[upchuck]

...hospitals there spend about $1.25 billion annually to care for illegal aliens.

Note it doesn't say the hospitals loose $1.25 billion because they don't. Much of that is made up through cost shifting, etc.

But I agree that if the Feds make the hospitals see patients who cannot pay, no matter the reason, the Feds should chip in for the cost.

Ideally, the Fed law should be changed to tighten up the loophole.

[algernonpj]

Not a loophole. Result of EMTALA passed in 1986:

http://www.cms.gov/EMTALA/01_overview.asp