Whose responsibility is the health care of illegal immigrants?

American Thinker ^ | 11/21/2009 | David Paulin

[SeekAndFind]

Fifty-one people -- nearly all illegal immigrants -- are facing a "life-or-death limbo" after a cash-strapped Atlanta charity hospital decided it must stop providing them free kidney dialysis treatments that were costing the hospital (or rather taxpayers) $50,000 per year.

That's according to a heart-rending article in Saturday's New York Times about the “excruciating choices” faced by Atlanta's Grady hospital upon closing its outpatient dialysis unit. Over the years, the unit has been overrun by illegal immigrants, and it has thus become a major financial drain on the “taxpayer-supported safety-net hospital,” the Times explained in its lengthy article: "The Breaking Point: Hospital Falters as Refuge for Illegal Immigrants."

Who is to blame for this heart breaking situation?

Not surprisingly, the Times blames America's heartless polices on health care and immigration. Or as the paper explains, the moral dilemma Grady has faced is “a stark reflection of what happens when the country’s inadequate health care system confronts its defective immigration policy.”

Interestingly, though, the Times' mentions nothing about the responsibility of Mexico's government toward its own citizens, whom it all but encourages to immigrate illegally to this country. (Most of the illegal immigrants at Grady appear to have been from Mexico.)

Nor is there any suggestion that Mexico's richest taxpayers, men like Carlos Slim – the world's richest man and a major Times shareholder) -- ought to part with a tiny fraction of their fortunes (Slim's worth $59 billion) to help with the dialysis treatments of their fellow Mexicans. Couldn't some of Mexico's vast oil revenues also help pay for the dialysis treatments?

Grady, for its part, has been in quite a moral quandary over its responsibility to the illegal immigrants. Upon closing its dialysis unit, it has gone onto spend tens of thousands of dollars per patient to pay for their dialysis elsewhere -- and to even cover travel expenses to Mexico. However, hospital spokesmen all but acknowledge that at some point in the near future the funds will not be available to pay for dialysis. What's more, it seems unlikely that these patients will be getting free dialysis back in Mexico.

That Mexico's own government (and its richest citizens) are apparently unwilling to chip in to provide such care is interesting in one respect. In the past, Mexican officials have been full of outrage when one of their citizens in America has been sentenced to death -- following a murder trial in which local authorities failed to notify Mexico's consular officials that a Mexican citizen was arrested for murder.

In fact, Mexico appears to have used all its resources available -- even going to international courts -- to obtain justice for these criminals. Yet when it comes to poor Mexicans needing health care, neither Mexico's government – nor its richest citizens – are anywhere to be found. The Times makes no effort to find them for comment, either.

Could it all be a reflection of Carlo Slim's influence at the self-described “paper of record”? While an intriguing possibility, these omissions probably have more to do with the particular worldview embraced by the Times -- one that blames America for the world's problems, including a lack of free dialysis clinics for illegal immigrants.

[Brilliant]

The illegal immigrants.

[EagleUSA]

The responsibility is a non-issue with the DemoRATS because the illegal Mexicans are JUST VOTES (empowerment) for them. Of course the taxpayer will be forced to pay for it all as we do now — over $200 BILLION PER YEAR OR MORE. And that is just the emergency medical, education impact, welfare, food stamps and massive prison, law enforcement and judicial costs.

The Washington government has had no shame on this issue for decades. They really suck.

[Rapscallion]

the Times blames America's heartless polices on health care and immigration.

And why doesn't The Times make a contribution to keep the unit going? Because the Times is bankrupt?

So is America. You just don't know it yet.

Let the illegal immigrants pay their own way.

[dalebert]

its obama ....we should send them all to the whitehouse

[dragnet2]

Government intentionally dumping tens of millions of illegal aliens into America was no mistake. It’s all part of putting this country on it’s knees and then eventually shooting it in the head.

[omega4179]

Whatever happens to an American in Mexico illegally should be treated the same here to them.

[Logic n' Reason]

Oh for pete's sake.....the responsibility for health care for ILLEGAL aliens???????????????????????????????????????????????????

You cannot be serious asking this question. YOU CANNOT!!

Listen up!!

THEIR COUNTRY OF ORIGIN!!!

DUUHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

[dragnet2]

its obama ....we should send them all to the whitehouse

Ya think were all a bunch of ignorant party groupies?

Who you kidding?

Ya think everyone forgot what happened just 3 years ago, during he middle of Bush's presidency? P>Think again slick.

Millions of illegals were so damn emboldened the Bush administration, they marched on our cities and towns by the millions making demands and threats.

Here's is how Bush left Dallas Texas, after leaving America Obama as his legacy.

500,000 illegal aliens march on Dallas Texas, shoving foreign flags into our faces, while Bush celebrated Cinco De Mayo up in the White House.

Ya think were going to forget Bush and his insider Republicans?

[ANGGAPO]

Please go home and bad mouth the USA for your health problems.

[IronJack]

Whose responsibility is the health care of illegal immigrants?

Um ... theirs?

[ebersole]

I’ve always wondered what would happen (besides the billling not getting paid) if the hospitals would send the bill to the illegal immigrants’ consulate in the US.

[Reddy]

Whose responsibility is it to care for illegal immigrants?

The Church. And law enforcement.

[LauraJean]

How about a class action suit against La Raza and all the other groups promoting illegal entry into America. Have them pay for the health care, education and jailing off all the illegals in this country.

Also bill the country the illegals are from.

[BP2]

Whose responsibility is the health care of illegal immigrants?

Well, as any fair-minded Liberal will tell you, if we take care of and WELCOME illegal immigrants, they’ll become healthy, vibrant and productive members of the American citizenry.

Just like these fine young men here:

[Aria]

The US taxpayer is just expected to pay pay pay...until there is no more - which is basically where we are now. I guess the rats long term strategy is equal misery for most of us - but of course people such as themselves will be too good to grovel with the rest of us - they’ll have taxpayer benefits that keep them from suffering the indignities with the rest of us.

The poor in Mexico are treated worse than stray dogs while their rich shove the problems off on the US. The world sees the US middle class as a big cash cow.

[livius]

If the illegal aliens are unable to pay (and not all are - there are a lot of well-employed Chinese, Russians, etc. who are illegals) I think the countries of which these people are citizens should be billed for their care. It should be taken out of foreign aid if they don’t pay up. Believe me, that would take care of the problem!

[Snapping Turtle]

I’m convinced Mexico is encouraging its criminals, seriously ill and least educated citizens to move North. Change the anchor baby law, send the criminals home, and if you’re uneducated, get in line for a student visa like every other foreign student.

[GeronL]

$51,000 a year for 31 people?? Its actually far more expensive than that, this must be what they were losing after all the money was counted up.