House Committees Discuss Impact of Illegal Immigration on Cost to the State and the American Worker
House Committees Discuss Impact of Illegal Immigration on Cost to the State and the American Worker
House Committee Continues to Discuss Impact of Illegal Immigration on Health Care
On August 10, 2006, the House Energy and Commerce Committee held a hearing in Brentwood, Tennessee to discuss the impact of illegal immigration on health care. On August 15, 2006, the hearing continued, with concern over costs to legal residents in the U.S.
The three panels testified before the committee. The panels included Senator Casey Cagle, Georgia State Senate; Representative Chip Rogers, Georgia State House of Representatives; Senator Curt Thompson, Georgia State Senate; Representative John Lunsford, Georgia State House of Representatives; Mrs. B.J. Walker, Commissioner, Georgia Department of Human Resources; Ms. Jean Sheil, Director, Family and Children’s Health Program, Center for Medicaid and State Operations; Mr. James E. Gardner, Jr., President & Chief Executive Officer, Northeast Georgia Health System; Mr. Charles Stewart, Chief Executive Officer, Hutcheson Medical ; Dr. Marty Michaels, Chair of the Georgia Chapter; American Academy of Pediatrics; Abel C. Ortiz, Health and Human Service Policy Advisor, Office of Governor Sonny Perdue.
State Representative Chip Rogers explained that "It is in fact the states that pay for those particular services most demanded by the illegal population including education, law enforcement and, today's topic, health care services." Mr. Stewart brought up another problem, saying "Another issue that hospitals face in emergency departments is the growing number of births to illegal aliens. It is documented that in some states, more than half of emergency Medicaid expenditures were for labor and delivery services." Mr. Ortiz reiterated the points of the panel and the need for stricter document requirements, stating "Federal law requires that taxpayer-funded benefits be limited to those who are lawfully in the United States and the income verification requirement serves as an additional check for legal U.S. citizenship."
Stay tuned to FAIR for more updates as the Congressional immigration reform hearings continue…