Illegal Aliens and American Medicine

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Illegal Aliens and American Medicine
About half of immigration into the United States is illegal, thus approximately half of the impact of immigration on our health care system is due to illegal immigration. The influx of illegal aliens has serious hidden medical consequences. We judge reality primarily by what we have seen. But what we do not see can be more dangerous, more expensive, and more deadly than what is seen. What is unseen is their free medical care that has degraded and closed some of America’s finest emergency medical facilities, and caused hospital bankruptcies.
The General Accounting Office traveled to southern Arizona to study the impact of illegal immigrants on Arizona and other border state hospitals. In 2002, three hospitals located in Cochise County funded more than $1 million in uncompensated health care costs. Between 1993 and 2003, 84 California hospitals closed because half of their services became unpaid. . The Florida Hospital Association surveyed 28 hospitals and found that health care for illegal aliens totaled at least $40 million in 2002 (Cosman2005).
The Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA) requires every emergency department to treat anyone who enters with an ‘emergency’. Any patient coming to a hospital emergency department requesting ‘emergency’ care must be screened and treated until ready for discharge, or stabilized for transfer – whether or not insured, ‘documented,’ or able to pay.
Ambulances from Mexico come to American emergency departments with indigents because the drivers know that EMTALA requires accepting patients who come. Government imposes viciously stiff fines and penalties on any physician and any hospital refusing to treat any patient that a zealous prosecutor deems an emergency patient, even though the hospital or physician screened and declared the patient’s illness or injury non-emergency. A woman in labor must remain to deliver her child (Journal of the American Physicians and Surgeons 2005)
American hospitals welcome ‘anchor babies.’ Illegal alien women come to the hospital in labor and drop their little anchors, each of whom pulls its illegal alien mother, father, and siblings into permanent residency simply by being born here. Anchor babies instantly qualify for public welfare aid. Betwee...

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...out denying needy services to individuals and families, but about what is right. Obligations of citizenship in a democracy demand concern for the conduct of government and responsible participation in the electoral process (Ruggiero 1997).
The burden of health care to illegal aliens has taken an overwhelming toll on the health care dollars in America. The consequences of America to continue to do so brings harmful effects to all persons involved, including the illegal alien; physically, emotionally, and financially. Surrender to illegal aliens is surrender to collectivist America. Fighting against illegal aliens is fighting for individualistic America. As we fight to reclaim medicine, so we defend our nation.

References
Cosman, M.P. (Spring 2005). The Journal of the American Physicians and Surgeons. Retrieved
June 21, 2005 from www.jpands.org/vol10no1/cosman.pdf .
Ruggiero, V. (1997). Thinking Critically About Ethical Issues. Sixth Edition. Mayfield
Publishing Company.
Weissinger, G. (November 2003). Law Enforcement & the INS: A Participant Observation Study of Control Agents. Retrieved June 21, 2005 from www.immigration-usa.com/george_weissinger.html - 60k

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