Do you think EMS will change under Obamacare?

[ambodriver]

Does anyone believe that since more will have the insurance and opportunity to see a PMD, that the stress on ER's might in fact go down? Right now ER's are flooded with "non-emergent" problems because people can't afford to go to the doctor and they know that the hospital will work with them or even just ignore the bill whereas a PMD would send debt collectors and harass the patients for money.

Also, with some sort of government control over insurance companies, we could see the cost of services go down. Right now say a private insurance company states they will pay 50% of what the doctors office or hospital bills them because that is what they seem fair. Say the hospital needs to charge $1000 for every ER patient just to make a slight profit (because lets face it, healthcare will never be a non-profit organization), they know that if they charge the insurance companies that $1,000, they will only see $500 in the end. So they raise their ER prices to $2,000 knowing that the big insurance company will then pay them their $1,000 that they need to cover operational costs and the costs of those who won't pay or don't have big insurance covering their asses.

If there were some sort of government regulation on the COMPANIES (not the individuals), like there are regulations on banks and auto manufacturers, then we might actually see the cost of healthcare come down in this country.

The effect on EMS will vary throughout the regions, as it does now with the economy. Some will see benefit, while others may not. It is no different than the effects we have seen over the last 8 years or so with the economy falling to pieces and the unemployment rates so high.

This is an interesting view point and I did consider it. However, people go to the ER for non-emergent issues because they are ignorant. This is my view point formed by working in a high call volume system and also working in a trauma center ER in an inner city ghetto. I have for the most part stopped trying to educate people, as I see it as a lost cause and a waste of my breath. Most of these people will never get it and don't care to.

You stubbed your toe 2 days ago? Ok lets go and get this run over with....