Thread: More Hispanics using health centers

More Hispanics using health centers

Hispanic patients outpaced all other ethnic groups seeking treatment at community health centers between 2000 and 2005. Nationwide, their numbers grew by 52 percent to 4.8 million.

In Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky, some centers have added Spanish-speaking interpreters. The HealthCare Connection Inc. clinic in Lincoln Heights is one of those; Hispanic patients there jumped in one year from less than 14 percent of all patients in 2005 to 17 percent last year.

No one knows how many patients might be illegal immigrants, because clinics must treat all comers, regardless of ability to pay or legal status. But some members of Congress and immigration reformers object that illegal immigrants are draining scarce resources away from legal residents.

Elizabeth Duke, administrator for the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration, says community health centers have not become the default health-care network for illegal immigrants.

She prefers to talk about those who are in the country legally.

"We have many established communities where you've got folks who are settled," Duke said. "They have roots. They have (green) cards."

Clinics locally have had to be inventive in stitching together a "safety net" for hard-to-reach populations. Immigration raids, for example, might have made some people afraid to seek public treatment.

Clinics are trying new things: Cincinnati Health Network uses a mobile medical van to treat street people.

One physician, Dr. Joe Keisler, treats people some days out of a trailer near River Downs.

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/ ... 1056/COL02

Abstract

HALF OF ALL BANKRUPTCIES CAUSED BY MEDICAL COSTS

In 2001, 1.458 million American families filed for bankruptcy. To investigate medical contributors to bankruptcy, we surveyed 1,771 personal bankruptcy filers in five federal courts and subsequently completed in-depth interviews with 931 of them.

About half cited medical causes, which indicates that 1.9-2.2 million Americans (filers plus dependents) experienced medical bankruptcy. Among those whose illnesses led to bankruptcy, out-of-pocket costs average $11,854 since the start of illness; 75.7 percent had insurance at the onset of illness. Medical debtors were 42 percent more likely than other debtors to experience lapses in coverage. Even middle-class insured families often fall prey to financial catastrophe when sick. [/size]
http://content.healthaffairs.org/cgi/co ... haff.w5.63


This is the cost to American citizens of providing free health care to illegal immigrants.

She prefers to talk about those who are in the country legally.

"We have many established communities where you've got folks who are settled," Duke said. "They have roots. They have (green) cards."

...Ahhhhhhhh, here we go again not addressing the root of the problem because of PC. Inappropriate and disgusting!

WARNING...WARNING...Bush appointee:

Elizabeth Duke, administrator for the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration, says community health centers have not become the default health-care network for illegal immigrants.

...should we expect anything other than a pro-illegal stance and lies from this bureaucrat?

Elizabeth Duke, administrator for the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration, says community health centers have not become the default health-care network for illegal immigrants.

Correct, it's Emergency Rooms!! Even worse!!

I have learned that the Mexican embassy tells their illegals here which hospitals won't tell the authorities that they illegal. In fact they encourage them to go. I read about it in the comments people wrote after the article about republican candidates not showing up for the LaRaza convention. If there is a link I will pass it on. Numerous people wrote about it.

Originally Posted by swatchick

I have learned that the Mexican embassy tells their illegals here which hospitals won't tell the authorities that they illegal. In fact they encourage them to go. I read about it in the comments people wrote after the article about republican candidates not showing up for the LaRaza convention. If there is a link I will pass it on. Numerous people wrote about it.

And where do you think the Mexican Embassies are getting this information, Swatchick? My guess is from our corrupt government, or La Raza (not much difference there, aye!)

This is one comment made by a Hispanic woman on our side. It was in the comments section after and article about the La Raza Conference and the the Republican candidates not attending. We will have to look it up and do a little more research.

Maria
Gainesville, FL Reply »
|Flag |#62 21 hrs ago
Mexico’s government operates programs in about a dozen American cities that refers its nationals--living in the U.S. illegally--to publicly funded health centers where they can get free medical care without being turned over to immigration authorities.

The program is called Ventanillas de Salud (Health Windows) in Spanish and its mission is to help illegal immigrants find U.S. hospitals, clinics and other government programs where they can get free services without being deported for violating federal immigration laws.
Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, and San Diego are among the cities where Mexican consulates operate the health referral system which annually costs U.S. taxpayers billions of dollars. In Los Angeles County alone, illegal immigrants cost taxpayers nearly $440 million in health services annually and a whopping $1.1 billion statewide

Thats why I don't understand this idea that there's ever been "free" like gee I can't afford it type medical care for everyone....ever. I qualified for having my birthing done until they discovered a 401K account I didn't even know I had that my ex opened for me. Wasn't in the divorce decree or anything. In fact once I contacted him...he had forgotten he had done it. I had to close that out and loose most of it in order to cover even a part of the expense and then still had to pay for every last dime of it with monthly statements. And that was at a not for profit hospital. People have lost homes and gone bankrupt for far less than many of these illegals are getting for free........no questions asked. I don't see or understand how if you're renting you don't have to worry but if you own your home you loose it all. Especially with what they do with so many of the elderly. One illness and you can loose it all......but they sit pretty? I don't get it. Lord only knows how much money is stashed in accounts under someone elses name....or maybe they own a home in Mexico or something. How do we know they aren't sitting on a wealth of stuff while the rest of us face total devistation?