Posted on 06/12/2005 9:34:53 PM PDT by bayourod
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.
Don't blame Bush for your state, local and hospital districts' decisions to treat illegals beyond what the federal law requires. See post 20.
"Don't blame Bush for your state, local and hospital districts' decisions to treat illegals beyond what the federal law requires. See post 20."
Bush elected to give the criminal freeloaders $1,000,000,000.00 of federal money. Make the locals suffer enough to rebel, Bush is just an enabler for the locals catering to the whims of the illegals
No, Bush elected to give American Hospital Corporations, American Doctors, American Nurses, American Pharmacy companies, and American hospital suppliers one billion dollars to cover costs mandated before he took office.
Isn't this exactly what the Buchanan/Tancredo bunch wanted when they started stiring up people against Hispanic immigrants? There have been articles posted everyday on FR about hospitals going belly up because of unreimbursed costs.
Be happy, you won and the conservatives lost.
But, you support the aclu line, so don't try that "the conservatives lost" crap. Your side is getting hysterical because the American taxpayer is waking up.
"Minor players include Municipal Leagues, Hospital associations, social service providers' organizations and government employees' groups whose lobbyists are the ones commissioning the "scientific" studies showing that illegals have an adverse financial impact necessitating increased government funding for their institutions/communities/organizations etc... "
The hospitals couldn't have gotten that taxpayer money without the help of the anti-illegal immigrants' constant whining. Y'all just bought some doctors new corvettes.
The next tax dollars y'all will be paying will go to schools that you complain are over crowded. Only token funds will ever go toward stopping the flow of illegals because it can't be done as long as we need them and they need our jobs.
"Be happy, you won and the conservatives lost."
WTF?
Neighborhood ping. . .
Hispanic immigrants? Is this another example of you using a code phrase for illegal aliens?
Did you read my question? I'm asking for your best guess on HOW they got around 80.3?
The distinction between legal and illegal immigrants did not evolve until many years into the debate.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.