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Senate reform proposal would exclude undocumented aliens

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While the Senate Finance Committee seems to be game for making a major expansion of U.S. health coverage, covering undocumented aliens is a bridge too far. That comes from Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-MT), who dubbed such coverage "too politically explosive" in comments to reporters.

If legislation passes without covering undocumented aliens, the move could hit the border states particularly hard. Not only would the large undocumented immigrant population still be forced to use emergency departments--without the resources to pay for these visits--but the hospitals might have to do without extra funding they've been getting to help pay this cost, as the program providing the money expires this year. Texas hospitals, for example, have been getting $45 million per year, and losing that funding would be painful.

Otherwise, the plan percolating in the committee seems reasonably effective, with the Congressional Budget Office estimating that more than 94 percent of Americans could be covered under proposals currently on the table.

To learn more about this issue:
- read this Modern Healthcare piece (reg. req.)

Related Articles:
Community clinics cutting services to undocumented immigrants
Group says illegal immigrants boost ED costs
U of IL hospital sending back Mexican immigrant

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Good. In the San Diego area many local mental health clinics were closed because of the costs (up to $600 a day) of medicating patients that are here illegally or drive from Mexico to use San Diego services. There is a high school in San Diego that had to close during 911 because so many of its students were here illegally that when the border was closed the school had no students. The cost to the general fund of providing services to illegal immigrants is enormous and American workers, such as my wife (psych RN), have lost jobs and American citizens have lost the opportunity for outpatient clinic care. Oh yes, the city is bankrupt. Maybe its time to care about American citizens and legal residents of all backgrounds first.

Americans can NO longer afford to keep illegal aliens on the Health care gravy train.

America is struggling to support the Millions of uninsured poor Americans who now part of the 14,000,000 unemployed or living on Welfare.

Enough is Enough ...End all the social service for illegals and return them home.

Illegal aliens (the correct term for these individuals) are the responsibility of the Federal government, since their presence here is in violation of federal laws. Turn these medically needy individuals over to the feds, and they can be treated at Washington's expense. Obama can just churn out a little more of the funny money he's been printing for Wall Street and GM. Probably wouldn't even be a blip on the economic radar screen.
BlogBat999

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