11/25/2007 9:01:00 PM
Illegal immigrants drive up medical costs
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| The Daily Courier
Yavapai Regional Medical Center in Prescott cares for all patients, regardless of national origin. |
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EDITOR'S NOTE: This is the first day of a seven-day series about the cost of immigration.
When doctors swear the Hippocratic oath, they pledge to do all in their power to help their patients. But medical care is extremely expensive today, and hospitals run on money, not ideals.
Balancing the ideals with financial reality is an ongoing struggle for medical professionals, and the number of illegal immigrants seeking medical treatment they can't afford exemplifies the problem.
"We are legally, and morally required to give emergency medical treatment to anyone who comes in needing it," said Robbie Nicol, director of development and community relations at the Yavapai Regional Medical Center. "It's a moral certainty that we must help those in need, but the fact remains it takes a lot of money to run a hospital."
The federal Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act requires hospitals to treat emergency patients, regardless of the patient's status or ability to pay. This complicates the financial situation with illegal immigrant patients who cannot pay for their treatment.
A government program exists to help reimburse hospitals for some of the costs that they incur in treating illegal immigrants who are unable to pay: Section 1011 of the Medicare Modernization Act of 2003. The section distributes $250 million among hospitals across the county, allocating more money to states with higher rates of illegal immigration.
According to data from the 2007 State Allocations for Section 1011 of the Medicare Modernization Act, an estimated 7 million unauthorized residents live in the United States, and 283,000 in Arizona alone.
Of the $250 million that Section 1011 distributes nationwide, Arizona receives more than $6.7 million based on its percentage of undocumented aliens, and about $37.8 million based on number of state illegal alien arrests, for a total of $44.5 million.
The Section 1011 money Arizona receives helps hospitals relieve some of the financial burden of treating illegal immigrants, but the amounts they receive are "a drop in the bucket" compared to the losses local hospitals take each year, Nicol said.
In one year, YRMC treated approximately 2,135 people who fall under the 1011 payment provisions. That number does not include undocumented immigrants who paid cash or whose employers paid for them. YRMC estimates the cost for those medical bills exceeds $2.4 million.
For the period between May 2005 and June 2006, YRMC received reimbursement for only 30 percent of the costs incurred in caring for illegal immigrant patients under Section 1011. The payments do not arrive until 10 months after YRMC files its Section 1011 claims, and the hospital cannot gauge accurately the percentage of the state reimbursement money it will receive in the future.
"They have the right idea, but I don't think they see the magnitude of the problem," Nicol said. "It builds on itself. Many illegal immigrants are afraid to come in for treatment, so a problem will build to an emergency. Emergency treatment is always more expensive then preventative treatment. That's one reason the costs are so high."
Under YRMC policies, staff members may not ask if a patient has insurance before triage and ER treatment, and they may not ask about citizenship or immigration status at any time.
Robert Resendes, director of Yavapai County Community Health Services, said that no programs at the county level require proof of citizenship.
"We don't distinguish based on immigration status," Resendes said. Neither does the federal government - the federal government pays for shots for uninsured children, both legal and illegal.
Resendes said the problems that illegal immigrants face are similar to those of poor citizens, and those without insurance. He added that the problems compound when, because of reluctance to get treatment, someone becomes infected, and becomes a threat to the entire community.
Community Health Services estimates that it can attribute roughly 20 percent of its annual costs to illegal immigrants, Resendes said.
According to a 2007 report to Yavapai County Supervisor Carol Springer, illegal immigration cost the Community Health Service department $1,067,615 annually. The report estimated that county departments lose $7,633,557 total each year due to illegal immigrants.
"We have been noticing a correlation between local (immigration) stings, and missed appointments at our clinics," Resendes said. "It's just an observation by our staff."
For more information on Section 1011 see the Web site at www.cms.hhs.gov/UndocAliens.
Courier reporter Ken Hedler contributed to this story.
Contact the reporter at dmeurer@prescottaz.com
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Posted: Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Article comment by:
Beuthen291
Why don't we tax the rich or anyone who makes over $250,000. a year or more at a 50% flat rate. Then when the make all that money by exploiting illegal aliens in their businesses they will in essence be paying for the burden on the lower income legal Americans . Too simple?
Armyvet
Posted: Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Article comment by:
Sick Of Whiners
Darin, if you are so ashamed to live here then please feel free to leave. You also might want to work on your basic grammar skills. Idiot.
Posted: Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Article comment by:
summerdolphins77
You are just going by what some do , most of them do pay their docter bills because they dont have ahcccs like most white people, that get it for free instead of working hard like the hispanics do how can you eat at night knowing that you are so mean to people you will be punished
Posted: Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Article comment by:
Lox
Tom Steele: I am a conservative Texan who voted for Bush. I do not read liberal blogs, I read newspapers like the Courier and the NYT. The actuality of the situation, which you and the 'illegal is illegal' crowd conveniently overlook, is that ANY low-wage workforce will cost the taxpayers. The added cost of deporting and securing the borders is insanely huge. Keep in mind that this country was FOUNDED on the concept of massive immigration. Or did you forget where you came from?
Posted: Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Article comment by:
darin
Jeffersonian, since when is this YOUR country. this is EVERYONES country. when you are a dictator, then it is your country. as for the rest who are so ignorant to see that HUMANS ARE HUMANS, i hope someday you do not have healthcare and you can suffer. and i hope you suffer to the death. employers are hiring these people because YOU ALL ARE TOO LAZY to do these jobs. i honestly cannot wait to see the economical impact of these REDICULOUS sanctions you retarded republicans are trying to impose. laws are laws yes, but how far does a law go when the people who enforce them, also break them? YOU open your eyes. this town is absolutely rediculous, i am ashamed to say i live in prescott arizona. the most red-neck podunk town ever. people like you should go back to your countries of origin, and see why YOUR ancestors came here. hypocrites.
Posted: Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Article comment by:
Tom Steele
To LOX; You need to get out more. At least, watch or read something except anti-Bush NY Times and liberial blogs.
No country can support massive immigration.
Illegal aliens cost US citizens over $20,000 per year per illegal with crime, medical costs, jail costs, schooling and their disposable income going to their home country.
Wake up people!
Posted: Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Article comment by:
Buzzm1
Illegal is illegal.
Enforce the existing laws against illegal immigration.
Illegals go home!!
Posted: Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Article comment by:
Lox
It is truly sad that people are so misinformed that they place blame on illegal immigrants for all the ills of society. Information: http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/16/business/yourmoney/16view.html
Posted: Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Article comment by:
heidi Davenport
funny, I just saw an article on how illegal alien care does NOT affect medical costs.
http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSN2640739320071126?feedType=RSS&feedName=domesticNews
FYI
Posted: Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Article comment by:
Jeffersonian
darin "greedy inconsiderate white idiots".
Like the ones who hire the criminal illegal aliens who are invading MY COUNTRY?
Yeah a human is a human but that doesn't mean they belong in the USA or that I should have to pay for their Medical care, social services, criminal behaviour, or their childrens lunch.
Posted: Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Article comment by:
W. Lee Radu
Here's a novel idea, enforce the existing laws and see what happens to these costs. The Illegal Alien Advocacy groups are quick to call citizens like me "Racist" for wanting our counbtry's laws enforced. It's strange, the Yavapai County Health system gives them free medical care, but complains of their negative impacts in the millions but they don't call them "Racists". Punish the profiteers, the greedy contractors that hire these people. Hit 'em where it hurts, their wallets. Bush got us all here, don't ever expect any Republican solutions, Mc Cain and Kyl are worthless, their track records undeniably prove that fact.
Posted: Monday, November 26, 2007
Article comment by:
darin
a human is a human. white, mexican, black, middle eastern, whatever, they are human. everyone needs help, and everyone knows medical costs are inflated by mass corporations anyways, because they are greedy inconsiderate white idiots. doctors as well, for the most part. health costs dont even need to be that high as it is. i wanna see anyone who is about to complain about this go to a mexican or african hospital and see what happens. then tell me how you feel,...if you can.
Posted: Monday, November 26, 2007
Article comment by:
John a Vetern
The answer remains to sanction employers and if nesseary jail them for hireing illegals. Cut off all fedral programs to those that are not US Citizens. In essents take down the bird feeder. They will go home and then they are once again Caldrons problum.
Posted: Monday, November 26, 2007
Article comment by:
Nancy Shelton
Perhaps the companies that profit from use of "off the books" employees (in Arizona, primarily the construction industry) should cover their medical care.
Posted: Monday, November 26, 2007
Article comment by:
Bobby
It really is incredible how Americans of all ages go about their daily lives while the elites manipulate them into literally paying for corporate welfare =massive illegal immigration and wage depression. Wow! vote for hillary to finish the the nation off--or Giuliani, or Romney, etc. etc. Dr. Ron Paul, President-2008-
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