Posted on 08/10/2009 6:19:24 AM PDT by FromLori
How should healthcare reform treat foreigners living in the United States?
The question is a sensitive one because Americans experience so many confusing emotions when it comes to immigration. But it's one that policy makers will inevitably have to face because of the sheer numbers of foreigners without insurance who have taken up residence in the US. There are something like 9.2 million non-citizens who lack health insurance, about one-fifth of the total of 46 million people without insurance in the United States.
As Nancy Folbre points out in the New York Times blog Economix today, the common sense interpretation of statements talking about giving "Americans" health insurance implies citizenship. Ignoring the distinction doesn't help anyone because eventually we'll have to make a decision about who will be covered by the plans under consideration on Capitol Hill. And if lawmakers don't make the decision explicitly, it will be made by federal courts. Regardless, we're going to have to face the decision about how to cover resident foreigners.
If past practice is any guide, we should probably restrict non-citizen access to government supported health care plans. As Folbre writes:
The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act of 1996 excluded most legal immigrants who have been in this country for less than five years from eligibility for public assistance. As a result, Medicaid coverage for adult noncitizens declined.
Only two weeks ago the Massachusetts legislature voted to exclude legal immigrants with less than five years’ residency from the state’s subsidized health insurance program — a program widely considered a model for proposed national reforms.
(Excerpt) Read more at businessinsider.com ...
That clear enough?????
Absolutly. We should open a free clinic in Juarez and free transportation.
everyone in usa gets healthcare....there is a program for everyone.....im thinking healthcare plan is just another government takeover...so dems can get there voters jobs they cant be fired from....lol they took over welfare and the school system....whats left?
The WHO considers the French system to be a model for the world ~ el numero uno.
I think it’s pretty clear from reading the House bill that what the Democrats are planning to do would have the result of providing health care benefits to immigrants while drastically cutting back the health care provided to elderly American citizens and infants and children with serious medical problems, the supposedly “less valuable” among us.
Exactly this is another problem because of illegal aliens!
And illegal aliens have 400,000 anchor babies a year who are eligible for Medicaid, CHIPS, food stamps, etc.
this is what happens when bush throws away Newt’s
congressional majority for nothing
Of course, if such an expensive entitlement program were enacted, it would make sense to rethink how many legal immigrants are allowed to come here.
That said, this should not be an issue, as socialized medicine is equally unconscionable and should NOT be allowed to happen. If comrade Obama gets his way, and we have a single payer system, immigrants being included will be the least of our problems.
What part about NO don't the Congress folks understand?
They're either seriously anal or they think Americans are stupid.
Legal immigrants - Should be treated the same as anyone else.
Illegal Immigrants - Absolutely NO!
However, I should also point out that I am one of those "evil conservatives" who doesn't think ANYONE should have their health care paid for by the federal government.
Illegals should receieve whatever emergency care necessary to get them home.
They will unless we stop it.
Hmmm...
I sure it FEEEEEELS good to cover immigrants.
But they don’t ever think beyond stage one, or how they feel about it -
how will people respond to this? What is the behavior that will be incentivized by this.
It’s obvious to us. But I’m certain your rank and file liberal doesn’t even give a thought to it.
Illegal immigrants should get no health care at all, unless they pay cash up front. They should be deported to a hospital in their country of citizenship.
Of course not, but they will anyway! I don't have a voice in this government because, allegedly, I'm part of a Republican-organized "angry mob" (that I wasn't aware I had joined!!). I just get to pay for it, but NOT say anything about it!!
I just LOVE the Democrats version of Democracy!!
/sarc
No. They should go home and get it in their own country.
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