www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,133736,00.html

Tuesday, September 28, 2004


ATLANTA — A $1 billion program to reimburse hospitals that provide emergency care to illegal immigrants has created an ethical dilemma for many health care providers who must decide whether to accept the cash but also comply with demands to turn over personal data.

"We do not want to be an arm of the INS (search) or Homeland Security (search). Our job is to provide patient care and the best patient care," said Kevin Bloye, director of public relations for the Georgia Hospital Association (search).

The program, which takes effect in October, will require emergency care staff to ask patients questions about their citizenship status, which Bloye said he believes will generate excessive paperwork as well as paranoia.

"As illegal immigrants (search) realize that hospitals will be asking these questions, they will decide not to seek care when they absolutely need care," Bloye said.

Federal authorities insist the questions are strictly for accounting purposes, not immigration enforcement. But Shannon Goessling, head of the Southeastern Legal Foundation (search), a conservative legal advocacy group, said the feds are putting their money in the wrong basket.

"I would believe that we need to address the issue of deficit spending. But if we are going to throw money at a problem, I say, throw it at the national security issue and border patrols," Goessling said.

The burdon of illegal immigrants has closed 18 hospitals and trauma centers in Cali.  If Illegals continue to use ER rooms as their primaryt care provides, and keep sticking the taxpayers with the bills, none of us will have quality medical facilities.

Quoted: Being that I don't have medical insurance (my kids do but me and the wife don't), who is going to pay for my treatment, does being a natural born citizen disqualify me? I doubt it, I have no doubt it will come out of my own ppocket whether or not I can afford it, does this make me less likely to seek care if I really need it, you bet.

They'll put you on a payment plan don't worry....

Remind me from now on, whenever I go to a hospital, to just tell them I am an illegal, when they request billing info.

Thanks.

So the illegals will lie and possibly face additional charges if caught and if they decide not to risk the hospital, what's the worst that can happen?  Death?

Sorry to sound like a heartless bastard but I frankly don't give 2 rat shits if they live or die.  These people are CRIMINALS from the moment they set foot in this country.  They operate as criminals every day they are here.  I toe the line, keep my nose clean, pay taxes and follow all sorts of Unconstiutional and downright stupid laws every day.  I want to be left the hell alone, not look for ways to "play" the system.

These people don't and somehow expect to be cared for at OUR expense.

Fuck them... Fuck them all.

Quoted: So the illegals will lie and possibly face additional charges if caught and if they decide not to risk the hospital, what's the worst that can happen?  Death?

well, working in a hospital that treats a large percentage of illegals I would say the worse thing that could happen to you is that an illegal develops TB (probably have 20+ in my hospital right now with active TB)and they don't seek treatment all the while getting worse and worse until one day you stop at a stoplight to buy some oranges from one of them and they sneeze right into your face.

Quoted: So the illegals will lie and possibly face additional charges if caught and if they decide not to risk the hospital, what's the worst that can happen?  Death? Sorry to sound like a heartless bastard but I frankly don't give 2 rat shits if they live or die.  These people are CRIMINALS from the moment they set foot in this country.  They operate as criminals every day they are here.  I toe the line, keep my nose clean, pay taxes and follow all sorts of Unconstiutional and downright stupid laws every day.  I want to be left the hell alone, not look for ways to "play" the system. These people don't and somehow expect to be cared for at OUR expense. Fuck them... Fuck them all.

Yea verily.

+1  

Fuck them... Fuck them all.

+1,000,000,000

Too many things about illegal alien invaders piss me off to post an intelligent comment on this.

"18 hostpitals have closed due to services performed on illegals" I've read the flood is stressing the entire healthcare industry of the southwest. Including the practice of mexican ambulances that make regular runs to American border hospitals to dump patients.

Hospitals balking at collecting data? WTF! Everytime I've been (it's been a while, for the birth of my kids, once or twice when they were younger) they've been all over themselves to throw reams of paperwork at me to fill out in triplicate, requiring proof of identification and insurance and employment before they would even consider rendering service.

This is like saying that Hospitals should not have to report gunshot wounds because wounded criminals may not seek medical attention when they need it.

ktm500

Quoted: This is like saying that Hospitals should not have to report gunshot wounds because wounded criminals may not seek medical attention when they need it. ktm500

No kidding. They already report shootings/stabbings, plus suspect child abuse and domestic violence. How is reporting illegals significantly different? (other than half the hospitals cleaning staff being undocumented)