Originally Posted by Dr Winston O Boogie jr

The significance is that the law states that a hospital cannot refuse service if a person cannot pay. Uninsured people go to the ER knowing that they will never pay for the services. The hospital calculates how much money they lose by providing this "FREE" service and that money is divided up and included in the bills of the people, or insurance companies that do pay. In other words, those that have insurance or pay themselves are paying for those that do not.