Thread: AZ-Napolitano wants Medicare funds reauthorized

September 22, 2008 - 6:39PM
Napolitano wants Medicare funds reauthorized
Comments 10
Mary K. Reinhart, Tribune
Arizona stands to lose $32 million next year in federal funds used to compensate local hospitals, ambulance companies and emergency room physicians for care provided to illegal immigrants.

In a recent letter to congressional leaders, Gov. Janet Napolitano urged reauthorization of Medicare funding, due to expire when the fiscal year ends Sept. 30.

"Failure to offset these costs will result in additional tension in our health care safety net through overburdened emergency departments and additional costs passed on through the health care system," Napolitano wrote.

The money comes through the Medicare Modernization Act of 2003, which provided $1 billion over four years. One-third of that is divided among the six border states. Arizona hospitals and health care providers got about $45 million this year - second only to California.

Congress isn't likely to take action anytime soon, given the recent economic meltdown and the election just six weeks away. But the state has a $77 million unspent balance that can be tapped in the meantime.

"Anything having to do with immigration is viewed as a hot potato," said John Rivers, CEO of the Arizona Hospital and Health Care Association. "So there hasn't been a great amount of political will to get this thing done."

Federal law requires emergency treatment for anyone who needs it. Uninsured and undocumented patients last year cost Arizona hospitals $317 million in uncompensated care.

Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., helped push the funding through Congress, but hospitals were initially slow to apply for the money, which covers emergency services and a "stabilization period" of two days.

Banner Health hospitals in Arizona incurred nearly $100 million in uncompensated care during 2006-07, and got roughly $6 million that same year to help cover care of illegal immigrants.

If the funding isn't reauthorized, Banner spokesman Bill Byron said the care won't change.

"We're still going to treat patients, but we'll have to absorb the costs," Byron said.

http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/126412

Hospitals - No Bailout - Either! State and Local Governments Must Do Their Part - Undocumented People Have No Right to Privacy!

In a recent letter to congressional leaders, Gov. Janet Napolitano urged reauthorization of Medicare funding, due to expire when the fiscal year ends Sept. 30.

"Failure to offset these costs will result in additional tension in our health care safety net through overburdened emergency departments and additional costs passed on through the health care system," Napolitano wrote.


The way I see it is that failure.....how about REFUSAL?....to offset these costs will go a long way in convincing pro-illegal, and flip flopping two faced politicians like Napolitano.....to STOP caving in to big business and special interests. Perhaps even instead of having amicable tea parties with leaders in foreign governments like Mexico, these pols will also start holding them responsible for the care and feeding of their own illegal aliens.

Stopping the big cash giveaway is the only way to bring state and local leaders to heel in terms of ensuring that they uphold thier oathes of office and begin to actually do their jobs for their OWN citizens.

No more letting ANY of them off the hook

"Failure to offset these costs will result in additional tension in our health care safety net through overburdened emergency departments and additional costs passed on through the health care system," Napolitano wrote."

Too Bad Guv--you encourage illegal immigrtaion to provide cheap labor for your friends--now eat it!!!!!!!!!!!!

Federal funds for hospitals about to run out
Sept. 28, 2008 09:10 PM
12 News

A federal program which provides Arizona hospitals 30 million dollars a year to help offset the cost of caring for illegal immigrants is set to expire on Tuesday.

Arizona Senator Jon Kyl says there is still 77-million dollars for Arizona hospitals to use until next year. When Congress is expected to renew funding for the program. Kyl says, "the idea was that there would be some kind of comprehensive immigration reform that would take over after the 4 year program. Well we didn't do comprehensive immigration reform. As a result we do need to re-authorize the program."
Dan Coleman, the CEO of the John C. Lincoln health network says, "We cannot ask people where they're from or whether they have insurance or if they have the ability to pay. We have to take care of them first."

Kyl says Arizona is lucky because it still has money to spend. California and New Mexico hospitals have already exhausted their allotment of federal funds.

www.azcentral.com

Dan Coleman, the CEO of the John C. Lincoln health network says, "We cannot ask people where they're from or whether they have insurance or if they have the ability to pay. We have to take care of them first."



Yeah? Well, maybe somebody had better do something and START asking. Then, right after you do, send the bills to their home countries. Better yet, save the postage and have the illegal alien hand deliver it once ICE deports them.

How many MORE billions are the citizens of this country expected to cough up in repairing the damage to our economy that illegal immigration has wrought?