Carrying Illegal Immigrants and their Health Services

Madeleine Pelner Cosman, PhD Esq. (http://www.jpands.org/vol10no1/cosman.pdf) tackles the issue of the impact on our medical services industry from the utilization of that system by illegal immigrants.

In a society that less and less shows a commitment to the value of providing access to affordable and quality medical services for its citizens, we tip toe around the illegal alien issue. Why? Way too complex to go into but not in a small part because we identify ourselves as a nation of immigrants (legal v illegal not so relevant).

Perhaps it's time to simply post registrars at the border. No refusal, you come in, you get an ID card, you're in the system, welcome. If nothing else, it would bring the millions of people who receive benefits of our country without the tax costs into the loop. We always talk about the benefits of our society, but this propping up of people who don't pay in is really a passe notion. It is idiotic that Republicans parade ideas of personal responsibility in discussing everything from the cost of medical services to preserving your own health so you don't need medical care while those same Republicans fail to impose severe penalties on every employer whose greed has lured in even one of the millions of illegals.

It is idiotic that people who have paid for insurance worry about the fact that their medical care will only fractionally be covered when illegals are not denied medical insurance and naturally do not pay for it because they are not in the system.

I am not against immigration (after all, we are a nation of immigrants!) I am against the fear we have of doing anything about illegal immigrants. I am against the idea that the problem is too big and therefore we will do nothing. I am against the stupidity of the argument that illegals do jobs that Americans wouldn't do (nonsense, look up the statistics on employment of those being released from prison being turned away after background checks while prima facie felons (illegals are on their face lawbreakers) are hired). I am against the argument that full enforcement of laws against using illegal labor is ignored because the government won't commit their endless tiers of law enforcement to tracking down and prosecuting those employers. I am against citizens being squeezed out of health services carrying the tab of such services for illegals.

The shift by insurers, health services providers, and governments in manipulating the system to squeeze consumers to maintain their cushy status quo, including the immense money paid for health services, shows a dismissal of the individuals who supports the lifestyles of those getting rich off the medical system. Instead of values-oriented actions, the argument has reduced to legal wrangling trying to avoid any responsibility. Is it really true that an industry that can figure out a way to rescind insurance policies where a woman lied about her weight can't figure out a way to obtain payment from illegals? No it's not true.

Personal responsibility. You employ an illegal you will be prosecuted and virtually bankrupted by your actions. You are an illegal, you cannot use our societal benefits. And as for us insured? Yeah, we know, we can't opt out of any of the corruption, we have to pay taxes to support a government that cares for everyone but the people who support it.

Action for the day: At least ask yourself the question: What impact do you think that utilization of our medical services industry by illegals has on the COST of such services in terms of hospitals and physicians covering reduced charges or uncollectible charges, including the governmental support of clinics and hospitals used by illegals, including the cost of "anchor babies" those whose birth are used as a means of getting citizenship for the family? What impact do you think illegals have on ACCESS to medical care?