Doctors and health officials say they are overwhelmed by both the new arrivals and those immigrant mothers who already are in the state. Even Houston's feeling the pinch. An estimated 70 percent to 80 percent of the 10,587 births at Ben Taub General Hospital and Lyndon B. Johnson General Hospital last year were to undocumented immigrants, administrators say.
Also feeling the strain is Starr County, an already poor South Texas county that has the region's only taxpayer-supported hospital district.
Immigrants "want a U.S.-born baby" and know that emergency room staffers don't collect any money up front, said Dr. Mario Rodriguez, an obstetrician in Starr County.
"The word is out: Come to Starr County and get delivered for free. Why pay $1,000 in Mexico when you can get it for free?" Rodriguez said.
Starr County Memorial Hospital had $3.6 million in uncollected medical bills in 2005, up from $1.5 million in 2002. The total when fiscal 2006 ends on Sept. 30 is expected to hit $3.9 million, chief financial officer Rafael Olivarez said. Unpaid bills for the past five years will reach nearly $13 million, he said.
To make up for the shortfall, Starr County's hospital district is proposing a 25 percent tax hike.
2006-09-29 23:39:57 · 3 answers · asked by Anonymous in News & Events ➔ Current Events
wow...... that is insane!... so instead of reporting the illegals and having them picked up/ deported.... they give them medical care , and charge the local tax payers! what will Starr county do when all the tax paying citizens get disgusted and begin moving out?....its time for the people to put their foot down, and stop this madness!
2006-09-30 20:13:06 · answer #1 · answered by Ms Fortune 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
when I was in San Antonio, I was at a hospital for an ultrasound. While waiting, a latino woman (very preggo) came in with 9 or 10 kids (I am not exaggerating), and a nurse there told me that every year this woman had been coming in to have her baby, and the kids waited out in the hall while she gave birth !
2006-09-30 06:54:24 · answer #2 · answered by Scorpius59 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They should hold the kids for 90 days, if they don't get paid, change the paperwork to say abortion and kill the booger. We need a law that denies anchor babies citizenship.
2006-09-30 10:04:18 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋