Thread: Can Dallas Co. Bill Mexico For Illegal Immigrant Care?

http://cbs11tv.com/health/local_story_173182954.html

Jun 22, 2006 5:29 pm US/Central

Can Dallas Co. Bill For Illegal Immigrant Care?

Steve Pickett
Reporting

(CBS 11 News) DALLAS Mexico may be getting a medical bill from Dallas' Parkland Hospital. After that announcement was made many are asking how the county can send a bill to a country for treating illegal immigrants?

Parkland Hospital can count the number of poor people from Collin County receiving Medicare care at the facility that is paid for with Dallas County tax dollars. Currently some 12,000 people have received care totaling $4.5 million.

Calculating the number of patients who are actual citizens of another country is more difficult.

“Because we do not ask, and aren't allowed to ask, do we have an absolute number? We do not,” said John Gates, Parkland finance chief.

Despite not having specific documentation of illegal immigrants receiving medical care at Parkland, Dallas County Commissioners are set to send a letter to Mexico asking the government to pay for the patients who can't.

Dallas County Judge Margaret Keliher says, “The emphasis here is to identify all people using Parkland Hospital who are not paying for Parkland Hospital.”

The Bush administration does pay for the medical care of illegal immigrants. Parkland, for example, billed the feds two million dollars for the emergency care of illegal immigrants in the third quarter of last year. The feds repaid Parkland about half of that amount.

Parkland officials say an estimated 11,000 illegal immigrant women gave birth at the hospital last year.

Billing another nation for the care may be more symbolic than sensible.

“We think it's unlikely the government of Mexico or any country will cut us a check for this, what we're after is that understanding that there is something we're providing in a benefit,” Gates said.

The call for reimbursement is also being directed toward Dallas’ surrounding counties, for the 56,000 people who live outside Dallas County, who received medical care at Parkland.

Originally Posted by had_enuf

http://cbs11tv.com/health/local_story_173182954.html

Jun 22, 2006 5:29 pm US/Central

Can Dallas Co. Bill For Illegal Immigrant Care?

Steve Pickett
Reporting

(CBS 11 News) DALLAS Mexico may be getting a medical bill from Dallas' Parkland Hospital. After that announcement was made many are asking how the county can send a bill to a country for treating illegal immigrants?

....

Calculating the number of patients who are actual citizens of another country is more difficult.

“Because we do not ask, and aren't allowed to ask, do we have an absolute number? We do not,” said John Gates, Parkland finance chief.

....

Billing another nation for the care may be more symbolic than sensible.

“We think it's unlikely the government of Mexico or any country will cut us a check for this, what we're after is that understanding that there is something we're providing in a benefit,” Gates said.
....

Timing, symbolizism, and consciousness-raising. It helps.

And besides, Dallas of the Republic of Texas, and I am visibly refreshed by it, can do anything it wants - when it finally decides it wants to, that is.

Please, let there be more acts of Americans standing up for themselves.

Parkland officials say an estimated 11,000 illegal immigrant women gave birth at the hospital last year.

11,000 ANCHOR BABIES at one hospital in one year!?!? That equals out to 30 babies a day.

There's no way Fox will open the bill or even acknowledge he got, let alone pay it. If he sets a precedent and pays it, that will open the floodgates for evey community in the country to start sending him their bills for the massive costs of illegals. That would probably add up to more than the amount of money sent back to Mexico through remittances.

It is totally sickening to me that these illegals can come here and make enough money to send home, but can't afford to pay for their own medical services.

Originally Posted by reptile09

Parkland officials say an estimated 11,000 illegal immigrant women gave birth at the hospital last year.

11,000 ANCHOR BABIES at one hospital in one year!?!? That equals out to 30 babies a day.

There's no way Fox will open the bill or even acknowledge he got, let alone pay it. If he sets a precedent and pays it, that will open the floodgates for evey community in the country to start sending him their bills for the massive costs of illegals. That would probably add up to more than the amount of money sent back to Mexico through remittances.

It is totally sickening to me that these illegals can come here and make enough money to send home, but can't afford to pay for their own medical services.

Nahhh. They won't pay, never thought so, it won't be happening. But I think it'd be funny if we adopted one of their customs - la mordida. Only in America, we'd give it to a charity. I nominate one of the charities be Soldiers' Angels. And the Minuteman Project building the fence. And to an orphanage. And to a drug treatment program. And, and, and...

How about we get every American Taxpayer to send Fox a bill for services rendered. Flood his mailbox to 280,000,000 demands of payment. After all we are the ones paying for all this.

Send them the bill.
They won't pay it--just make a point.
Maybe they will wake up.
But they won't wake up until we make them.
How long will thet take??????