Thread: A cost on immigrant healthcare

A cost on immigrant healthcare
By PATRICK McGEE
Star-Telegram staff writer
Posted on Fri, Jun. 15, 2007

FORT WORTH -- Allowing illegal immigrants access to the county hospital's charity care program for the poor would cost $41.2 million, a consultant told the JPS Health Network board of managers Thursday.

That would be about 10 percent of the hospital's current operating budget, if the number is correct. An immigrant advocacy group says it would cost only a tenth of that.

Michael Romano, a consultant with Phase 2 Consulting, said JPS Connect, the hospital district's nonemergency healthcare program for the poor, could see 29,000 new patients now if it opened its doors to illegal or "undocumented" immigrants.

Romano said this would result in admitting about 385 more people to the hospital this year.

"But in 2017 as that number of undocumented admissions grows ... that would result in close to 3,000 new admissions," Romano said.

He said that by then it would cost more than $119 million to allow illegal immigrants in the JPS Connect program. He said that 70 new hospital beds would also be required in 2017 -- something not included in the hospital's expansion plans.

Allied Communities of Tarrant, an alliance mostly of church leaders, has been lobbyingthe board for about a year to reverse its 2004 decision to bar illegal immigrants from the program.

Earlier this year, ACT estimated that it would cost less than $4.2 million a year to provide healthcare to the area's poor illegal immigrants. The report was based on data from Harris County, where illegal immigrants receive nonemergency care.

ACT Co-Chairman Jose Aguilar listened quietly to Romano's presentation, shaking his head at times. He said his group will review Romano's estimates.

Peter Feers, another ACT leader, did not attend the meeting but burst out laughing over the phone when he heard that it would cost $41.2 million to serve illegal immigrants.

"I wonder why it costs 10 times what it costs at other counties in the state," he said.

Before Romano addressed the board, a few residents spoke in favor of and against providing healthcare for illegal immigrants.

"Enough is enough," said Dennis Killy of Arlington. "Please do not provide any manner of free healthcare to illegal aliens."

Dolores Ruhs, president of the League of Women Voters of Tarrant County, said the hospital has more than enough money to include more people, regardless of their immigration status.

"JPS has enjoyed increasing annual surpluses," she said. "There are ample funds to expand service. ... Preventative, nonemergency care for all Tarrant County residents is cost-effective, as well as the right thing to do."

Managers and top administrators listened quietly to Romano, saying little other than commenting on how complicated the data is.

James Smith, an economist with the Rand Corp., a Santa Monica, Calif.-based think tank, said healthcare costs for illegal immigrants are just a drop in the bucket compared with what the nation spends on healthcare.

A report he co-wrote late last year found that only $1.1 billion of public money was used to pay for illegal immigrants' medical care nationwide in 2000.

"It doesn't cost anywhere near as much as people think," Smith said. "It's not as if this is a big driver of what's happening to healthcare costs nationwide."

Smith said his research found that illegal immigrants are a young, healthy population that rarely needs medical care, except for immigrant women, who were found to have high birth rates and had twice the pregnancy-related hospitalization rate of women born in the United States.

pmcgee@star-telegram.com
Patrick McGee, 817-685-3806

http://www.star-telegram.com/news/story/137857.html

Peter Feers, this is not laughing matter and I find nothing funny about spending my money on dishonest criminals.

Facility Expansion and new facilities to house the new clients is quite costly!!!!!!

Dixie

oh what's the difference? They'll just raise taxes on the working middle-class Americans to pay for it.