Denying Insurance Reimbursement for Unnecessary ER Visits

Sounds like a good plan to me.  (Note to Republicans: We are not talking about "death panels" here.  Don't get excited.)

A med student we know mentioned recently the idea that one might charge $5 to speak to the triage nurse in the ER - $5 regardless of one's apparent station in life.  She mentioned that an ER somewhere tried it, and it sharpened things right up.

"The most obvious rule of social science is that people will abuse any free good," as we have previously referenced.

UPDATE:  As Carol notes in her comment, there's more to the link than what I cite.  (It's always good to read the whole thing.)  But I think that hitting someone in the pocket-book will get things moving more quickly.