will use to pay the provider, is - well, a crap-shoot.
Bottom line, it simply doesn't make a lot of difference. Now the US will simply print more money to pay providers - until ..... and that is the question that this thread doesn't address.
Neither Medicare nor O'care will provide payment for services rendered outside the US.
And finally, the choice of what you receive will not be up to you.
Service will be "rationed" - in that a person of 80 years should not expect to receive 2 more pacemakers in her/his lifetime.
The O'care bill is - 'interesting' reading. I've read it. All.