Comments on: ER Wait Times Increased by Government Meddling http://www.healthcarebs.com/2007/07/15/er-wait-times-increased-by-government-meddling/ Cleaning the Augean Stables of the Health Care Debate Sat, 11 Oct 2008 00:13:28 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 By: Catron http://www.healthcarebs.com/2007/07/15/er-wait-times-increased-by-government-meddling/#comment-4340 Catron Wed, 18 Jul 2007 18:36:36 +0000 http://www.healthcarebs.com/2007/07/15/er-wait-times-increased-by-government-meddling/#comment-4340 It does indeed drive up costs. An important driver of health care inflation is overutilization, and much of that comes from patients using hospital ERs as clinics. It does indeed drive up costs. An important driver of health care inflation is overutilization, and much of that comes from patients using hospital ERs as clinics.

]]> By: James Lansberry http://www.healthcarebs.com/2007/07/15/er-wait-times-increased-by-government-meddling/#comment-4275 James Lansberry Mon, 16 Jul 2007 14:49:29 +0000 http://www.healthcarebs.com/2007/07/15/er-wait-times-increased-by-government-meddling/#comment-4275 It's not just wait time that gets increased, it's overall costs. I think that a law requiring hospitals to treat critical patients is legitimate--none of us should pass by someone who is dying. But patients who are using the ER to get free health care ought to be turned away, as should people who use the ER and have insurance just because it's convenient or they didn't want to wait until a clinic opened up in the morning. It’s not just wait time that gets increased, it’s overall costs.

I think that a law requiring hospitals to treat critical patients is legitimate–none of us should pass by someone who is dying.

But patients who are using the ER to get free health care ought to be turned away, as should people who use the ER and have insurance just because it’s convenient or they didn’t want to wait until a clinic opened up in the morning.

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