People are saying that "illegals" are getting free health care in the US?

Question

I always understood that one needed health insurance in the US, due to lack of government funding. Is this not the case?

Thanks Sway- I didn't know that

So Sway's wrong: it's only certain hospitals as others are saying?

Answer 1

The confusion here is the LEVEL of care. Every hospital MUST give care to whoever comes in, up to their ability to STABILIZE the patient, regardless of the persons abiltiy to pay. A hospital in L.A. that specializes in cosmetic surgery isn't going to be equiped or manned to handle gunshot wounds or chronic diseases. They will do what they can and get the person to another hospital - a state one preferably. That first hospital then bills the State for their expenses.

Even the publicly funded entities don't have to go much beyond the stabilization phase. Keep them from dying right away is all they are bound by law to do. Rehab, corrective surgery, and the like, they don't have to do that. Still it cost $$ and that comes out of our pockets in higher taxes and higher insurance costs and higher medical care costs.

Answer 2

Publically funded hospitals, by law, must treat everyone. Illegals don't have health insurance, so they can't go to a doctor's office (unless it's a FREE clinic). So they go to the hospital emergency room and then don't pay. Can't send a bill to someone that doesn't give an address. Can't have a legal residence when you are illegal.

And no this is not an arguement for universal health care. Illegals would still be getting a benefit that they didn't pay for (in taxes).

Answer 3

America has a social safety net. Part of it provides public funding to certain hospitals. Anyone can show up in the ER of these hospitals and receive treatment. They will be billed but the indigent obviously have no ability to pay so the government kicks in money to help. The illegals know this and use it to provide their health care. There is no law preventing these immigrants from buying thier own insurance to cover their medical emergencies but in the eyes of an illegal immigrant it is just another benefit of coming to America. Their children receive educations, they earn wages but don't pay their share of the taxes, etc. etc.

Our country's infrastructure (roads, bridges, water supplies, social programs) was designed to support our citizenry. Immigration policy factors this into their limits on how many people are allowed to come to America each year. The illegal immigrants overburden most aspects of our infrastructure and sooner than later it will start to fail.

Answer 4

Any hospital in the U.S. that is a teaching hospital is receiving government funding and is required to treat the indigent. In some states, the state picks up the tab. In others, the hospital must raise the price for paying customers, mainly insurance companies. Either way, it drives up the cost of health care for everyone else.

Answer 5

Well I hope so. I mean, I don't support people being here illegally. But if someone is in need of emergency care, we should take care of them. We can't just let them die in the parking lot because they are illegal. There should be some way of making them pay for the service. But hospitals are for saving people's lives. It isn't their job to decide if someone is illegal or not. So the current system basically has the hospitals doing their job and taking care of sick people. It is the government that has not done the job of keeping illegals out and finding a way for the ones here to pay their part.

Answer 6

Those without any health care can go to state government funded hospitals. So instead of being able to go to a doctors office for lower costs, they go to a ER and are seen and fill up the ER making it harder to be seen in a real emergancy.

next of course because they have to be seen and can't be turned away, they are billed but most likely have given a false name or address and will never pay.
So the rest of us have to pay more and more because they have to treat people who don't pay.

So i is not free, it is just that they refuse to pay and get treated anyway

Answer 7

Publicly funded hospitals, by law, must treat all comers. It's Marxism.
Read the articles in your local papers that vilify private hospitals!!! That's one of the reasons why.

Answer 8

Don't you think it is the time every one gets free health care in this country.Look at your next door neighbors Canada and Cuba if they can have it why can't you?.This is a man made crisis so that Doctors can make a lot of money along with other staff.

Answer 9

no they don't,in the valley area (Texas border) hospitals are closing because they are losing so much money, because they are required by law to treat anybody who enters,one hospital losing so much money even dressed their security guards in green like the border patrol to discourage illegals from going there but they were sued, and had to replace uniforms to anything but green,but you know who loses the most,the really in need American,because so much funding is lost due to illegals

Answer 10

In Miami the busiest airport is the one closest to the airport...people fly in for "a visit" just to go there...

Most ER's will take anybody they have to by law! After the initial visit they could refer you somewhere else...most just go to another ER!

This happens for everyone Homeless people, Poor People or Immigrants. They still bill you...you might just might not be around later to pay!