Houston Chronicle, August 17, 2009
A Las Vegas hospital providing emergency dialysis services to 80 illegal immigrants says that accounts for much of its operating deficit.
The University Medical Center says the treatment will cost it about $24 million this fiscal year, aggravating a budget deficit that is expected to approach $70 million.
UMC’s chief operating officer, Brian Brannman, said the hospital is required by federal law to treat anyone who shows up in an emergency but receives no reimbursement from federal, state or local governments for doing it.
{snip}
The cost of providing dialysis to illegal immigrants doubled last year, with twice as many seeking the treatment two or three times a week, officials said.
{snip}
UMC professionals say taxpayer-supported hospitals are strained to the breaking point and need to be part of the discussion on how to reform the nation’s health care system. If this problem isn’t solved, they say, others can expect to wait longer or pay more for their own emergency services.
“There’s no question that these illegals who come for dialysis treatment at emergency rooms back everything up,” said Dr. Dale Carrison, UMC’s head of emergency services. {snip}
Original article
(Posted on August 18, 2009)
Comments
A “Real American” wouldn’t be treated this well and this long at no charge. The first thing they ask for is your insurance card, no card, no treatment, I guess unless your name is Pedro and you are here illegaly from Mexico, then it’s all yours without charge?
Several years ago, I read an article by a Doctor who was part of a group called “Doctors without borders”. He told the story of visiting a number of hospitals throughout Africa to try to help the sick and wounded. The story revolved around a poster he kept seeing in the hospitals which told the people with devestating illness (AIDS, TB,etc…) to get on a plane and get to America,immediately tell the immigration authorities you are ill and need an ambulance. And all your medical needs will be taken care of for free.
#1 Jim, you’re right Jim, and it is one of the reasons illegal aliens can afford to stay in this nation.
Ahh, finally. The real elephant in the room in the healthcare debate. Too bad neither side wants to take this one on. Too politically unpopular. Maybe it will be more popular once America’s healthcare system completely collapses under the strain of healthcare hand-me-outs?
Better link to the original story…
http://www.lvrj.com/news/53343302.html
“UMC professionals say taxpayer-supported hospitals are strained to the breaking point and need to be part of the discussion on how to reform the nation’s health care system”
Not surprised UMC puts in a little dig for Obamacare. Explore further and you will find UMC controlled by the pro-amnesty, pro-Obamacare SEIU. Reaping what they have sown…
Anyone think that deporting these illegals at the conclusion of their emergency treatment might solve UMC’s financial problems? IMO, dialing ICE should be SOP at every emergency room across the country.
The cost of providing dialysis to illegal immigrants doubled last year, with twice as many seeking the treatment two or three times a week, officials said.
Jim, I don’t think they can deny anyone treatment, but for the law-abiding citizen who uses his or her real name and address, etc., they will eventually come and take your property and most or all of your wealth and leave you destitute if you can’t or won’t pay your bills.
I have heard that medical bills are the #1 reason for bankruptcy in America these days.
“a poster he kept seeing in the hospitals which told the people with devestating illness (AIDS, TB,etc…) to get on a plane and get to America,immediately tell the immigration authorities you are ill and need an ambulance. And all your medical needs will be taken care of for free.”
If anyone can find a copy of this poster, please forward to Amren.
A one-way ticket to Mexico or any one of the other countries who send their people to us is much cheaper than dialysis or any other medical procedure they need. This is insane. I’m so tired of hearing that we are a ‘humane’ country. Well, where does ‘humanity’ begin? How about with out own citizens, our own families and our own country? We cannot take care of the world. Let the leaders of those places that feel so entitled begin to do their jobs. We need a President who’ll stop all aid until illegals leave. We don’t need ANY immigration until we can assimilate those who’ve come recently and legally. How about a ten year moratorium? I’ll go for that.
It’s too bad we can’t start billing the immigrant’s country of origin for all health care services provided.
“The cost of providing dialysis to illegal immigrants doubled last year, with twice as many seeking the treatment two or three times a week, officials said.”
Send these illegals back. Mexico has a socialized medical system which does not provide free care to Americans or any other non-Mexicans, so why should we be providing free care to them at our expense.
TechnoDan, you took the words right out of my mouth!
Why would anyone want to live after that anyway? To loose everything I ever worked for, the security I sacrificed to have as I grow older, to be taken away, yet the illegal gets everything they need on MY tax dollar. I wrote a rep. in this state the other day telling him that if I didn’t have to pay some many taxes for all the people on welfare, feigning “disability” to get on that dole, and the illegals, I might be able to afford my OWN health insurance. Instead, I pay out of pocket and go without for anything I need.
8 — TechnoDan wrote at 9:34 PM on August 18:
“Jim, I don’t think they can deny anyone treatment, but for the law-abiding citizen who uses his or her real name and address, etc., they will eventually come and take your property and most or all of your wealth and leave you destitute if you can’t or won’t pay your bills.
I have heard that medical bills are the #1 reason for bankruptcy in America these days.”
1. Only the IRS can confiscate real property. Others can only have a judgement of lien on real property so that if you ever sell it, that debt is settled. However, you credit score will be lousy. Try to get a descent job, or any job with a bad credit score. The banks got the law passed, through Republicans, that allows employers to use your credit score. This is another invastion of your privacy and yet another cohersive law enacted by the capitalist version of Big Brother. This Big Brother just wants all your money and you in debt until and after you die.
2. You are correct, medical bills are the #1 reason for bankruptcy in this country. In any other industrialized country, all of the rest with socialized medicine, bankruptcy of any type is much lower, but especially due to medical and end of life costs.
I have a friend in Eastern Europe who was diagnosed with osteo sarcoma in his spine ten years ago. Since then, and while in treatment, he has married for the second time, had two babies and has been building a nice home (taking a long time), while receiving three surgeries and photon treatment in Switzerland. He also was given a government job and was able to go part time, ten years ago, when his cancer was first detected. His American counter-part looses everything they own, often is deserted by family and ends up a ward of the state in a miserable nursing home or on the street. When you guys scream about national health care and how evil it is, I just sit here at my computer and sadly shake my head. You people don’t know what you are talking about. You are the dupes of the insurance industry.
When enough middle class Americans have lost their homes and been impoverished by medical costs, etc., the reaction will be strong. The problem now is that when you loose everything you also loose your voice, and whites are trained to not complain and take it like the tough individuals they are supposed to be. Eventually, the reaction will be strong, but it will be too late.
I’m still waiting to see the high IQ genetics of nationalist whites kick in.
Whiteplight:
Not only in your last post here, but in the last few weeks, you have made the accusation that those protesting Obamacare are insurance company hacks. I just happen to think that you’re buying Democrat propaganda (they only think that because they’re transferring their own George Soros astroturfer selves onto every one else). And my suspicion was confirmed by Pat Buchanan’s second to last column — K Street doesn’t work that way. Why should insurance companies pay people to scream at politicians when they can buy politicians directly?
The irony of me saying that is that I wish we could have what you want. But we cannot because we are not homogeneously white. Obamacare means that you wait 15 years for a dentist while illegal alien from Mexico gets an appointment tomorrow.
I don’t believe in socialized medicine, not because it’s evil it’s not, but because it’s not going to work very well, very high taxes, long waits, rationing, lousy care on an overburdered health system where the government controls your healthcare. Many people who look at nations with socialized medicine aren’t seeing the bad points. I agree we need a major overhaul of our healthcare system and to correct the faults we have but we don’t have to throw the baby out with the bath water. We can correct the system we have. Such as:
-Take medical insurance out of the workplace. Give working Americans huge tax breaks where they are required to take this money and purchase private insurance.
-Allow insurance agencies to take customers across the USA, not just in their state. This would open up competition and lower prices on insurance.
-70% of the uninsured are migrants who are non-citizens. Get rid of these. This will result in far less uninsured.
-About a third of the remaining uninsured are Americans who are wealthy and don’t need medical insurance
-The remaining uninsured will be those who retire early, lost/quit a job or have low wages and can’t afford insurance and don’t qualify for medicare/medicaid. Have a government plan that provides low cost catastrophic coverage for for this group.
-Cut most foreign aid and close most of our military bases around the world and bring them home. Americans shouldn’t be subsizing defense or giving handouts to the rest of the world. This would save trillions. We use this money to greatly expand, in every county, low cost public health clinics that provide basic tests, routine physicals and handle minor care for the unemployed etc.
-Get rid of the fraud and waste in the medical industry and bring anti-gouging laws into play. No more charging 20 bucks for two tylenal. This will lower prices.
-All Americans must have at least catastrophic care.
Do these steps and every American will have medical insurance and the quality of care will be much higher than some overburdened public health sytem.
I do not live in the US I live in Québec City, Canada) but I really want to get this straight: while part of your population doesn’t have any private health insurance, and your public hospitals are already full, with their doctors and nurses overloaded with work, those illegals cross the border illegally and they get medical care…? Probably medical care, like they could never get in their home country; and at the expense of taxpayers on your side of the border?
Can I be a little rough, here? Kick them out of your hospitals! Let them have medical care in prison! As soon as they are well enough to travel, return them to their side of the border (at gun point if the situation requires it)!
A “Real American” wouldn’t be treated this well and this long at no charge. The first thing they ask for is your insurance card, no card, no treatment, I guess unless your name is Pedro and you are here illegaly from Mexico, then it’s all yours without charge?
So true, when my sister was only 19, and got very ill with pneumonia she was badgered by a receptionist about her medical coverage, she was an American citizen, and did have a job, but no medical plan at the time. She was nearly refused treatment, until she called our parents out of state, and worked something out. Ironically, right after this, some obvious illegals who could barely speak English were asked none of these questions. Americans are refused treatment, while illegals are given a free pass. How twisted our system is.
RIGHT!! so Juan and Jose can show up to see Pedro and fine they are related, happens all the time. I can see all of the bad stuff coming down the pike real clear from here in Afghanistan AGAIN!!!
