Because EMTALA (Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act) requires that anyone coming to the emergency room will be treated regardless of ability to pay, citizenship, or any condition or face federal fines of 50,000 per incident to both on call providers and hospitals and termination of participation in Medicare. Since Medicare is over 50% of the medical business no one can afford to say no.
Medicare (promise to pay without limit using other people’s money) + EMTALA have, in effect, dictated nationalization.
It’s just taken a while.
LOL. In the ER. For emergent medical conditions. Doesn’t include elective surgery.