Taxpayers are footing a ballooning share of the bill to provide health care to illegal immigrants. Meanwhile cuts to health programs serving low-income U.S. seniors are under study by a new commission. The federal government recently announced it will pay $1 billion to hospitals for providing emergency care to illegal immigrants. The money is part of the 2003 Medicare drug legislation, but the new payments reportedly have nothing to do with Medicare.
Illegal immigrants are placing a huge financial burden on many hospitals, which are required by law to provide emergency care to patients who need it, regardless of immigration status or ability to pay. While the money is earmarked for treatment of illegals and hospitals are supposed to ask patients for certain documents to substantiate their claims for payments, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued regulations saying that a hospital should not directly ask a patient "if he or she is an undocumented alien."
By September 1, a new Medicaid commission is expected to make recommendations for making $10 billion in cuts to Medicaid, the federal and state program that insures more than 50 million low-income people, including seniors, the blind, and disabled. The program covers nursing home costs for about two-thirds of all seniors.
This problem could get even worse in a hurry. A bipartisan bill has been introduced that seeks to allow millions of illegal immigrants in the United States to apply as temporary "guest workers" if they can prove they have a job. Representative Tom Tancredo (CO) said the legislation is another form of amnesty. "Time and time again, history has shown us that amnesty actually increases illegal immigration," he said.
TSCL opposes temporary worker proposals because illegal immigrants would gain access to Social Security. Americans are being told that Social Security is unsustainable as it is now and that benefits must be cut. Yet under current Social Security rules, although immigrants may not claim benefits while illegal, if they later gain valid Social Security numbers, they may have earnings while working here illegally matched to their new Social Security number if they kept good tax records. This may allow some immigrants to become eligible for benefits sooner, and it may increase the amount of benefits they receive. TSCL agrees that amnesty would provide an incentive for more illegal immigration. By allowing Social Security benefits based on illegal work, our government rewards people for breaking our immigration laws. TSCL is opposed to this legislation and is fighting a Social Security "Totalization" agreement with Mexico.
Sources: "Payments to Help Hospitals Care for Illegal Immigrants," Robert Pear, The New York Times, May 10, 2005. "New Panel Will Study Medicaid With Eyes Toward Big Changes," Robert Pear, The New York Times, May 12, 2005. "Immigration Measure Introduced," Darryl Fears, The Washington Post, May 13, 2005.
