What if?
Mr Duncan had called the CDC, and said:
"I just traveled from Liberia to visit family and I have probably been exposed to ebola. I am feeling ill with a fever & abdominal pain. I have no health insurance."
Do you think the CDC would have told him to go to the nearest ER and vaguely present his symptoms?
or do you think they would have told him to stay where he was, so they could dispatch someone to get him into treatment ASAP?
I am firmly convinced that the ER attendant who checked him in , saw a foreign black man with no insurance who had an upset stomach & a fever .. The bottom line thinking at more and more hospitals is to do as little as possible and to do it as quickly as possible.. move 'em out with a prescription , and on to the next one.
Anything done to and for an uninsured patient costs the hospital money.. In most cases it just means that an uninsured patient has to tough it out, and most do recover from their flu or cold at home..and the hospital saves a few bucks.
I think Mr Duncan underestimated the almighty USA health "system". He probably thought that someone one would think zebra when they heard hoof beats.. unfortunately for him, they thought plow horse, and sent him on his way. It's too bad that someone with him did not say.."HE PROBABLY HAS EBOLA...CALL THE CDC...WE ARE NOT LEAVING UNTIL YOU DO"..
That hospital could have immediately transported him out of their hospital, and neither of those nurses would have gotten it, and Mr Duncan could have been saved.. and the hospital would have been seen as heroic..instead of bumbling.
= new reply since forum marked as read
Very nice indeed. 
