Posted on 05/18/2004 3:18:04 PM PDT by StoneColdGOP
WASHINGTON (AP) — The House rejected legislation that could have led to hospital emergency rooms denying some services to illegal aliens while helping to get them kicked out of the country.
Hispanic legislators led opposition to the bill, joining medical groups in contending that it would turn hospitals into law enforcement agencies and prevent illegal residents from seeking life-saving medical treatment.
It was defeated 331-88.
The legislation came to the House floor as a result of a promise that GOP leaders made to Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, R-Calif., in exchange for his vote on the Medicare prescription drug bill that narrowly passed last November.
Rohrabacher was ready to vote against the Medicare bill because it contained $1 billion over four years to reimburse hospitals for treating illegal immigrants. The Orange County conservative was told he could offer legislation to counter the effects of that provision.
Rohrabacher's bill would have required hospitals receiving money under the provision to obtain information on the immigration status and employer of people seeking emergency treatment. That information would have been sent into a database set up jointly by the departments of Homeland Security and Health and Human Services.
The Homeland Security Department would have been required to initiate deportation proceedings against illegal aliens.
In addition, employers of illegal aliens would have been responsible for the cost of unreimbursed emergency room care, and hospitals would not have had to provide care for an illegal alien who could safely be sent back to his or her own country for treatment.
Rohrabacher said health care for illegals has extended to heart bypasses, transplants and cancer treatment costing hundreds of thousands of dollars. Those opposed to his bill, he said, "are voting to spend our limited health care money to make America the HMO of the world. And then they act surprised when even more tens of millions of illegals flood into our country."
But Hilda Solis, D-Calif., said the bill would turn hospitals into law enforcement and immigration agents, and would have lead to scenarios where women in labor would have to choose between going to a hospital and being deported. "What kind of fear does that place in a community?" she asked.
Rep. Robert Menendez of New Jersey, the House's no. 3 Democrat, envisioned being asked to prove his citizenship in an emergency room because of his name. "That's shameful. You wouldn't ask any other citizen that," he said.
The Federation of American Hospitals, American Hospital Association and other medical groups wrote lawmakers urging opposition to the bill, saying it "would virtually ensure that illegal immigrants will avoid getting the appropriate and timely lifesaving health care they need, when they need it."
Rohrabacher said illegal aliens make up 43% of those without health insurance, and thus account for at least $9 billion of the $21 billion that hospitals reported in uncompensated health services last year. The office of Sen. Jon Kyl., R-Ariz., who was behind the $1 billion in the Medicare bill, put the annual cost of treating undocumented residents at about $1.45 billion.
I see. I have to say that as a student of history I do wish people would stop using Chamberlain as a shorthand for the sort of craven cowardice you're obviously implying- It really is a gross oversimplification of the facts to the point of complete innaccuracy (much as most people here seem to hold Churchill up as an example of everything good, for that matter). Ho hum. I suppose it's easier and more fun to cast historical figures as stereotypes.
Blame Bush for his actions, and blame Congress for their actions, but don't blame either for the others' actions. They are independent branches.
A year ago it was estimated that Los Angeles County spent $340 million for emergency care and followup for people who are in the country illegally.
This was a striking figure not only because it represents an outrageously large sum of taxpayers money but also because that amount was nearly the same as the unfunded debt the County health care system anticipated for the year, red ink that forced the closure of numerous neighborhood clinics as well as other cutbacks.
In neighboring Ventura County, Santa Paula Memorial Hospital closed it's doors recently, leaving some people more than twentyfive miles from emergency care.
I don't know where the Representatives who voted against this bill think the money will come from to support overburdened health care facilities.
or send em a peso...
I'd be willing to let anyone get services as long as they had ways to ensure that those people pay. But they don't. They will just leave as soon as they are healed, and the insurance premiums of everyone else will rise.
The GOP is terrified of losing, and when people are terrified and lack self-confidence, they usually LOSE.
Its a bipartisan crime racket... our elected representatives could care less if hospitals and clinics close due to uncompensated health care costs. The worst part of this vote is that they deny to Americans what they guarantee to those here in violation of our country's laws: free health care. And here you have so called conservatives voting for Canada style health care for everyone but Americans. Think about what that means the next time you witness Americans being denied health care they can't get cause their local hospital shut it doors. Its un-American, according to the House Of Representatives, to require foreigners to pay for the full costs of their treatment even though every other country has such a requirement. Ask a sick American treated in Mexico if he can get free health care while there.
You are making excuses for the R's in congress but not for the president.
Each politician is responsible for their own vote.
>>But why do it to a kid at that age?!<<
Because the kid refused to keep himself clean.
send them a peso.
That's what I did, 2 of them.
My brother used to work in collections at a hospital. When he called someone, he could see on his screen oodles of personal information, from which he could glean whether or not the person could afford to pay the bill. I remember him telling me of at least one illegal who could pay the bill, but was refusing. My brother threatened to report him to INS. It's amazing how quickly people will start cooperating when given a little motivation.
Its called taking the path of least resistance. To its everlasting shame, the House of the people couldn't be counted on to stand up on behalf of our country's national interest.
Enforcing immigration laws is the job of Homeland Security, not surgeons and nurses and radiologists. Let's not pass the buck, please.
When there were enough liberals electing people who believed it was a right and imposed this 'right' on the rest of us....unfortunately.
But not for Americans. We're not deserving enough to get that free health care. <sarcasm
The moderates (Republican) in California will rue the day they voted for Schwarzenegger and his buddy Dave.
We're flexible. Would you prefer 'Quisling'?
That dog may bark on a Republican forum which is were I suggest it be exercised.
When the Republican Party comes for the you, don't even think about glancing to your right for help. Look to the surgeons, nurses and radiologists.
"Enforcing immigration laws is the job of Homeland Security, not surgeons and nurses and radiologists. Let's not pass the buck, please."
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Finally, the voice of reason -- I was getting worried, reading this thread.
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