First Coast News
Phil Amato
Illegal Aliens Cost Floirda Hospitals $100 Million
TALLAHASSEE, FL -- 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.
Source:
http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/news-article.aspx?
storyid=136591
