Research, however, shows that the uninsured are less likely to seek care when it is needed, even when experiencing potentially serious symptoms. Go to the hospital 1. When the uninsured do seek care, their conditions are typically more advanced, and they are more likely to seek care in emergency rooms than in more appropriate settings. They are billed personally. If they can't pay, the account goes to bill collectors 4.
Hospitals try to recoup some of their bad-debt load by raising prices for other purchasers.
They also receive some government subsidies for indigent care. But some facilities, especially in low-income areas, may be threatened with bankruptcy if they can't collect adequate revenue. Go to the pharmacy 1. They must pay out of pocket. Otherwise, the uninsured pay full price out of pocket for their drugs.