I have been following the debate closely and have read the bills on line. Let me say up front that I am totally opposed to any provisions from HR3200 being incorporated into the final Bill. ALL THE HOUSE BILLS ARE BAD.

What really concerns me is the issue of health care for illegal aliens. I know both the House and Senate have stated that illegal aliens will not be included. However let me outline for you a situation that needs correction or illegal aliens will continue to receive expensive health care at taxpayer expense.

The situation is caused by EMTALA(Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act). Currently illegal aliens because of EMTAL are receiving Kidney Transplants, dialysis etc. at US Taxpayer expense.

I direct your attention to this article in the Chicago Tribune on the subject : http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/loca ... 2811.story One of the stories cited is that of Liliana Cruz, 16 After she received a diagnosis of kidney failure in the Mexican state of Michoacan, her family came to the U.S. illegally in 2005 to seek help in getting a transplant after Mexican doctors said family members would have to pay cash in their own country. She is attempting to get this transplant at the expense of US taxpayers.

My question to you how do we stop this sort of drain on the US Taxpayer caused by EMTALA? Shouldn’t we allow hospitals to obtain a patient’s legal status and home country? Shouldn’t we be asking the home country to pay for this treatment and not the US Taxpayer? Should we honestly consider returning them to their home country after they our stabilized? Yes some will die, but is that really our problem? The US is broke and the US taxpayer cannot be asked to subsidize the treatments of people from the Third World who are not legally entitled to be in this country.

This has to be part of the health care reform debate as just saying illegal aliens will not get health care under the legislation will not end the abuses created by EMTALA.