SAN DIEGO -- New numbers obtained by 10News showed that more and more patients in San Diego County emergency rooms are not insured.

From April 2009 to June 2009, nearly 30,000 patients in the county told hospitals they would try to pay for their care themselves -- that is up seven percent from 2008, according to the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development.

Judith Yates of the Hospital Association of San Diego and Imperial Counties said many patients are not going to a doctor because of the economy.

"Instead of using primary physicians like so many of us, they are using the ER as the first door to service," said Yates.

Experts said less preventive care means more severe illnesses and more visits to the ER, which has caused overcrowding.

According to the Hospital Association of San Diego and Imperial Counties, the average wait time in local ERs is now 3.5 hours and growing -- six hours if a pateint needs to be admitted.

Yates said, "Now wait times could be longer for the simplest of treatments."

Last year, California hospitals provided more than $11 billion in unpaid care, which is passed onto insurance companies and, eventually, to consumers.

Sheena Evans was working but did not have health insurance for a year. She said she cried and worried a lot, and her fears became a reality when her 3-year-old daughter came down with a severe ear infection.

"I saw the swollen ear, freaked out, got in the car and went to the ER," said Evans.

Evans received a $2,000 bill for the visit, and three years later, she has a job and health coverage but she is still paying off the bill.