Martin--

While I can't speak for Wayne, he'd probably agree--please don't think anything I said was meant to imply that emergency services personnel would not help someone in need without first checking for insurance!

As I stated, "Basically, I wanted the card to provide everything needed to check me (or my wife) into the hospital--so that it could be used if either of us were unable to answer for ourselves, or (from bitter experience & 20/20 hindsight), I could give it to someone trusted (such as an in-law) & let them complete the Q & A with the check-in clerk at the ER while I was with my wife in the ER." [emphasis added]

The "bitter experience" to which I referred was a miscarriage at approximately 16 weeks. I was stuck at the ER sign-in desk with a bumbling, officious (insert other derogatory adjectives of your choice here--I'm trying not to sink to profanity) jerk of a clerk while my wife was bleeding severely & frantically asking where I was. I could have handed an info card off to her mother, & been with my wife while they prepped her for an emergency D & C.

No paramedics or other EM personnel were involved; I transported her to the ER & we met the doctor there. Given the circumstances & where we live, it was faster than waiting on an ambulance or the volunteer rescue squad (I'm not knocking any of those guys & gals--I truly appreciate their work & dedication!)

Sorry if I sound a bit cranky--reliving one of the worst nights of my life makes me that way. However, the events of that night prompted me to act afterward, because I wasn't properly prepared at the time. We are now. (We now have 2 beautiful children, too!)

Respectfully,

David