On 01-02-98 Justin Baustert wrote to John Boone... 
 
        Hello Justin, 
  
 JB> JB> law, COBRA, requiring hospitals to   care for -ALL- foiks 
 JB> JB> regardless 
 JB> JB> of ability to pay, particularly those  that can't pay. IOW, the 
   
 JB> Let's say all government intervention is removed from the process.  
 JB> How,  
 JB> then, does the hospital determine if the patient will be able to foot 
 JB> the bill? 
 
  Unsure exactly as this requires me to predict the future. 
However, in attempt given current technology, I'll ask 
several questions. 
  How do banks determine if a potential borrower has sufficient 
funds?  How do businesses in general determine transaction 
acceptance with your credit cards? 
 
 JB> Free-enterprise doesn't stop non-paying customers from slipping 
 JB> through the  
 JB> cracks..  It is possible to re-break someone's leg after fixing it the 
 
  No, the free market doesn't, but the free market does allow 
businesses not to "trade" with unpaying customers. 
  
Take care, 
John 
 
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