‘California’s Medical Crisis’

It comes as no surprise that lower-income people are not able to be served at area trauma centers. Those centers are pricing themselves out of existence.

Recently it was necessary for me to take my infant granddaughter for emergency care after her thumb was badly mangled in an accident at home. We took her to the nearest emergency care room, which happens to be located in one of Orange County’s trauma centers. We spent over three hours there waiting for care. Later when we received a billing, it was for only a few dollars under $1,000.

Fortunately, as my granddaughter was a guest in my home, my homeowner’s insurance covered this exorbitant bill. After the bill had been paid, I received a supplemental bill for $15. No amount of correspondence could get an explanation and after a time there were computer-generated threats to sue me for the $15. I went to the hospital and found a public relations person who explained that it was necessary to hire someone from outside the staff to read the X-rays for them.

These costs are all out of reason. If the trauma centers are comparable to emergency care (if a wait of three hours can be classified emergency) the victim must nearly bankrupt himself. If the trauma center in making a choice between service and money chooses money, poor people must be turned away.

RAY BRACY

Tustin