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JPS to expand immigrant care
Star-Telegram ^ | Jan. 16, 2004 | Mitch Mitchell

Posted on 01/16/2004 10:03:10 AM PST by Dubya

County will fund nonemergency treatment of undocumented residents

FORT WORTH - Undocumented immigrants will get unprecedented access to the county's charitable health care system, which could cost Tarrant County taxpayers millions of dollars, JPS Health Network trustees decided Thursday.

The decision's proponents maintain that providing preventive care to indigent undocumented immigrants could save the county money in the future and would be a more humane way of dealing with vexing public-health problems.

But hospital administrators' concerns are rooted in the present.

"In the short term, I'm concerned about the capacity of the hospital to handle the new patients," said Gale Pileggi, the network's chief financial officer. "Do we have the physical capacity and the staff to handle this influx of patients?"

Pileggi said that an average patient in the JPS Connection program costs the district about $3,000 annually and that about 35,000 people are now enrolled. JPS Connection provides financial aid to people who need nonemergency care through the JPS Health Network.

"If enrollment goes up just 10 percent, that's more than $10 million," Pileggi said.

There is really no way to accurately forecast the cost because too many variables are involved, said David Cecero, the network's chief executive.

"We don't know whether we will have one or 1,000 new patients," Cecero said.

In fiscal 2003, more than 2,180 patients visiting John Peter Smith Hospital's emergency room were categorized as undocumented, according to hospital records. Hospitals are legally required to care for anyone who comes to their emergency rooms.

But until Thursday, JPS provided little nonemergency care to undocumented immigrants.

In fact, in 2001, Attorney General John Cornyn issued an opinion saying it was illegal for the state's public hospitals to subsidize nonemergency care for undocumented immigrants. Cornyn found that federal law denies state and local benefits to undocumented residents, unless specified by state law. Texas had no such law, Cornyn wrote.

In the 2003 session, the Legislature enacted a law addressing the issue. A provision allows public hospitals to provide nonemergency care to undocumented immigrants if they use only money raised from county taxpayers, said state Rep. Rick Noriega, D-Houston.

"The intent was not to mandate," Noriega said. "The intent was to allow the local decision-makers to serve whoever they want to serve, without fear of being sued or other repercussions."

Most state hospital districts are already providing preventive care to everyone because it is more cost-effective, Noriega said.

Because Texas' tax system is based on sales and property taxes, which undocumented immigrants pay, the income received from them far exceeds the expense incurred to provide them health care, Noriega said.

And the health problems that are forestalled by preventive care far outweigh the expense of providing such care, Noriega said.

"Disease doesn't ask whether a child is a citizen or not a citizen," Noriega said. "We are seeing outbreaks of TB and all types of other disease. From a health-policy perspective, it's more cost-effective to deal with this on the front end than the back end in your ERs."

JPS officials interpreted the law differently. They believe that the legislation mandated the nonemergency care and that they have to provide financial assistance to indigent undocumented immigrants.

"Now they are eligible to apply for reduced fees," Pileggi said. "They will still need to be Tarrant County residents. They have to be financially indigent, which is 200 percent of the federal poverty level or below, and they must have applied for everything else that they are eligible for."

JPS officials have also said that the assumption that preventive care will save the district money is untested.

The new state law prohibits providing nonemergency care to people who cross the border expressly for that purpose.

The hospital's goal is not to turn people away, Pileggi said.

"It's clearly the mission of this organization to take care of the indigent," Pileggi said. "The question is, Where is the money going to come from?"


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Constitution/Conservatism; Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; Government; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: aliens; forthworth; immigrantlist; immigration; jps; texas
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1 posted on 01/16/2004 10:03:10 AM PST by Dubya
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To: All
County will fund nonemergency treatment of undocumented residents

They wonder where the money will come from. LOL

2 posted on 01/16/2004 10:04:19 AM PST by Dubya (Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father,but by me)
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To: Dubya
Simple let Rep. Rick Noriega, D-Houston pay.
3 posted on 01/16/2004 10:08:40 AM PST by Isolationist
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To: Dubya
tip o the iceberg
4 posted on 01/16/2004 10:14:46 AM PST by joesnuffy (Moderate Islam Is For Dilettantes)
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To: Dubya
"It's clearly the mission of this organization to take care of the indigent, Mexico " Pileggi said. "The question is, where is the money going to come from"?

Taxpayers......

5 posted on 01/16/2004 10:18:20 AM PST by joesnuffy (Moderate Islam Is For Dilettantes)
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To: joesnuffy
Thats for sure.
6 posted on 01/16/2004 10:19:46 AM PST by Dubya (Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father,but by me)
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To: Dubya
I spent last week in the hospital after undergoing emergency surgery; my bill at last count, was just under the $60,000 mark.

Undocumented immigrants will get unprecedented access to the county's charitable health care system

That's it.

Anyone know how I can become undocumented?
7 posted on 01/16/2004 10:55:35 AM PST by Sweet_Sunflower29 (I had emergency surgery last week; 32 staples and a 9" scar; I hurt. *Ouch*)
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To: Dubya
they must have applied for everything else that they are eligible for.

I suppose that means they're supposed to sign up for all the Federal and State entitlements before the County can distribute its portion of the largesse.

8 posted on 01/16/2004 11:08:07 AM PST by primeval patriot
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To: Dubya
Why dont we just cut out the middle-man and send our tax dollars DIRECTLY TO MEXICO.

9 posted on 01/16/2004 11:35:33 AM PST by WOSG (I don't want the GOP to become a circular firing squad and the Socialist Democrats a majority.)
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To: Dubya
"Now they are eligible to apply for reduced fees," Pileggi said. "They will still need to be Tarrant County residents. They have to be financially indigent, which is 200 percent of the federal poverty level or below, and they must have applied for everything else that they are eligible for."

Cornyn guest worker program allows someone with 125% of poverty wage to bring their family. hence the whole family would be eligible for taxpayer funded health care benefits.

10 posted on 01/16/2004 11:38:31 AM PST by WOSG (I don't want the GOP to become a circular firing squad and the Socialist Democrats a majority.)
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To: *immigrant_list; A Navy Vet; Lion Den Dan; Free the USA; Libertarianize the GOP; madfly; B4Ranch; ..
ping
11 posted on 01/16/2004 11:46:18 AM PST by gubamyster
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To: Dubya
I wonder if the "non-Southwestern-US" Freepers that support Bush's immigration madness are willing to send our hospitals a donation to care for these illegals that they do not want to see deported?
12 posted on 01/16/2004 11:51:10 AM PST by HennepinPrisoner
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To: Texasforever; Solson; zipperhead; zeugma; zgirl; Young Rhino; Vision Thing; vinceyung; TXTech; ...
PING

gracias Amigo!

13 posted on 01/16/2004 12:17:16 PM PST by B4Ranch (Wave your flag, don't waive your rights!)
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To: B4Ranch
Gracias suckers!!!!
14 posted on 01/16/2004 12:39:22 PM PST by dennisw (“We'll put a boot in your ass, it's the American way.” - Toby Keith)
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To: Dubya; LibertyThug
Please, please, please keep this crap out of Dallas county.

Why is Texas trying so hard to become California, Jr.?
15 posted on 01/16/2004 1:01:43 PM PST by Akira (The people have spoken.....the bastards.)
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To: Sweet_Sunflower29
Anyone know how I can become undocumented?

I don't know, but if you figure it out please ping me. I want to set my whole Family up with it. Blackbird.

16 posted on 01/16/2004 1:16:47 PM PST by BlackbirdSST
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To: BlackbirdSST
Anyone know how I can become undocumented?

Dear Mr. President, Sir, Are you listening to the voters?

I don't know, but if you figure it out please ping me. I want to set my whole Family up with it.

17 posted on 01/16/2004 1:23:19 PM PST by B4Ranch (Dear Mr. President, Sir, Are you listening to the voters?)
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To: B4Ranch
Looks like Atlas was taking too long to shrug, so it became necessary to take out his kneecaps.

Just where is all this wonderful taxpayer funding going to come from when nobody is left with income or property?

18 posted on 01/16/2004 1:34:16 PM PST by meadsjn
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To: meadsjn
Dear Mr. President, Sir, Are you listening to the voters ask you questions on this subject??

"Just where is all this wonderful taxpayer funding going to come from when nobody is left with income or property?"

19 posted on 01/16/2004 1:57:12 PM PST by B4Ranch (Dear Mr. President, Sir, Are you listening to the voters?)
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To: Dubya
They'll be sorry. Treating illegal aliens has bankrupted many California hospitals already.
20 posted on 01/16/2004 3:25:08 PM PST by janetgreen (TANCREDO IN '04)
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