Still no solution for illegal immigrants' long-term care costs

Houston Chronicle ^ | October 30, 2011 | TODD ACKERMAN

[Cincinatus' Wife]

....What is clear is that the practice stirs passionate responses on both sides of the immigration debate.

Geoffrey Hoffman.... describes it as "patient dumping" or "private deportation" and calls it "despicable." Noting deportation is the "exclusive province" of the federal government, not hospitals, he says forcing patients to "accept" repatriation back to a country where there may be no hope of follow-up care can "only reflect badly on our great nation."

By contrast, Mark Krikorian....argues that there are "real-world limits" to the level of health care U.S. institutions should provide non-citizens. He says that it's one thing to provide the life-saving emergency care federal law requires, quite another to provide lifelong, bankruptcy-causing or premium-raising care "to people here illegally in the first place."

Beneath the rhetoric, there's no denying the cost of such care. In 2010, for instance, the Harris County Hospital District [Houston,TX] spent nearly $170 million on the care of illegal immigrants. That was up from $100 million in 2007.

From 2005 to 2008, states were able to recoup some of those costs thanks to federal funding - Texas got about $45 million a year - aimed at compensating states for the emergency care of illegal immigrants the law requires hospitals provide. The program, pushed by Texas and other states that bear the brunt of such care, was not renewed after 2008.

Still, the real problem isn't hospitals, which transfer most all patients, both U.S. citizens and illegal immigrants, once urgent care is no longer needed and the bed is needed for other patients. It's long-term care facilities, unable to afford to accept patients, like Martinez, who don't have insurance. It remains for hospitals, obligated by federal regulation to arrange post-hospital care for those who need it, to find alternatives and to provide care indefinitely if they can't....

[Cincinatus' Wife]

When consenting patients are transferred to Mexico for care (from any state), the U.S. hospital foots the bill (but it's about 1/3 the cost).

Read it.

Federal inaction on sealing the border, border security, immigration and illegals has to addressed and Gov. Rick Perry will do just that.

[fieldmarshaldj]

"Federal inaction on sealing the border, border security, immigration and illegals has to addressed and Gov. Rick Perry will do just that."

And if you believe the illegal-panderer La Raza Rick will do something to change that, I got a bridge to sell you in Brooklyn.

[hocndoc]

The people who hired him and whose roof he fell from should be billed. This sounds like an on-the-job injury. They hired an illegal alien and there should be consequences.

His “common law wife” is a US citizen. She should be responsible for his care, too.

I’ve seen these cases since med school. Mexico, with their government health care, used to refuse to take them back, much less pay for their care. Our government should not allow Mexico to refuse its citizens.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Perry is doing something about it.

He's talking about it, spending millions of Texas' dollars on security and putting Texas rangers on the border.

He's tried to get Mexican presidents to work toward building their own middle class and stop border violence.

He's shown Greta (Fox) the border and explained the security issues. He's written to Obama and confronted him in person to deliver a letter asking the federal government to do their sworn duty on securing the border.

He's said it may take military intervention to kill off the cartels.

He's spoken to La Raza about these problems.

What have the other candidates done? The current president?

I'm sure that Obama didn't say these things to La Raza:

Gov Rick Perry spoke to LaRaza about the drug cartels, shared responsibility of border security and that it is Washington's responsibility to secure the border -- that the Federal government should support the military, deliver the mail and secure the border -- and they aren't doing their job. [HE RECEIVED a lot of applause] He spoke of the money Texas spends securing the border, that it must be sealed and then we can sustain legitimate commerce...He told about protecting the sanctity of the vote and strengthening our shared values, family, faith, hard work -- they are TEXAS values and we should unite as citizen's of one Nation under God and concentrate on what unites us. He told his Cuervo joke and they found it funny unlike the Liberal Latino Leaders Give Perry Lukewarm Response (or more likely they'd heard it before)

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Instead the federal government tells states how it must be done and then border state governors and their citizens shoulder the brunt of the problems, which eventually bleed over into every state.

[fieldmarshaldj]

So now you’ve done from denying or playing down his association with La Raza to EMBRACING it ? This is a racial supremacist organization whose goals are the “reconquest” of a large chunk of the United States. And you wonder why Perry is in the single digits in support.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

So now you’ve done from denying or playing down his association with La Raza to EMBRACING it ?

If you heard that you didn't listen to the speech. Perry is about fixing the problem not creating more.

[fieldmarshaldj]

Funny, all he seems to do is create more problems.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

You’re running out of steam fieldmarshaldj.

[hocndoc]

That’s another patently false, little statement of your own unsubstantiated opinion. Your emotional noise adds nothing to our knowledge, less to our discussion and tells us that you run on what “seems” rather than on documented facts.

[mkjessup]

[fieldmarshaldj]

It’s your candidate who’s a dead duck.

[fieldmarshaldj]

Your idol and his deluded little flunkies are the only ones here with no credibility and facts on their side.

[fieldmarshaldj]

*snicker*

[mkjessup]

I thought you might like that. ;)

[fieldmarshaldj]

Ricky’s gotta grow those retro ‘70s sideburns. That’ll show the kids he’s really “with it.”

[SWAMPSNIPER]

If they weren't getting here in the first place we wouldn't have this problem

It all comes down to sealing the border and deporting any and all leakage instantly.

[mkjessup]

The sideburns would be an improvement I think.

btw, LOVE that tagline of yours, LOL

[org.whodat]

ROFLOL, yes, by giving them instate tuition sure proves that. Perry is a doofus.

[fieldmarshaldj]

Thank you... Yes...

Maybe Ricky can even get an Elvis jumpsuit complete with camel-toe. The ‘winkles will go wild with desire.

[NCDave]

Can hospitals sue the federal gubmit over this? Everyone affected should try..Hell, I wanna sue, that`s for sure...

[ronnie raygun]

I say all those humanitarians in media, entertainment and long term political life including this so called journalist Todd, should contribute more of thier salaries much like contributing say, to the plight of the starving in Africa to correct this travesty. On a brighter note the overloading of the system is right on schedule Alynski would be proud.

[airborne]

"...forcing patients to "accept" repatriation back to a country where there may be no hope of follow-up care can "only reflect badly on our great nation."

No more so than allowing these same criminals to repeatedly flaunt their illegal status.

Given the choice, I choose repatriation. And I can live with myself.

[BigCinBigD]

I have a solution. It involves a shovel.

[stephenjohnbanker]

LOL!

[hocndoc]

They *pay* in state tuition after the Feds allow their parents to bring children across the border and then force us to educate them for free for at least 3 years. The Feds can’t pretend to not know which of the kids are illegal, since they collect data on the application for free lunches, which actually asks whether the family is “migrant,” and for the parents’ and the children’s Social Security number.

[livius]

One of the problems is that we need a comprehensive immigration overhaul, not just little stabs at fixing individual problems.

We need to create short-term visas and many more legal slots for Latin Americans, who are most logically the ones who will come here to work, and do away with things like “humanitarian refugees,” virtually all of whom now are Muslims brought in from Africa or the ME. The latter group also uses the “family unification” dodge to bring in their elderly and just about anybody related to them, so we end up with a large group of immigrants who may be legal, but are totally useless and go directly onto various forms of state aid.

At the same time, we have stupid situations such as the one that affects one of my neighbors. She’s German and was married to an American. She has 2 (now adult) children who were born here and are thus US citizens and she owns property here. However, when she and her husband got divorced, she lost her green card and is prohibited from coming back into the US now for more than 90 days at a time. She has been to immigration attorneys and struggled with immigration rules for years, with no success. This is clearly unfair, idiotic and actually deprives us of somebody who would be a great citizen or even legal resident of the US.

As for non-emergency (long term) medical expenses for illegal immigrants, I have always thought that the governments of those countries should be billed. And if they don’t pay it, take it out of their foreign aid. This would give those countries some incentive to come up with ways of dealing with this and also some incentive to do better on controling the flow of immigrants.

But as long as we hack away at it piecemeal, we’re not going to solve the problem. However, every time anybody (such as Bush) suggests that we need reform and suggests even the glimmering of a plan, he is reviled and shot down without even giving the plan any discussion. So this, to me, means that so-called conservatives are happy with the chaotic state of affairs now and really don’t want to deal with the issue.

[hal ogen]

There is an obvious solution for long-term-care of these illegals...DEPORTATION!

[DJ MacWoW]

What Would You Do Without FR?

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[LFOD]

Two weekends ago at a local boat ramp here in Winter Haven, Fl, I observed a Mexican father of about 30 yr. watching his young son (5-6 yr old) who was frolicking about the water’s edge and generally having a good time running up and down the docks. Like many towns in Florida, we are rife with illegal aliens - anchor babies everywhere.

When it came time to leave the boy dutifully sat down in a wheelchair and was pushed along their merry way by his father.

How much do you think these criminals cost us?

[Graybeard58]

He's talking about it, spending millions of Texas' dollars on security and putting Texas rangers on the border.

Still on that "Texas Rangers kick? There are 150 commisioned Texas Rangers in the entire, large state, of Texas and they are by no means, all on the border.

[mewzilla]

I’ve got a solution: Bill Mexico. And if Mexico won’t pay up, start cracking down on employers hiring illegals. Big time.

[fieldmarshaldj]

There's only 150 of them in the entire state ?

[Surrounded_too]

Soylent Green Rest Home.

[Surrounded_too]

They produce their own food efficiently.

[mowowie]

I have a solution, it requires C-130 transport planes and millions of parachutes....

[madison10]

What about MY long-term care costs?

[E. Pluribus Unum]

This is merely the flip-side of "compassionate entry."

FEDERAL LAW OF "COMPASSIONATE ENTRY" NOT COMPASSIONATE FOR AMERICANS WITHOUT HEALTHCARE COVERAGE

Some Cuts Don't Heal: Copper Queen Community Hospital's CEO Jim Dickson

Lefties think everything is supposed to be one-way; their way.

[hocndoc]

Again, just emotional noise, bitter negativity, no substance.

[fieldmarshaldj]

"emotional noise, bitter negativity, no substance"

In other words, a La Raza Rick supporter.

[TADSLOS]

I have a solution, it requires C-130 transport planes and millions of parachutes....

Rick could even be the Flight Lead.

[Liz]

Okay by me——will even create jobs for skilled parachute makers. LOL.

[Liz]

Perry The Panderer keeps saying the “feds” wont seal the border. But as governor, Perry controls the state’s Ntl Guard-—he can send as many as he wants to the border.

Blaming others is not in the “conservative” lexicon.

Perry is playing by the Liberal Playbook-—it’s never his fault. He’s a serial blamer——always pointing the finger at someone else for his shortcomings.

[BobL]

“Perry The Panderer keeps saying the “feds” wont seal the border. But as governor, Perry controls the state’s Ntl Guard-—he can send as many as he wants to the border.

Blaming others is not in the “conservative” lexicon.

Perry is playing by the Liberal Playbook-—it’s never his fault. “

You’re right. I lived in California just before they transitioned to becoming a Democrat state (same as will happen with Texas in 10 years, if Perry gets his way). We saw the same thing, complaint after complaint, but NO ACTION by the governor or the other Republicans.

...and then, sure enough, no more Republicans in high office. Almost like they planned it that way.

[hocndoc]

We have already paid $400 million of our State dollars in the last few years to directly supplement the Federal control of the border, using State helicopters, guns, DPS agents and Rangers. We’ve increased our appropriation for the 2012-2013 budget period - doubling the two year spending to $220 Million of our State tax funds. Sending our National Guard troops to do the Federal government’s job costs money.

In fact, that’s exactly what Napolitano has told us about the planned pull-back of the 200 NG troops deployed along the Texas border (out of a total of 1200) last summer: if we want them now, we can pay for them. Congress has forced two 90 day extensions, but we still only get 1/6 of the troops for the Texas border, which is 1200 miles of the 2000 mile border.

[af_vet_rr]

You can try and take a Perry negative such as his speaking to La Raza and try to turn it into a positive, but nobody is buying it, not even you.

La Raza is racist.

Speaking to them is no better than addressing a Klan or Black Panther rally.

[af_vet_rr]

So now you’ve done from denying or playing down his association with La Raza to EMBRACING it ? This is a racial supremacist organization whose goals are the “reconquest” of a large chunk of the United States. And you wonder why Perry is in the single digits in support.

If CW doesn't try and embrace Perry's association with La Raza, she knows it'll be brought up by somebody else. This is a common tactic for those trying to help their candidates - take a negative and try to spin it into a positive.

The problem for CW is that La Raza is a racist and evil organization no matter how hard she tries to spin it. She can point out that George W. Bush, Karl Rove, John McCain, and Barry Obama all spoke at La Raza gatherings, but that doesn't exactly leave Perry in good company...

[Graybeard58]

The Texas Ranger Division is comprised of 216 full time employees; including 150 commissioned Rangers and 66 support personnel; including administrative staff, Border Security Operations Center, Joint Operations and Intelligence Centers, and the Special Weapons and Tactics team.

http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/texasrangers/

[Fantasywriter]

Do you have any idea who/what La Raza is? It is a seditious organization dedicated to the Reconquista of America. Speaking to La Raza is the equivalent of speaking to a communist group dedicated to the destruction of the Republic. La Raza is dedicated to the destruction of the US. You don’t speak to them about drug gangs. You speak to them about their own treasonous goals:

Exclusive: The Truth About ‘La Raza’
by Rep. Charlie Norwood

http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=13863

[HiJinx]

Ping!

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