Quote:
Originally Posted by PaulS
In a few states - like NY, they have a surcharge on claims to compensate hospitals for "uncompensated care". I think it is either a per monthly head count or a % of paid claims. The insurance company pays. It is built into the rate the insured pays.
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In all cases, the bill is somehow paid. If the hospital covers it, it is passed on to everyone in their hospital bills. If the hospital uses the losses as a write-off- the tax revenues are made up somewhere else (or put on the credit card of our kids), if the insurance companies pay a surcharge- it affects our insurance rates.
In any case, I do think the constitutionality of the health care law treads a thin line, but so does passing off the cost of the uninsured to everyone else and that is established by prior practice for decades.