Posted on 06/13/2005 9:19:27 AM PDT by Happy2BMe
Hospital emergency room workers in Santa Fe will begin asking some patients for immigration documents to determine whether federal money can be used to pay for their care.
The change stems from an announcement by the Bush administration in May that it will provide $1 billion over four years nationwide to cover the costs of acute care of undocumented immigrants.
New Mexico qualifies for $5.1 million for the 2005 fiscal year based on the state's 53,620 apprehensions of undocumented immigrants between April 2003 and March 2004, according to the Department of Homeland Security.
But some national immigrant-advocacy groups are concerned that the program will hinder immigrants from getting medical attention.
"We believe this program will undermine efforts to ensure that all members of the community can seek the health care they need," said Tanya Broder, an attorney with the National Immigration Law Center in Oakland, Calif.
Rick Doxtator, chief financial officer at St. Vincent Regional Medical Center, said the program represents "another source of support for this segment of the community and for the hospital."
Hospital staff are being trained to determine eligibility by asking patients three questions, which they will start doing next month, he said.
A hospital must try to get payment from the patient or emergency Medicaid funds first before turning to the new federal funds.
Patients can qualify for the program if they do not have legal documents such as a green card or a valid nonimmigrant visa and if they can prove they were born outside the United States.
Mexican citizens with border-crossing cards and those who have been paroled into the United States also qualify.
Doxtator said St. Vincent does not share patient information with other agencies although, under the federal program, hospitals must photocopy patients' documents and keep them on file for federal auditors.
The form also includes a notice that states "patients should be aware that the Department of Homeland Security will not access or use information related to medical care to initiate enforcement of United States immigration laws unrelated to an ongoing terrorism or criminal investigation."
Jeff Dye, president of the New Mexico Hospitals and Health Systems Association, said hospitals don't want to become Border Patrol agents by asking questions of immigrants.
"Determining eligibility (for the federal funds) is the really sticky point for hospitals," he said.
Matt Onstott, deputy director of Medicaid at the Human Services Department, said the state in 2004 reimbursed patients for $6.3 million in care under the emergency Medicaid program.
Patients seeking reimbursement under that program are not asked for immigration documents, he said.
"....those who have been paroled into the United States..."
wth does THAT mean?
Dig deeper taxpayers.
ping
Hospitals should not have to be doing the job of enforcing the border.
I'm not sure I see it quite that way, although many articles seem to make that claim as a reason why hospitals should not ask for immigration papers.
This is more an issue of preventing dead-beats (many of whom happen to be illegal aliens) from stiffing hospitals.
Gracias Jorge!
Sure they should, just as should every business who hires people should have to report on the immigration status of employees. The notion that "only the border patrol" has responsibility to hunt down illegals is ridiculous.
No, but if they are supported by taxpayers, they should be doing the job of ensuring the taxpayers aren't ripped off and played for suckers. There is nothing unreasonable in expecting hospitals to determine if individual patients are entitled to care on the taxpayers' dime.
Some aliens are paroled into the US rather than being actually admitted. To be admitted means that they have some sort immigration status.
Refugees and asylum seekers typically do not have an immigration status pending a review of their claims and are paroled into the US. Its actually a good thing as they have limited appeal rights and access to the courts.
My wife is a legal immigrant. We went through a whole lot of grief to get her here legally. By law she cannot receive any means-tested federal money. By law, illegal immigrants can receive means-tested federal money. For example, if we were poor and needed WIC to help feed our baby, we couldn't get it, but some woman who snuck across the border could. The WIC site specifically mentions that illegal (sorry, "undocumented") immigrants are entitled.
How FUBAR is that?
These people are walking away with free health care. Hospitals have to treat them. If hospitals can show a trail to these illegals, I would hope the Federal government would present the Mexican government a bill for these services. Mexico could pay it in oil. Now lets do it for education and other welfare costs that they are making us pay.
"wth does that mean?"
Catch and release program. Those illegals caught and simply released with a notice to appear at a future date for an administrative hearing. The great majority of them simply do not and vanish into the US interior.
80% of the American people oppose illegal immigration, yet it continues as though everyone supports it. I guess pols will have to start losing their jobs before they start getting the message.
Protect our borders and coastlines from all foreign invaders!
Be Ever Vigilant!
Minutemen Patriots ~ Bump!
The GOP candidate will be as opposed to illegal immigration as the dem candidate. Meaning wink wink, nod nod. Get the BS meters ready for 2008. Neither party is going to fix this problem. Neither party cares.
But most national illegal alien-advocacy groups are concerned that the money the U.S. taxpayers have "donated" to the program will hinder the illegal aliens from getting the "free" medical attention the taxpayers have so generously provided for them.
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