Ujm and 2cents, let me be clear. Yrm reffered to homeless and elderly checking into hospitals for free room and board.
I agree that anyone can walk into an ER and must be triaged ( assessed for illness/injury). However, you won’t be admitted unless the condition warrants it. If a Medicare patient falls and fractures a hip, and, mris etc determine that surgery is not needed, only bed rest, Medicare will deny that patient’s admission.
In addition an ER is not a bakery. People don’t get treated in the order they arrive, but by how seriously sick or injured they are. You could be number 5 when you arrive but number 14 three hours later.
One more note. If you’ve been sick since Monday, don’t be surprised if your insurance co refuses to pay for your outpatient visit on Thursday. Why? Because it’s not an emergency. The ER is obligated to treat you, but an ER is the most expensive place to seek outpatient care and the ins will say you had several days to seek out your dr or an urgicare center