Posted on 01/27/2004 8:02:43 PM PST by yonif
A little-publicized provision in the Medicare bill passed late last year will make about $1 billion available to hospitals, such as Jackson Memorial Hospital, that provide emergency care to undocumented immigrants.
The money would chip away at the growing amount of so-called ''charity care'' that many hospitals say poses a serious financial burden. In 2001, the last year for which figures were available, Jackson Memorial spent $37 million to treat about 6,600 uninsured and undocumented patients.
Nationally, some estimates by healthcare analysts place the total amount hospitals pay to treat undocumented people who cannot pay their medical bills at about $2 billion. Florida ranks behind California, Texas and Arizona in the amount its hospitals spend on care for undocumented patients.
Much of the new federal money, which will be allocated over four years, will be given directly to hospitals in states that have the highest numbers of undocumented migrants. The Department of Health and Human Services, which administers Medicare and Medicaid, must still hammer out a formula to decide how much to give to individual hospitals that qualify for the money.
Officials said they could not provide an estimate of how much money Florida hospitals would receive.
Federal officials said they hope to have an application ready by September for funds that will become available starting next year.
A TENSE ISSUE
The issue of providing healthcare to illegal immigrants has become an intensifying source of controversy as the cost of healthcare has continued to soar. The General Accounting Office is expected later this year to release a report that will examine the issue of hospitals paying to treat undocumented immigrants.
''We're very interested in any program that is going to help us offset losses. We will certainly be looking at aggressively pursuing the money,'' said Conchita Ruíz-Topinka, a spokeswoman for Jackson. ``We're not going to step away from the commitment to the community.''
A study released last year by the Florida Hospital Association found that in 2002, hospitals in the state spent at least $40.2 million to treat 705 uninsured foreign nationals.
GUARANTEE OF CARE
By law, hospitals cannot turn away patients who show up in their emergency rooms or ask them about their immigration status.
At Jackson, one of the busiest public hospitals in the country, hospital administrators ask patients only to prove that they live in Miami-Dade County.
Jackson's charity care is funded mostly by taxpayer dollars and fees collected from publicly or privately insured patients.
Other Florida hospitals have racked up considerable bills -- and headlines -- for their medical treatment of undocumented migrants.
Earlier this year, Martin Memorial Medical Center in Stuart was criticized for returning an uninsured, undocumented patient to his native Guatemala after he racked up $2 million in care over more than three years.
Hospital spokeswoman Lisa McCluskey said that the hospital would analyze the Medicare bill's provision for reimbursement. ''It's too early to say if we're going to apply,'' she said.
CARRYING THE BURDEN
U.S. Rep. Mark Foley, a Republican from Palm Beach County who pushed for the GAO study, said that compensating Florida is the right thing to do because the government has not done enough to prevent illegal immigrants from entering the state.
''It's a good first step. The burden that falls on these local hospitals has been extraordinary,'' Foley said.
Hospitals can shut down their emergency rooms, however, to everyone.
Uh, oh, I seeeeee.... Because the stupid lawmakers we elect -- who are all highly paid with great pensions and no medical care worries -- make big boo-boos and don't enforce the stupid laws they make, we little taxpayers have to pay for illegals health needs even if we don't even have any damn darn heathcare plans of our own! Unbelievable...
You know, as soon as lawmakers get a clue as to who it is who pays for all thi shi_, then we will all be better off. The government doesn't have money growing on trees! WE little people are the government -- the government is not an inanimate object. Us hardworking peons are! It is we who sacrifice for illegals and yet who is it who pays our way??? No one.
Do illegal aliens get notices from the collection agencies when they can't immediately pay their hospital, doctor, tests, and medicine bills? Well, normal taxpaying, legal citizens with no heathcare plans often do.
And may I add, it's not that you're breaking the law, but why. As in, "well they want a job, they have it rough in Mexico, blah blah blah."
As long as you have a reason to break the law, all's cool.
Exactly. All articles about "government" spending should read "the taxpayer's money", instead of "government".
the billions of $$$$ being spent on the border patrol, a billion a week for airport security, the ongoing billions to provide healthcare and infrastructure in Irag and Afganistan, would give every man, woman and child, in the US free health care. Never mind going to Mars. Totals must be in the trillions by now.
Deported!!!!!!! How dare you suggest the dreaded D word in reference to our guests. Although that would be following the law, it might hurt their feelings and make some highly sensitive Americans wring their hands and cry. >sarcasm<
Nice Republican compassion, however they are going to be about 20 billion short.
Time to raise taxes on the lazy American's.
That reminds me of a song from "Beauty and the Beast", (with amended lyrics).
Be our guest, be our guest, put our welfare to the test!"
Shame on you. Don't you realize what an honor and privilege it is to provide free health care to the moochers of the world?
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