Sen. Hutchison Fights to Ensure Texas Hospitals And Communities Don't Pay for Government's Inability to Secure the Border

Targeted News Service
WASHINGTON
May 20, 2009 Wednesday 4:09 AM EST

The office of Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, issued the following news release:

In 2006, public hospitals in Texas alone incurred nearly $600 million in uncompensated care for illegal immigrants. U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison, Texas' senior senator, today introduced legislation to continue Section 1011 funding for hospitals, communities and doctors, allowing them to recoup expenses for emergency services provided to illegal immigrants that they are required to provide under federal law.

"Prior to this program's passage, our local hospitals and doctors received no support for expenses they incurred in obeying a law mandated by the government, and compounded by the government's inability to secure the border," stated Sen. Hutchison. "These costs are ultimately borne by taxpayers in the form of higher local taxes, increased health insurance premiums, cuts in healthcare services, and higher fees."

As part of the Medicare Modernization Act of 2003, a federal reimbursement program for emergency health services provided to illegal immigrants that previously went unreimbursed was created. Known as Section 1011, the program provided $250 million each year for 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008, to help hospitals and doctors recoup expenses for emergency services provided to illegal immigrants that they are required to provide under federal law.

These costs, if unreimbursed, are ultimately borne by taxpayers in the form of higher local taxes, increased health insurance premiums, cuts in healthcare services, and higher fees. The Section 1011 program helped alleviate this burden by providing long overdue reimbursement to emergency care providers.

Over 1,900 hospitals nationwide have registered with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to receive reimbursement through Section 1011, and unless legislation is enacted this year, claims will cease to be reimbursed.

Senator Hutchison's amendment would extend the Section 1011 program for 2009 and help all of those hospitals receive federal support for the costs they bear at federal expense.

Under the program, Texas received almost $185 million over the four year authorization period, the second largest allocation given to any state.

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