This country is becoming a swirling turd.
Posted on 10/11/2007 5:41:54 PM PDT by Osage Orange
Lawmaker protests proposed health care rule
Gov. Brad Henry said Wednesday he would sign a proposed rule to allow the Oklahoma Health Care Authority to pay for prenatal care of pregnant women who are illegal immigrants.
The federal government requires states to pay for the delivery of babies of illegal immigrants, who otherwise do not qualify for Medicaid.
The newborns become U.S. citizens at birth and are covered by Medicaid if their families meet certain income levels.
A dozen states, including neighboring Arkansas and Texas, currently pay for prenatal care of women who do not have legal status in the United States.
"The governor views this as a pro-life, pro-health issue," said Paul Sund, spokesman for Henry. "By providing prenatal care, we can encourage an expectant mother to carry her baby to term and ensure that the child, a U.S. and Oklahoma citizen, gets a healthy start in life.
"We can also save taxpayers money in the long run by heading off the kind of complications and accompanying medical costs that are often associated with children who do not receive prenatal care."
The governor's office responded after Rep. Randy Terrill, R-Oklahoma City, protested the proposed rule, saying it runs counter to a law he sponsored to crack down on benefits to illegal immigrants.
"Like most pro-life lawmakers, I believe life begins at conception and a child in the womb should be treated as a human being," he said. "However, that is not the same thing as being a legal citizen of this state or nation."
Sen. Tom Adeleson, D-Tulsa, disagreed. "It is morally reprehensible to deny prenatal care to innocent unborn children, who through no fault of their own, have no access to prenatal care. The fact is, it's a matter of life or death."
A spokeswoman said the Health Care Authority would consider the rule on Thursday.
According to a fact sheet released by the agency, studies show that prenatal care can save $1 to $3 in the first year of life for each $1 spent on prenatal care.
The state paid $8.5 million for the delivery of 2,778 children of illegal immigrants in 2006
Gov. Henry is an idiot...SocialistMarxistRatLyingLiberal Democrat.
How did Oklahoma ever get a Democrat governor?
No, "the state" didn't pay, Oklahoma taxpayers paid.
And the opponent ran a extremely lame and lackadaisical GOP campaign.
Seems pandemic....IMO
I delived my last baby last night. No more of this for me. One less physician doing babies. I give up for many reasons. Poor pay, too much time, dealing with ignorance on a level that you can only tolerate for so long and the main reason LAWYERS.
“Gov. Brad Henry said Wednesday he would sign a proposed rule to allow the Oklahoma Health Care Authority to pay for prenatal care of pregnant women who are illegal immigrants”
Duh, Nooooooooooo ...It’s the American tax-payers of OK who havwe to pay for the illegal aliens...the Gov is going to allow?...how nice...
“The federal government requires states to pay for the delivery of babies of illegal immigrants, who otherwise do not qualify for Medicaid”
This is not right...I think the individual states get to choose about this ....
I am not in favor of illegal immigration. My views regarding my tax dollars being spent on ER visits by those who don't at least contribute to their care (goodness knows that ER visits are outrageously pricey, but still...) are less than positive, to put it mildly.
That being said, the fact that I don't like the actions of certain people (coming here and not supporting themselves) doesn't mean that innocent children should be victimized. If my tax dollars must go towards medical bills, I'd rather have them go to ensure that babies get good medical care at birth and after. I've said here before that if I were a Mexican national and a mother who lived somewhere with little chance for basic healthcare or education for my kids, and if I'd tried to come here legally and been denied, I'd consider it my duty as a parent to try to get my kids up here.
This is a practical measure. Until the US Constitution is amended, these children will be US citizens. That isn’t going to change. So the question is, do you want to pay *more* taxes for neonatal intensive care, rehabilitation, etc. for children compromised by no prenatal care? Or do you pay for the prenatal care?
ping
Time to get started on your book!
Uh, how about we pay the minimum required for these scumbags’ “prenatal care” and then deport their slimy rear-ends back to where they came from?
By the way, how long do you think it will take for the word to get back to family and friends in Mexico that Oklahoma is the place to sneak into to have a baby because the suckers there will pay for “prenatal care”? C’mon - - get a brain.
BUMP!
I was wondering the same thing. I didn't think there were that many parasite nests (cities) in Oklahoma.
It's a shame....really.
The COST of doing business outweighed the profits...monetary AND socially.
I'm quite sure you have many stories to tell....What are you going to do now? Just not do deliveries?
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