Non-Americans may not realize: In America, going to the ER, it's possible and often happens that someone can be billed any random, unlimited amount for 10 seconds of interaction: $3,150 for "consultation." Yes. Heck, you don't even need to be seen to be billed. As soon as they collect personal information, despite not being seen, they can and do still try to bill you randomly regardless. One ER in the Bay Area has a security guard whose job it is to collect Social Security or tax identifiers from people before they can speak to anyone in the hospital.