Title: Can Homeless People Go to the Hospital? - HomelessAdvice.com
Headings: Can Homeless People Go to the Hospital?
Can Homeless People Go to the Hospital?
Content: Most hospitals can not turn people away for being sick, so they had to work out a way to make up for all the lost money that occurs as a result of homeless people being unable to pay. So many of them get tax benefits or receive compensation from the government for people who are eligible to be enrolled in low-income or homeless programs. So going to see a doctor can end up costing you nothing, if you can prove you’re in fact homeless. If you’re a low-income citizen than you may end up paying only $10 to see a doctor if they enroll you in a program for low-income people. But again, you’d have to prove that, and it’s usually through printed bank statements that these things can be proven. Just make sure that you ask about these types of programs and enroll in them before you leave the hospital. If you decide to just leave, they’ll usually just send your bill to your address on file. If too much time passes and the hospital doesn’t know you’re homeless or low-income, then they will most likely send your bill to a collections agency. Once that happens, it’s too late to apply for the programs mentioned and you’ll end up owing the full bill or whatever the collections agency decides to make you pay. Collections and Debts
If a hospital has no program for low-income people (which many of them do), then you may have a very large bill sent to you in the mail after you leave.