[orthodoc]

No one is left by the roadside to bleed out, Sundae. The law mandates that at the bare minimum, an evaluation must be done to determine if a medical emergency or unstable condition exists. If so, the person must be treated so as to stabilize the situation. No transfer or discharge may take place before this occurs, or it's a violation of federal law (EMTALA) with huge ramifications for both the providers and the medical facility. The person doing the initial evaluation must be a physician, not a nurse. Also, it's a violation of EMTALA for inquiries about insurance to in any way impede or delay care. Most ERs will put you in a room, do your evaluation, and then someone from registration comes along and asks if you have insurance.

The only place I know of where people were turned away from an ER is Ontario. My husband worked ER there and on one shift was horrified to learn that the front desk had turned away a tourist seeking care. They had demanded $150 up front (as a bare-bones start, not as an entire visit fee) and she didn't have it. The staff informed him that there's no Canadian equivalent to EMTALA and they routinely turn away people without provincial insurance who are unable to pony up enough cash. So you could theoretically bleed out in the street in Ontario.