Is it wrong for me to try and convince my friend to go see a Dr. if she's poor?

Question

She has a really bad chronic illness and I think it might be fatal if she doesn't check it out soon. But the thing is, I think she doesn't want to go bc she might not have insurance to pay for it. And I'm too scared she'll get insulted if I offer searching for free clinics out there. So yeah, am I ethically wrong ?

Answer 1

If your a good friend you are in the right, there are free clinics for the poor, try check with your local health dept. Or maybe helping her pay for the doctor. Also may want to apply for medcade thought the Dept. Human Service to help with the cost. And also check and see if there is a clinic close to you that has a scale for fixed income. Hope this will help.

Answer 2

No of course you are not wrong.. you should ask around for her where she could go and get checked out without having to pay a lot. You could do that for your friend..  She wants to get help but she has no money to cover the insurance. so ethnically wrong would only be if she was against seeing a doctor for religious reasons. She would like to get help and live but she is so poor.. therefore try to find out by contacting hospitals and look on the internet where she can get help otherwise she could die. she doesn't want to but if nobody can lend her the money to go to a hospital, what can she do. If I had a friend who was that Ill I would try and scrape the money together to get her into a hospital... life is worth more than money.. or at least take every effort to get her help.. by making a lot of phone calls and find out where she can get help without a lot of payment... a human life should be worth saving. Insurance or not.

Answer 3

You are not ethically wrong!  Not for caring about your friend and wanting her to be okay!  Definitely not for caring about honoring her feelings and her specific situation!  I would just sit down with her, soon, let her know you're worried about her health and you really want her to get it checked out, if she says she doesn't have insurance, offer to help her find a free clinic.  Also keep in mind that any county hospital, and many private ones, have ways that a person with no insurance can be "rated" for service, which decides what their sliding fee scale is for her.  Depending on what her issue is, some places may evaluate her for free, or once she gets a diagnosis, that may entitle her to medicaid or medicare.  There are more options out there than people think.  Either way, you're a good friend!

Answer 4

tell her you care for her and want to help.

Answer 5

You are correct to be concerned.  Go with her to a clinic.  Hopefully she will accept that you are doing it out of love, not pity.

Answer 6

If she is a good friend - ask her if she would like some help finding a good doctor. A lot of doctors offices and clinics do offer a "sliding scale" fees. She might be a little embarrassed if its an insurance/money issue but she will get over it quickly (I'm sure) and just be touched that you care that much about her.

Answer 7

i don't think it's ethically wrong!  if it's fatal, she needs to see a doctor!  go ahead!  also i think in cities like chicago, LA, etc. there may be "pay whatever you can" clinics.