Mexico refuses to treat american citizen without medical insurance

kake.com ^ | Saturday, Oct. 2, 2004 | Theresa Freed

[crushelits]

Tragic Trip
Saturday, Oct. 2, 2004

Send a Message to the Mexican President's Wife:
msahagun@presidencia.gob.mx

After a fall of more than 40-feet, Mexican medical teams refuse to help a Kansas man. It was a trip to discover his heritage but instead turns tragic.

The 23-year-old was going to Mexico to meet his birth father for the first time. He had been living with his adopted parents his entire life in Newton.

Many people take for granted the quality of emergency medical care in the United States. It’s one mistake a Newton family will never make again.

It’s a lesson about health care that 21-year-old Olivia Sanchez learned the hard way. Olivia and her 23-year-old brother Ricardo recently traveled to Mexico to meet their biological family. A Newton family adopted them at the ages of 6 and 8.

During the trip, the brother and sister went swimming at the family’s ranch. That’s when Ricardo started climbing a cliff.

“I was watching him go up and down the rocks,” says Olivia Sanchez. “He made it up once, then he came back down. Then he went back up and it was the second time that he fell.”

Ricardo plummeted 40-feet to the ground. He was rushed to a Mexican hospital with severe head injuries. The physicians would not treat him, because he didn’t have health insurance.

“When you have a head injury, those first few hours are real critical and it seems like we got the information too late,” says Greg Sanchez, Ricardo’s father.

Ricardo was eventually transferred to another hospital, where he was put on life support and then a week later died.

It’s a tragedy that the family says should’ve never happened.

The United States federal law mandates access to emergency care regardless of the patient’s ability to pay.

“Anybody that’s thinking about going on a trip over there, I’d think twice again about it,” says Greg Sanchez.

Family say Ricardo was a very caring and loving man. He had plans to marry his fiancé in just a few years. A funeral will be held this Friday at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in Newton. The burial will follow at St. Mary’s Cemetery.

Send a Message to the Mexican President's Wife:
msahagun@presidencia.gob.mx

[Orange1998]

Your assuming everyone has good parents.

[AnnaZ]

You'll love this one.

[Weirdad]

For every Illegal Insurgent here from Mexico that is treated for medical concerns the Mexican Government should be billed and made to pay.

I think that this approach is in the long run the way to go. It takes into account the asymmetrical situation in which Mexico gets VASTLY more free service in the US than the US does in Mexico.

But in the long run, we need to change our citizenship requirements to be much more strict, like the Swiss.

Right not, we have declared that Americans are created "by the blood" or "by the soil." In other words, two American parents who have a baby in another country just created an American. However, two illegal aliens who come to the US and have a baby have ALSO just created an American who immediately becomes a Medicaid recipient. Thousands of new "American Citizens" are created this way every day and it is insane. Dumping this idiotic "by the soil" citizenship process is NOT anti-Mexican or anti-anyone: it is only Pro-American, and it is only right.

[Servant of the 9]

Thanks for making it clear that you value money more than human life.

Not exactly. I just value my money more than a stranger's life.

Once you start down the road to state operated charity, there is no end. They will always ask for more money "For the Childrun".

Face facts, emotionally, you're a Democrat.

So9

[Weirdad]

The level of illegal immigration is directly proportional to the level of socialism in the US.

Well said.

[Servant of the 9]

You should treat people without insurance because some people pay their medical bills themselves. They don't have insurance.

As long as they can prove they can pay, no problem.

So9

[ladyrustic]

"...good parents would make sure their children had insurance and had a card with them. Otherwise, Think of it as Evolution in Action."


What a repulsive thing to say.

[Servant of the 9]

"...good parents would make sure their children had insurance and had a card with them. Otherwise, Think of it as Evolution in Action."

What a repulsive thing to say.

Real life isn't always pretty.

So9

[pcgTheDestroyer]

hehe, a Democrat. Because I don't mind helping those in life-threatening situations without prejudice to their ability to pay. I didn't know Democrats had a corner on that market.

"I just value my money more than a stranger's life." That's fine: we simply disagree. I don't see what the big difference is between that statement and "...that you value money more than human life." But that's fine too.

At the end of the day, you'd rather not pay for health insurance for others. I think I'd agree. I'd STOP at saying that I'd rather a stranger die than I (as a part of society, not me directly) have to pay for it. You wouldn't have any problem with that statement.

But calling me a Democrat (which is, let's be honest, a four-letter word on FR for the most part) isn't going to accomplish anything. Then again, I'm sure you don't care about that either.

[ladyrustic]

"I just value my money more than a stranger's life."

Servant of the 9 my a$$.. You talk more like a Slave of the 1 Wallet. You should be ashamed of such talk.

[Little Ray]

Did she do something possible like doing a "stop payment" on them?

[Indie]

People...and FReepers [RINOs] that go to MX and spend OUR money there even in light of this story, Americans thrown in prisons without any due process, illegal immigration, Fox's smart a$$ remarks about the US...in light of all this....have NO right to complain about anything MX does.

They are part of the problem, just like the Hollywood leftists that go to Cuba.

You people to whom I'm referring are supporting AN "ENEMY" of our sovereignty, as well as supporting faulty and poisonous US policy with MX.

And with that rant over, my prayers go out to this man's family..

/RANT!

[A Ruckus of Dogs]

Then they'll sue whatever and however tenuous link they can find to some American firm, sharing, of course, half the damages with their attorney.

That would be the insurer who covers the person in the USA, but not out.

[A Ruckus of Dogs]

Then they'll sue whatever and however tenuous link they can find to some American firm, sharing, of course, half the damages with their attorney.

That would be the insurer who covers the person in the USA, but not out.

[albertabound]

I had a mild heart attack is Scottsdale AZ. I went to Emergency at Scottsdale Memorial and advised them I was Canadian and I did not know if my health care was adequate. They told me to lie down so they could fix me and to worry about the costs later. The care was incredible and my coverage was adequate and I am forever greatfull.

[A Ruckus of Dogs]

claimed they needed to medivac her out of the country, and wanted (IIRC) $19K.

19K? Sounds like they were running their own scam. Since all Americans are assumed to be rich, take 'em for as much as you can get. Bribery and corruption are a way of life in Mexico.

[goldstategop]

Mexico does NOT offer FREE medical care to foreigners. We do and so its no surprise I read in my local paper another local hospital is shutting it doors thanks to going into debt from illegal alien freeloaders. Our own GOP Congress voted this past spring to keep the freebie going. It can't and sooner than later, something's going to give.

[smonk]

---Did she do something possible like doing a "stop payment" on them? ---

of course, she disputed the charges. this just happened over the summer, so the whole thing is still unresolved. as it turns out, however, the credit card company doesn't hold out much hope that she will prevail.

[smonk]

I guess the local economy depends on cruise vacationers in more ways than one. we were at least as p*ssed off at the cruise company for putting the two old(ish) ladies off the boat in a strange country.

[Dante3]

Our law should be change to exclude any illegal aliens form FREE medical treatment. Let those who want them in this coutry pay for them, instead of taxpayers, many of whom can hardly pay their own medical bills.