Thread: Ma. Illegals’ medical bills top $35.7M Taxpayers hit hard

Illegals’ medical bills top $35.7M
Taxpayers hit hard for trips to ER
Jessica Van Sack By Jessica Van Sack
Wednesday, October 27, 201

http://news.bostonherald.com/news/polit ... position=0


Beleaguered Bay State and U.S. taxpayers coughed up a staggering $35.7 million this year in free emergency health care for more than 52,000 illegal aliens in Massachusetts, sparking outrage from candidates and critics who back a tougher line on immigration.

The figures — released by Gov. Deval Patrick’s administration under an order for the Secretary of State’s office and after more than a month of ducking questions — show illegal immigrants who belong to MassHealth Limited received $33.8 million in taxpayer-funded in-patient hospital care this year.

They also made 6,160 visits to the state’s overburdened emergency rooms in the fiscal year ending in June for an additional cost of $1.9 million, a Herald analysis shows.

The Patrick administration, which supplied the figures last week, refused to make state health insurance officials available to discuss them.

But critics were quick to blast the huge medical bill being footed by hard-pressed, law-abiding taxpayers.

“Incorporating illegal immigrants into any type of government-sponsored health care is legitimizing their presence here,’’ said Mark Krikorian, executive director of the conservative Center for Immigration Studies, which favors stricter immigration policies. “It’s a kind of piecemeal amnesty.’’

Added state Rep. Robert Hedlund (R-Weymouth), “It’s just another example in this state of working people paying the bills, and some people availing themselves of the benefits we have in the commonwealth.’’

The Patrick administration maintains that its hands are tied because failing to treat gravely illegal immigrants would be a violation of federal law, but some disagree.

“It’s hard to say that’s the case directly,’’ said James Edwards, a fellow at the Washington, D.C.-based immigration center. “My suspicion is it’s willful ignorance.’’

The center calculates that Massachusetts has 220,000 illegal immigrants overall.

Independent gubernatorial candidate Tim Cahill, the state treasurer, said no one wants to deny illegal immigrants life-saving care — but it’s time to scrutinize the program and ensure that the services covered are truly emergencies.

“The cost sounds extremely high,’’ Cahill said. “I get the same feeling about the governor’s claims that illegal immigrants can’t access certain state services. A lot of them are. We need to be vigilant, especially in these difficult times.’’

Patrick’s GOP rival Charlie Baker declined to comment.

The figures show 69 percent of the state’s MassHealth Limited subscribers are illegal immigrants. The state is projected to pay $13.7 million of the cost of the health-care program this year, while federal Medicaid picks up the other $22 million.

Rosemarie Day, former deputy director of the state’s Health Insurance Connector Authority, said MassHealth Limited is akin to a “political compromise.’’

“There’s a certain amount of coverage that we as a civilized society must accept, even though people don’t want to think about it,’’ she said yesterday. “It had to be set up as a standalone program to cover folks who couldn’t be covered any other way.’’

The figures show 69 percent of the state’s MassHealth Limited subscribers are illegal immigrants. The state is projected to pay $13.7 million of the cost of the health-care program this year, while federal Medicaid picks up the other $22 million.

69%!!!

I thought they were hiding in the shadows, merely doing their jobs to support their families and not making any demands on our welfare systems.

Yeah! And ask any of them illegals and/ or their supporters and they will tell you they pay into the system and do not get anything out of it. RIGHT!

This is why illegals bring their entire families when they invade;they are no longer responsible for taking care of their dependents-the U.S. taxpayer will foot the bill

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http://www.alipac.us/article-5786--0-0.html

And we Americans get huge medical bills because we are not illegal aliens. It is time to deport all illegal aliens. With the Democrats in Congress and in the WHite House we cannot do that. So next week make sure you vote all the Democtrats out and in 2012 let's replace Obama. The Democrats and Obama love their illegal aliens to advance their socialist agenda. WE have to stop this. Let's remove from office all the Democrats. THis country cannot survive with Democrats and illegal aliens.

They charge us more at the doctor and our insurance rates go up and up, to pay for these trespassers.


I'm willing to put my life on the line, to save this nation for my children.
Who else is with me?

The figures show 69 percent of the state’s MassHealth Limited subscribers are illegal immigrants. The state is projected to pay $13.7 million of the cost of the health-care program this year, while federal Medicaid picks up the other $22 million.

Illegal invaders have already been granted amnesty in Massachusetts. This is truly disturbing, but I would bet that it's the same in many states if not higher. We spend millions of dollars on illegal invaders in my home state of California as well.

How much longer can this continue?

And this is only the emergency bills, never mind babies and every other thing.

Just saw the author of this article on Bill O'Reilly show and she said Patric had 10 days to give her this info and he stalled for over 30 days before she threatened to write an article about his deceit on the front page of the Boston Herald. Just before election time once again.