UP Ibalon Bicol: Hospital services overstretched by illegal immigrants

Hospital services overstretched by illegal immigrants

11/24/2009 | Posted by mesiamd | Edit Post

Supported by taxpayers to give medical care to Americans and illegal immigrants alike, Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia suffers like other hospitals in the country from budget crunch. Its services have reached breaking point because of high volume of charity patients and dwindling money support.

After decades of humanitarian work spanning more than a hundred years, the hospital which provides dialysis for patients with end-stage renal problems has started cutting down services for lack funds, worrying patients who come regularly without any means to pay for treatment. Approximately $50,000 dollars are needed yearly to keep a patient alive for a year.

In October 4, 2009, the public hospital stopped its outpatient service, putting uncertainty on the survival of its regular clientele, mostly undocumented aliens. They are left to figure their next move to get healthcare right in the US territory or in their homeland.

“With limited exceptions, illegal immigrants are ineligible for public insurance programs like Medicaid and Medicare and often cannot afford private coverage. When major illness strikes, they have few options but to go to emergency rooms, which are required by federal law to treat anyone whose health is deemed in serious jeopardy…

Officials at Grady, which will provide more than $300 million in uncompensated care this year, estimate that as many as a fifth of its uninsured patients are illegal immigrants. Although the numbers are elusive, a national study by the RAND Corporation concluded that illegal immigrants account for about 1.3 percent of public health spending. “---New York Times (11/20/09)

With the economic downturn, America is now experiencing financial difficulty in supporting the health needs of about 10 million illegal immigrants among the 46 million who don’t have medical insurance benefits. When they become covered by the healthcare system, available medical services may not be enough to accommodate them. The deluge of patients can precipitate doctor and nurse shortages, making Pres. Barack Obama’s healthcare reform more contentious.

Because of the huge number of new holders of insurance benefits, elderly Americans, the disabled, and those with rare diseases and needing chronic care may be marginalized as services become scarce or trimmed down --something that is likely to happen when patients flood the system and cost-saving measures are implemented.

It is no surprise then that the public is confused and fearful. Citizens find it hard to digest the almost 1 trillion cost of the proposed healthcare reform bill that awaits deliberation in Capitol Hill after the Thanksgiving holiday. (Photo Credit: Benedicte destrus) =0=

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Labels: Health, healthcare reform, illegal alien, immigrants, medical insurance, Totie Mesia

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Hospital services overstretched by illegal immigrants

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