Big Dogs Weblog

Now, Here Is Part Of The Problem

by Blake on Aug 17, 2009 at 10:02 Political

In the Healthcare debate, a small part of the discussion is the illegal alien component that has disproportionate costs relative to benefits. And actually, the only benefit is that of a compassionate, feel- good nature, like helping an old lady across the street- only in this case, the “old lady” in question has cost a Las Vegas hospital around 24 million in lost revenue. I don’t care who you are- that’s a chunk of money that aint ever coming back.

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.

chron.com

Now, keep in mind here, this is only the cost for 80 immigrants, and only for dialysis- this does not take into account other services they may need, but do not pay for- and this is just one hospital out of hundreds. Now, not all hospitals will incur the same level of deficit spending regarding immigrants- some will be less, some will be more, but all will have some out of pocket expenses regarding illegal immigrants that they still, at the end of the year, have to reconcile with their budgets, and if this aspect of the problem isn’t effectively addressed, there will still be a huge hole in the Healthcare budget.

“Our people are really torn,” Brannman told the Las Vegas Review-Journal. “We want to take care of people who are ill. We’re proud that we can save lives. But our employees are also worried about the survival of UMC. They know that the appetite of taxpayers for helping undocumented immigrants is limited.”

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.

chron.com

They come here to the U.S. because (1)- we have the cutting edge services, which gives them a head start on surviving, and (2)- They do not have to pay- we are a compassionate nation, and we do not turn them away. This is misplaced compassion, because what this means is the possibility of reduced services for our citizens who should be our first priority.

It’s time to do some population triage- we need to prioritize our services for citizens first, and others if we have service surpluses. I know that this sounds cruel, but if Mexico got off of it’s butt and reformed its system, it could be the model for Central and South America, and people (especially Hispanic people from Central and South America) would flock there.

Why Mexico does not do this is a puzzlement to me- I have been to Mexico, both coasts and Mexico City, also Monterey and Veracruz. I am familiar with the people, and have seen that their country is filled with resources that they make scant use of, simply because they seem to lack the political will to escape the third- world mentality that is pervasive there.

Until that happens, not much will be done, because the families in power do not wish to relinquish power, and so schools and hospitals are crude things down south, fated to stay in the early 20th century until people there begin to demand their own change.

One patient said she had nowhere else to turn.

“I am so thankful to this hospital for doing this for someone who is not a citizen,” Marta Berrera told the newspaper through an interpreter. “Without this help, I would die and my four children would be without a mother.”

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. “And there’s also no question that they need help. But this isn’t how emergency rooms were meant to be used.”

chron.com

No kidding- ERs were never meant to be a primary care facility, but that is exactly what the illegal aliens do, because they know they cannot be turned away- at least for now- but if we have to make the choice of rationing care, these illegals will be the first to go, and when the ERs have to turn them away or shut down the hospital, they will turn them away.

I have an idea- let’s bill Mexico for their care- after all, it is the Mexican government that has, for years. encouraged illegals to make the trek north. They even printed brochures that described techniques and “rest stops” on the migration north.

Now, they should be willing to pay some of the cost of caring for their populace in this foreign land.

That would be a part of the solution.

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Tags: illegal aliens, Mexico, rationing, third world care