Thread: Illegal Aliens cost Florida Hospitals $100 Million

Illegal Aliens cost Florida Hospitals $100 Million
Posted By: Mike Deeson Date last updated: 4/23/2009 11:44:37 PM

Florida Hospitals have to write off $100 million dollars in unpaid medical bills because of illegal aliens. The Florida Hospital Association says taxpayers pick up the tab.


Tallahasse, Florida -- There are between 12 and 20 million illegal aliens in the United States. No one has a hard number on how many illegal's are in the country but the Florida Hospital Association says the cost to hospital is staggering and everyone is paying for it.

Illegal aliens come into this country every day. In fact, more than one million live in Florida.

The influx of illegals has a devastating affect on hospitals through out the state, including Tampa bay.

Carol Plato, who testified before a legislative committee, says the Florida Hospital Association estimates the cost is $100 million for illegal patient care.

And part of the reason the cost is so high, is because illegal aliens often use the emergency room as their primary care physician. Usually illegal's don't have insurance and very little money, which means they can pay the bill. However, that doesn't mean the bill isn't paid. Those who have insurance pick up the difference and that's a major reason things are so expensive when you're in the hospital.

Bruce Rueben, President of the Florida hospital association, says there are unmet costs that have to be met somehow.

Rueben says hospitals can not write off the $100 million debt being caused by illegals. According to Rueben, the hospitals have to cut costs or pass them on to people who can pay. Rueben says that is a big reason why health care costs are so high for people who have insurance.

Among the cases documented for a legislative committee looking into the problem include an illegal alien from Guatemala that ran up $1.5 million s in medical bills from 2001 to 2003 at Martin Memorial Hospital in South Florida.

Carol Plato, who testified before the legislative committee, says lawmakers may question why she was telling them about a case that took place in 2003. However Plato says the case is still going on and the hospital has spent an additional quarter of a million dollars in legal fees. That's because the man's family, in the United States, is suing the hospital because they thought it was inappropriate for the hospital to return the man to Guatemala, his home country.

Many taxpayers we talked to agree with Cathy Allison, who says that people, who are here in the United State, are working hard and paying taxes. Allison says she doesn't think it is fair for people who don't have to pay a thing to get free care. Allison says she has a problem with it.

While people like Allison are upset about the issue, the Florida Hospital Association says there is very little help from international or United States agencies.

Plato told the legislative committee that she has a patient from Mexico who has spent 760 days in her hospital. Plato says the man had severe brain damage. He has no family, no friends and his charges to date are $1.5 million. Plato says the hospital has contacted the Mexican Consulate 4 times, it has contacted Immigration Officials and no one will help get patient back to Mexico.

However some taxpayers agree with Marlene Copperman, who says the illegals are sick and need help. Copperman says hospitals can't let them die on the street.

That is something hospitals won't allow. Rueben says hospitals are going to treat whoever is in need. He says that's what hospitals are fundamentally there for. Rueben says they are not going to turn someone away if they show up at the emergency room in need of health care.

But each time an illegal shows up at a hospital and doesn't pay, you do and estimates are each family in Florida pays at least 315 dollars a year to support people who have come into this country illegally.


http://www.wtsp.com/news/local/story.as ... yid=104683

Rueben says hospitals can not write off the $100 million debt being caused by illegals. According to Rueben, the hospitals have to cut costs or pass them on to people who can pay. Rueben says that is a big reason why health care costs are so high for people who have insurance.

Anyone with a minimum of logical thought will understand that this TRUTH applies in many other costs to American taxpayers. Name any subsidization Illegal Aliens get and you KNOW the American taxpayer is footing the bill. Not only through taxes but in the costs any individual must pay for services NOT provided by the govt. to its citizens.

Hospitals have a serious problem in this situation. When they can't collect enough money to continue operating they just close. We've lost many in California.

Added to Homepage:
http://www.alipac.us/article-4161--0-0.html

That is why we must deport ALL ILLEGAL ALIENS. The politicians in the White House and the US Congress are idiots or what? Don't they see how much illegal aliens cost us? Let's remove those politicians from the White House and the US Congress that do not do anything to deport illegal aliens. Let's elect politicians who will listen to us and who will deport ALL ILLEGAL ALIENS. Some will think I am radical because I want to deport all those illegal aliens. I am not. I just want the US immigration laws be enfored. We are a nation of laws. When we do not respect any law in the United States we go to jail. In the case of illegal aliens, they do not respect immigration laws. Therefore, they must be deported.

I had to read this paragraph several times:

And part of the reason the cost is so high, is because illegal aliens often use the emergency room as their primary care physician. Usually illegal's don't have insurance and very little money, which means they can pay the bill. However, that doesn't mean the bill isn't paid. Those who have insurance pick up the difference and that's a major reason things are so expensive when you're in the hospital.

First off, the word "can" is a either a typo or the truth in some cases. Maybe they can pay, but choose not to?

Secondly, this just another way of "spreading the wealth around". Can you imagine what it'll be like when the administration continues to stay in power? I predict that I'll be forced out of my 2 bedroom home. I'm sure there's probably an illegal alien family of 4 that need it more...

Close the Hospitals???? Oh know Obama, Pelsoi, Reid, McCain and the rest of the idiots want to give them amnesty so they can qualify for the FREE health care we have coming our way Problem is it will be FREE to them and will devastate the middle class in this country!

All of them should be deported. I dont care who they are, hospitals should start denying treatment to them. Alot of Americans cant even afford health insurance because its sky high. Why? Because WE are paying for ILLEGAL ALIENS health care. Health insurance WAS a common benefit offered to employees but no alot of companies charge employees a fee or dont offer insurance at all now. Why? Because WE are paying for ILLEGAL ALIENS. Is anyone as mad as me?

The illegal alien criminals must be laughing at the U.S.A. They know they can get free medical attention here, and the Americans will pay for it all.

There can be no equal protection under the law as long as the government continues to protect illegal aliens at taxpayer expense.
The Civil Rights movement in the 60's was supposed to be about Equal Rights for ALL citizens. Equal rights require equal responsibilities to OBEY the law (remember those were NON Violent marchers required to obey the laws) now our own government sets Non-citizens ABOVE the law, they don't have to enter the country properly, pay their bills, taxes or even present legal identification and our government not only does not prosecute them it encourages them and protects them from prosecution! Where is the EQUAL PROTECTION FOR U.S. Citizens when we have to obey ALL of the laws, pay ALL of the taxes and pay for people from other countries health care when we can't afford it for our own children?
Tax paying Citizens are being ignored by our elected and appointed government employees resulting in taxation without responsive representation, it is time to throw them ALL out and start with people that can actually read and comprehend, enforce and obey the Constitution as they all swore to do when they stole office.