Thread: Illegal Aliens Put Strain on US Hospitals

http://www.wlns.com/Global/story.asp?S=3492569

Illegal Aliens Put Strain on US Hospitals
Jun 19, 2005, 8:21 AM
The invasion of illegal aliens into the US has put a tremendous strain on our nation's hospitals. States demanded that the Federal Government help pay for the care they provide. Now 1 billion dollars is available to hospitals that can prove they are treating illegal aliens, b ut that means asking touchy questions about a patient's legal status.

For New Mexico hospitals, there's 5 million federal dollars to help pay for free emergency room care to illegal aliens. First, they must verify they're treating illegal aliens, but no one wants to directly ask a patient's legal status.

Jeff Dye, New Mexico Hospital Association: "There is a bit of a dance, we're trying to be cautious about not discriminating, not scaring away patients that need care, and yet getting care and getting funding to the hospital."

So hospitals ask roundabout questions, like does the patient have a foreign birth certificate, a Mexican border-crossing card, an expired visa or a invalid Social Security number? For some states, these questions mean millions. California hospitals are eligible for 70 million dollars a year to pay for hospital care for illegals, Texas 46 million and Arizona 45 million, but the Government has instructed hospitals not to directly ask if a patient is illegal, and hospital associations and immigrant groups had strongly lobbied against it, saying sick and injured illegals would be afraid to seek care.

Janet Murguia, National Council of la Raza: "O nce any segment of our society believes that they cannot go to a hospital emergency room, it puts all Americans at risk."

And she says asking any questions about status turns emergency room personnel into immigration officials.

some time back we had several articles about 7 border hospitals possible closing because of the financial burden from the illegal aliens.

Well there you have it!

EVERYONE can help out.

There's no reason to stop illegal immigration, and no reason for border states hospitals to close. Oh, no.

We'll just take more tax money from everyone to pay for it! Those citizens in Salmon, Idaho just haven't been kicking in their fair share lately. And you guys in Minot, North Dakota, fork over.

Wow. This is MUCH easier than stopping them at the border.