[gchappel]

At least in my area, if a patient needs care- they get it.
I see patients every day that are treated- yet have no funds.
I have the most experience in oncology patients.
If you have cancer, yet have no insurance you will still get the care you need.
Long term chemo therapy, radiation treatments, surgery, radiology staging are all done. Yes you will get care.
The hospitals as well as the oncologists private practices will "eat" the costs. So yes, it actually costs the physicians a large amount of money to treat these patients.
At the same time, they are looking for ways to get at least partial coverage for these patients. The hospitals have teams that help them apply for Medicaid, and other funding. The funds have to come from somewhere, so yes some of the funds also come from profits from other patients.
The same thing with other acute conditions. Come in with appendicitis and no insurance- you get the same surgeon and care as everybody else.
Now elective cosmetic procedures- no.
Life threatening conditions- they get care.
Gary