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U of IL hospital sending back Mexican immigrant
Recently, we ran an article that stirred up some serious discussion on the subject of how to pay for the care of undocumented, medically-indigent immigrants, and how to handle things when a provider feels they can no longer foot the bill. The article detailed the practice, engaged in by some U.S. hospitals, of sending uninsured immigrants with costly, long-term medical needs back to their home countries--sometimes without the immigrant's permission.
Now, an Illinois case has come up that brings this practice into the spotlight. In this case, the University of Illinois Medical Center at Chicago is planning to return a 30-year-old Mexican man in a coma back to his home country over the objections of two of his family members. Francisco Pantaleon, who suffered a severe brain hemorrhage in mid-July, has lived in the U.S. for 11 years and has two children. After treating him for a while, UIMC plans to transfer Pantaleon to a hospital in Acapulco at its own expense. Though the facility has the consent of his immediate family to transfer the comatose man, his sister and cousin have hired lawyers to stop the transfer, saying that he won't survive the trip, or that if he does, he won't receive adequate care in Mexico.
With large numbers of undocumented, uninsured immigrants doing physically dangerous jobs in this country, expect to see this issue arise more frequently. Short of a sudden switch to universal coverage or a single-payer system, which presumably would make allowances for this situation, the issue's not going away anytime soon.
To learn more about this debate:
- read this Chicago Tribune piece
Related Articles:
Hospitals deporting uninsured immigrants
Debate continues on illegal immigrant health costs
Study: Less illegal immigrants use health system than thought
Payments to help hospitals pay for immigrant care
TX county grapples with care for illegal immigrants
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Comments
By Anonymous | Posted 2:15pm | August 20, 2008
The key word here is ILLEGAL, what part of this doesn't these freeloaders understand? This is why the system is strapped because middle class working Americans here "legally" as citizens pay our taxes to pay for this nonsense.
Meanwhile average American families (legal citizens) stress out over health care costs and worry over getting a serious illness.
These people that are illegal? Hell they don't worry about a damm thing except how to work the system that is bankrupt.
I say send him back to his country, if the family doesn't like it then pay for your healthcare costs instead of hiring a fancy lawyer.
That is why the USA is going to hell in a handbasket. We are no longer the super power of economics and the land of opportunity. We work and work and never get ahead. Because we are too damm busy paying for everyone else's problems.
By Anonymous | Posted 2:23pm | August 20, 2008
I work at an ER room of a local hospital. We are financially strapped as these illegals use the ER room as their Primary Care Provider. As you know we cannot turn away a patient in need. Incidentially the illegals know this too. So we have women coming in with last stages of labor pains to give birth FREE. While they may be illegal the child born on american soil is givn automatic American citizenship. Therefore the child as a citizen qualifies for WIC, healthcare and other benefits afforded to American citizens.
Our current system isn't working, it is strapped financially, we have to either start deporting the illegals back or make them pay a fee for service.
It is so bad that most of the signs and paperwork at tthe hospital are now in Spanish and English.
It seems our healthcare system is catering to the illegals and cares nothing about the Americans.
By Anonymous | Posted 5:25pm | March 16, 2009
I absolutely agree. This country does not have the financial ability nor obligation to pay for illegal immigrants. They made the choice to enter this country, and american citizens do NOT have the obligation to take care of them. We can't even take care of our own citizens adequately. Health care and social programs should not be assumed to be a right to individuals, nor an obligation our country must bear. You must qualify. And birthing a child in the US should not guarantee them immediate citizenship under these types of circumstances. Children born to parents illegally in the US should not be granted unqualified immediate citizenship. It's not my problem you got sick in OUR country, not YOUR country. Leave and get care in your country.
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