EDs can’t turn anyone away. That said, the mandate is not to let people die outright. As such, if you are medically stable, you are sent home, usually without a solution for non-emergent things that should be taken to a PCP or specialist like chronic back pain, pain med refills, thyroid condition that tests out as non emergent, among many other things. The discharge paperwork that says follow up with your doctor or even one they make an appointment with, for you, because it’s a bit more concerning, often is the treatment.

If you’re stable, don’t have rot on your body (more common than you’d think), and aren’t a danger to self or others, they can often just send you home.

All of that said, billing it out doesn’t mean the hospital sees that money. There’s a piece that can be eaten for low income under the requirements for being a nonprofit, but otherwise, the hospital eats those costs and passes them on to paying patients.

In the meantime, everyone gets sicker.