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Most hospitals simply pass the costs of the free care they provide to illegals onto their paying patients. Insurance premiums go up and up -- much in part because of all the free patients that the hospital "absorbs" by spreading out the costs to only those who pay for their healthcare.
Illegals aren't even sent a hospital bill, never asked for a copay, the other patients will pay everything for them.
Some hospital systems, when dealing with non-emergency care, do ask for immigration statuses. The public hospitals in Tarrant County (Fort Worth), TX do that
But for emergency care, it could be seen as a form of intimidation or could be applied in a discriminatory manner (Yick Wo says that you can't apply a law in a discriminatory manner)
For non-emergency care, some have chosen to do so, and some have not. Dallas County, TX provides nonemergency care no questions asked, while Tarrant does check for immigration status.
Quote:
Originally Posted by All American NYC
If they are not allowed to work, how would they pay?
Hospitals should screen for illegals.
On the assumption that illegals will be/are guaranteed to be here, the question is whether, by not providing care for them, the state would be inadvertently giving itself higher costs if the illegals don't get routine treatment and are then forced to emergency treatment...
It would be interesting to hear both sides (Dallas County and Tarrant County)
I'm not sure if Harris County, TX checks for immigration status. It would be an interesting question.
Quote:
Originally Posted by malamute
Most hospitals simply pass the costs of the free care they provide to illegals onto their paying patients. Insurance premiums go up and up -- much in part because of all the free patients that the hospital "absorbs" by spreading out the costs to only those who pay for their healthcare.
Illegals aren't even sent a hospital bill, never asked for a copay, the other patients will pay everything for them.
Some hospital systems, when dealing with non-emergency care, do ask for immigration statuses. The public hospitals in Tarrant County (Fort Worth), TX do that
But for emergency care, it could be seen as a form of intimidation or could be applied in a discriminatory manner (Yick Wo says that you can't apply a law in a discriminatory manner)
For non-emergency care, some have chosen to do so, and some have not. Dallas County, TX provides nonemergency care no questions asked, while Tarrant does check for immigration status.
On the assumption that illegals will be/are guaranteed to be here, the question is whether, by not providing care for them, the state would be inadvertently giving itself higher costs if the illegals don't get routine treatment and are then forced to emergency treatment...
It would be interesting to hear both sides (Dallas County and Tarrant County)
I'm not sure if Harris County, TX checks for immigration status. It would be an interesting question.
Everything has a cost.
Would you go into business providing free services at your expense?
All American: Businesses do, if they determine that it costs more for them not to.
Southwest offers two pieces of free luggage per person. The airline decided that it would harm their business model if they didn't do that
Similar example: For instance U.S. airlines offer flights to Hawaii. They aren't very profitable. But they offer them because frequent flyers want to be able to redeem miles on Hawaii trips; if the airlines cut the flights, it would give less incentive for people to sign up for frequent flights.
Sometimes you have to spend money no matter what, so you spend the least cost.
Quote:
Originally Posted by All American NYC
Everything has a cost.
Would you go into business providing free services at your expense?
All American: Businesses do, if they determine that it costs more for them not to.
Southwest offers two pieces of free luggage per person. The airline decided that it would harm their business model if they didn't do that
Similar example: For instance U.S. airlines offer flights to Hawaii. They aren't very profitable. But they offer them because frequent flyers want to be able to redeem miles on Hawaii trips; if the airlines cut the flights, it would give less incentive for people to sign up for frequent flights.
Sometimes you have to spend money no matter what, so you spend the least cost.
You still have to pay for the airline ticket which covers the bottom line.
Because as anyone who works in acute care (like myself) would tell you, immigration status has nothing to do with a health assessment or any other facet of the health care process. Leave the legal checks to the police.
Quote:
Originally Posted by malamute
Illegals aren't even sent a hospital bill, never asked for a copay, the other patients will pay everything for them.
Well, of course! They're not asked their immigration status, but a hospital will purposely not send them a bill just to be safe. Funny how that works.
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