Thread: Immigrants Receive Half the Healthcare of U.S. Born

http://www.latimes.com/features/health/ ... nes-health
August 1, 2005

Immigrants receive half the healthcare of U.S.-born
The study debunks myth that their care is inflating nation's health costs, coauthor says.

By Ceci Connolly, Washington Post

Regardless of age, legal status or insurance coverage, immigrants, on average, receive about half the healthcare services provided to native-born Americans, according to findings released last week that immediately fueled the debate over tightening immigration policies.

Immigrants received an average of $1,139 worth of care, compared with $2,564 for non-immigrants, according to the analysis, published in the August issue of the American Journal of Public Health. The gap was especially pronounced among immigrant children, who received one-quarter the care given to U.S.-born youngsters.

"Our study lays to rest the myth that expensive care for immigrants is responsible for our nation's high health costs," said coauthor Sarita Mohanty, an assistant professor of medicine at USC. "The truth is, immigrants get far less care than other Americans."

The report is based on government data that tabulated health spending for 21,000 people in 1998, the most recent year for which figures were available. The analysis includes legal and illegal immigrants.

"If we think our high healthcare costs are due to immigrants flocking to our shores, we're wrong," said coauthor David Himmelstein of Harvard Medical School. Although immigrants accounted for 10% of the population, they consumed 8% of total health services, the study found.

Some immigration experts, however, said that tracking per capita spending ignores the larger societal costs of a growing immigrant population that is far less likely to have health insurance.

"The fact that immigrants, when uninsured, might use 27% less medical care doesn't change the fact that they're 200% more likely to be uninsured in the first place," said Steven Camarota, research director at the Center for Immigration Studies, a Washington think tank that favors strict immigration controls.

Immigrants account for 18% of the costs associated with the uninsured â€â€

Oh i am thinking that the reason for them on this study is that we have insurance and they don't and we all know that when you have insurance, just seems everything is higher. I know this i proved it to myself at a local doctor. I told them i didn't have insurance and the price was lowered. LOL

The paper's authors, who are active in the Physicians for a National Health Program, said one solution would be to provide everyone with basic health coverage.

Just think about this proposal for a bit. Put aside the fact that the people proposing this have an agenda.

We're to provide everyone with basic health coverage? Legal and illegal, citizen and non-citizen alike?

It would be hard to come up with a better to completely bankrupt a society than to give everyone free health care.

With our wide open borders, what would the population here be five years after this was enacted? 400 million? 500 million?

The sky's the limit, and we'd be paying for it, both in dollars and in having our health care system reduced to that of a third world country.

Well:

First, lets look at the YEAR OF THE STUDY, 1998.

Second, lets look at the PEOPLE THEY STUDIED, 21,000--who are they? 20,000 "immigrants" and 1,000 Senior Citizens?

Third, lets look at who did the study, American Journal of Public Health--where do they get this information? If they can get it on 21,000, why can't they get it on the enitre population? Last time I checked, medical records were PRIVATE! Oh....but wait, maybe they used MEDICAID records?

This is a ridiculous study, ancient by study standards, raising all types of questions as to where did they get the information and records to begin with and what was their objective?

If the records were available in 1998, they were available in 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004!! If they weren't available in 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, and 2004, why were they available in 1998?

Also, how would they know if someone is an "immigrant" regardless of "age, legal status or insurance coverage"?

How does someone doing a study for the American Journal of Public Health know whether or not you are an immigrant or a native born? And did I read that the "government" was involved in this nonsense?

The University of Southern California concludes that this "dispels that myth" that immigrants health issues are responsible for rising health care costs in the US. Who said immigrants health issues are responsible for rising health care costs?

I think what I've heard is that illegal immigrants are responsible for closing hospitals due to the rising costs for those hospitals flooded with illegal immigrants WHO DON'T PAY!!

This doesn't dispel any myth. It does however CONFIRM that the US Government is wasting American tay money trying to configure lies and deceit and dump it on the American Public in some twisted sick activity trying to "compare" illegal children to American Children.

Are they trying to say Immigrant Children cost less than American Children? Are they trying to prove Immigrant Children are healthier than American Children? What kind of study is this in reality? Comparing one type of person against another? Are the Immigrant Children a better deal? Is that what they are trying to say? Hmmm...this is reminding me of something....what could it be? 1938, 1939, 1940, 1941, 1942, 1943, 1944, 1945. The years of a lot of "studying" of people as we recall, eh? Trying to prove one type was better than another type.

There is only one difference between illegal children and American Children, the American Children have a right to be here and the illegal children don't. Get them out, send them home.

People, if you don't wake up and face the fact that Maniacs are in our Government, then God Help Us All.