Originally Posted by soccerjunky

Actually they can . They(they being the emergency room) can screen you and depending on the urgency of the condition they can recommend alternate services. They can certainly deny treatment if you are seeking what the hospital determines is an elective treatment or procedure.

However for the most part you will recieve treatment from the hospital and the on call physician. Any physician who takes hospital call provide their fair share of "charity" care. Some physicians ( plastic surgeons for example) can provide little charity care by not participating in medicare/medicaid or even traditional insurance and just flourish by cash business.