Study: Illegal immigrants' care costs state [or Texas] $677 million

Houston Chronicle ^ | December 11, 2009 | Janet Elliott

[Zakeet]

The state of Texas and local hospital districts spent an estimated $677 million to provide health care to illegal immigrants in a year, a new study says.

The survey, issued by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, said that most of the money — $597 million — was spent by local hospital districts for the immigrants' care during the state's fiscal year that ended on Aug. 31, 2007.

Lawmakers from both parties said they were not surprised by the millions spent and expressed hope that the report, required by the 2007 Legislature, will help prompt Congress to pass comprehensive immigration reform legislation.

State Rep. Garnet Coleman, D-Houston, said the study only tells half of the story.

He noted that the immigrants contribute to government coffers by paying sales and property taxes.

The report said that in the fiscal year ending Aug. 31, 2008, the state spent $80 million under the Texas Emergency Medicaid program, which pays hospitals to provide life-saving care, including labor and delivery services, to patients living here illegally. The state also paid $1.2 million to provide services to undocumented immigrants in family violence shelters.

Federal law requires hospitals and ambulance services to provide care to anyone needing emergency treatment regardless of their citizenship, legal status or ability to pay.

[Zakeet]

Another reason why we can't finish the fence too soon.

[Doogle]

a fence? what fence?

[ET(end tyranny)]

Fence? Who’s building a fence?

[NameOnFile]

Seems like we need an Israeli contractor for a border fence. Those guys know how to build ‘em!!

[brushcop]

Seems like we need an Israeli contractor for a border fence.

Good idea but you still face that line of counties along the Texas border that are made up of liberal Hispanics that never saw an illegal alien that they didn't welcome. Health and crime issues? Naw, why heck, they're just doin' what Americans won't do, er, excuse me, NORTE Americanos won't do...

[Zakeet]

a fence? what fence?

Hmmmmmm ... ahhhh ... this one ... maybe?

[DirtyHarryY2K]

Ping

[KingOfVagabonds]

I worked at a hospital in Chicago, and it was the same deal. We rolled out the red carpet for thousands of illegals. The costs for keeping a huge staff of interpreters is staggering on its own.

[FrankR]

Is the UAW running the state of Texas now?

If I show up at the emergency room with a sore throat, and don't have insurance, I would be sent packing.

The problem is no one has the cajunas to simply say "no".

They can't bring themselves to say, "Sorry, this is America and we speak English...if you want to converse in your native language, you will need to return to your native country.".

I have personally seen Americans, plainly, seriously, sick, be turned away by triage at the emergency room while a translator was helping to admit an hispanic kid with an earache.

As it turned out, after the American's wife stood on someone's desk and raised hell, they finally took a look at him and he was having a stroke.

This political correctness madness has got to stop. We're acting like the Aesops fable about the Man, the Little Boy, and the Donkey...trying to please everyone and wind up carrying the donkey. Perhaps it is not just a coincidence that the donkey is the democrat symbol.

[Trajan88]

Lone Star State's Trajan88 writing here: Even though I'm a Texas A&M Aggie Former Student (you know a land grant "college")... I have come to the conclusion that $677 million would have been better used to build a very high wall on the southern border... as well as wipe out having to have toll roads criss-cross us here in the D/FW Metroplex.

I'm greedy in wanting America to come first... silly me.

Gig 'Em!

[Pearls Before Swine]

I bet that’s a gross underestimate.

[YellowRoseofTx]

...expressed hope that the report, required by the 2007 Legislature, will help prompt Congress to pass comprehensive immigration reform legislation.

What good will passing "comprehensive immigration reform" do? They don't pay now, they won't pay then either. We will still foot the bill, just won't be able to get rid of them when they commit crimes. And will have a bunch more of deadbeat dim voters.

[gitmogrunt]

hmmmmm....first,illegal immigrants costing states big money...now,..many states begging for bailout money....hmmm???

[SwinneySwitch]

Ping!

If you want on, or off this S. Texas/Mexico ping list, please FReepMail me.

[ExTxMarine]

This doesn’t even mention the amount that this costs the average American that needs to go to the hospital. Illegal immigrants are one of the leading causes in the astonomical rise in heath care costs!

My aunt works at a hospital outside of Dallas and she works in the accounting department. She says every year they raise their prices. Why? Because it costs more to do certain procedures? Some huge new expansion or department retrofit? NOPE! All because they have hundreds of thousands of dollars of unpaid bills with bogus addresses and phone numbers and no way to get any money from these illegals, even if they have a job!

They are sucking us blind and stupid and we have people here fighting FOR them to do so!

Did anyone see the liberal, heart-breaking storyline on “ER” last night? Same thing, this poor illegal immigrant was working at a shop when ICE raided. She (several months pregnant) fell down and was taken to the hospital. The hospital staff helped her avoid going to jail and being extradited! Who is going to pay for that emergency c-section operation? Who is going to pay to care for the baby (who needs a tumor removed - more operations)? WE THE SHEEPLE OF AMERICA!!!!!

[wolfcreek]

They can get anything or do anything they want in the ICE FREE ZONES of Austin and Houston.

[flattorney]

No surprise here. Gov. Perry, previous Gov. George Bush, and the Poppa Bush Cartel are all liberal pro-illegal Mexicans. And let's remember, last December, it was Republican Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchinson(TX) (going to run for Texas governor) and Sen. John Cornyn(TX) that gutted the Secure Fence Act. Houston has been an illegals sanctuary city since 1992. Sam Houston is rolling in his grave.

"We don't need no stinkin fence"

TAB

[wolfcreek]

Is that the late Eddie Guerrero in that pic?

[VOA]

bump

[Waco]

Now, for 677 million does anyone know what the word ‘’illegal’’ means.