Healthcare in Louisiana (Shreveport, Lake Charles, Jennings: 2015, health insurance, new construction)

[Va83]

I would love to know more about the state of your healthcare system. From insurance to hospitals to care options. I’d like an opinion on it all.

[rgathrights]

Louisiana's healthcare system works quite well if you have the patience to schedule an appointment and have the forethought to ensure you have health insurance. For example, we have a new private hospital called Avail in Lake Charles that is very accommodating and offers great patient rooms in a new construction setting.



If you do not have health insurance then the charity hospital surgical system in Shreveport and emergency rooms at local hospitals are going to be a nightmare to get through. Often see patients stabilized in Lake Charles and sent up North in an ambulance... never to be seen again.



IN BEFORE THIS TURNS INTO A FREE HEALTHCARE WHINE SESSION.

[annie_himself]

Same as other states, got insurance, you're good. Don't have insurance, you're sick or dead.

[victimofGM]

Originally Posted by annie_himself

Same as other states, got insurance, you're good. Don't have insurance, you're sick or dead.

You’re ignorant. Hospitals cannot turn away patients to the ER if they can’t afford to pay or if they don’t have insurance.

[Va83]

Originally Posted by victimofGM

You’re ignorant. Hospitals cannot turn away patients to the ER if they can’t afford to pay or if they don’t have insurance.

Annie didn’t mention an ER. So the statement is true. Although some states offer better care than others.

[DeanGuitarist]

Originally Posted by victimofGM

You’re ignorant. Hospitals cannot turn away patients to the ER if they can’t afford to pay or if they don’t have insurance.

Bull****... I know from personal experience that some hospitals and er would refuse service. With the exception of childbirth.

Myself, I was turned away from an er visit because I didn't have the money or insurance. I left from that hospital and went to another. They immediately put me in the er and had to do what was needed. The staff was disgusted about how JENNINGS hospital treated me.

Fast forward years later. Have good insurance, but owed a bill from a few years prior. (They billed then sold bill to outside agencies to collect. With people barely speaking English. So...hmm do I trust said companies? Are they scammers?) Needed an arthroscopic procedure done. Hospital named above would not touch it. Oh, they would if I would have paid thousands of dollars firsthand. And my previous bills never exceeded 1,000. Wife made sure, EACH month to pay on hospital bills. Well, I had to get back with my orthopedic surgeon and reschedule. They had no problem with this because of many more patients before me had similar experiences. We got it done though.

I talked about this to a coworker. And he swore to the hospital. Said I must have done something wrong. Until he had the same experience. He apologized to me and said that he expected better service than that.

We both agreed that it's a shame that some hospitals value money more than the patients lives.

Not only this hospital, family members around the state had similar experiences.

[victimofGM]

Originally Posted by DeanGuitarist

Bull****... I know from personal experience that some hospitals and er would refuse service. With the exception of childbirth.

Myself, I was turned away from an er visit because I didn't have the money or insurance. I left from that hospital and went to another. They immediately put me in the er and had to do what was needed. The staff was disgusted about how JENNINGS hospital treated me.

Fast forward years later. Have good insurance, but owed a bill from a few years prior. (They billed then sold bill to outside agencies to collect. With people barely speaking English. So...hmm do I trust said companies? Are they scammers?) Needed an arthroscopic procedure done. Hospital named above would not touch it. Oh, they would if I would have paid thousands of dollars firsthand. And my previous bills never exceeded 1,000. Wife made sure, EACH month to pay on hospital bills. Well, I had to get back with my orthopedic surgeon and reschedule. They had no problem with this because of many more patients before me had similar experiences. We got it done though.

I talked about this to a coworker. And he swore to the hospital. Said I must have done something wrong. Until he had the same experience. He apologized to me and said that he expected better service than that.

We both agreed that it's a shame that some hospitals value money more than the patients lives.

Not only this hospital, family members around the state had similar experiences.

Then report that hospital because what they did is illegal. I know because I work at a hospital and this is part of our yearly required training.

[DeanGuitarist]

We reported it already and haven't heard anything as of yet.

[rgathrights]

Originally Posted by DeanGuitarist

We reported it already and haven't heard anything as of yet.

https://oig.hhs.gov/


TIP: You should report it to this government office.

[Va83]

How is healthcare outside of life or death situations? How is preventative care quality?