I'm an "uninsured" Californian who was recently run over by a truck. Ambulance, 2 operations, countless MRIs and X-rays, 9 day stay in the ICU, lots of pills, physical therapy, follow ups, and outpatient gear (back brace, cane, etc). Ballpark estimate was a half million dollars, roughly $30 of which will be out-of-pocket. Being low income I qualified for a free government "insurance" that pays pretty close to 100% of any scenario. My only expense was 30% of my wheelchair rental. If I didn't have that program my hospital bill would be written off as a charity case. I was not eligible for walking assistance device coverage, so the hospital donated a cane to me because I needed it to leave. This was supplied to them by the cane company the hospital pimps out to patients (heh, pimp cane... I'm still on pain killers). The hospital itself had a program to offer free medication to patients, but because I was enrolled in a program I had to fill it at the local free clinic. They didn't carry one of the prescriptions, so they wrote a referral to another pharmacy, so they were also free. They also write referrals for free glasses, hearing aids, birth control, fillings, crowns, etc. Hospitals have someone on staff who's job it is to find a way for a sick or injured patient to get he necessary care regardless of ability to pay. It isn't always ideal, One uninsured friend's hospital would only operate on his herniated disc if he came in to the ER 3 times... Otherwise they sent him home with painkillers and an order to rest. But by simply asking the social services worker how to fix the problem when he had no insurance or money, he got the answer and made it work. For more information on health care options for low income or uninsured call 311 or 211, or look up your local Department of Public Social Services office.