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No transplant for dying dad who is illegal immigrant
San Jose Mercury News ^ | 01/30/2012 | By Hannah Dreier Contra Costa Times

Posted on 01/30/2012 4:47:10 PM PST by moonshinner_09

Without a new kidney, Jesus Navarro will die.

Although the Oakland man has a willing donor and private insurance to pay for the transplant, he faces an additional hurdle in the race to save his life: He is an illegal immigrant.

That fact prompted administrators at UC San Francisco Medical Center to refuse to transplant a kidney from Navarro's wife because they cannot be sure he will receive adequate follow-up care.

Their decision taps into the tension between health care and immigration policies in the state and the role medical professionals should play in trying to save the lives of undocumented residents.

Though no data are available, anecdotal evidence suggests clinics sometimes perform the transplants on illegal immigrants, especially when the patients are young. In one high-profile case, UCLA Medical Center gave an undocumened woman three liver transplants before she turned 21.

Administrators also reject patients because of their immigration status, though these patients tend to lack insurance. Bellevue Hospital in New York attracted attention last year when it refused to transplant a kidney between brothers because they could not pay for the operation.

Navarro's supporters say they are not asking a hospital to donate care or seeking to take an organ from a legal resident in need. But as an illegal immigrant, the 35-year-old father is ineligible for billions of dollars the federal government sets aside annually to treat patients like him.

Should he lose his private insurance or be deported, his donated kidney could go to waste.

(Excerpt) Read more at mercurynews.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events; US: California
KEYWORDS: alien; ca; heathcare; illegalimmigrants; immigration; transplants
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1 posted on 01/30/2012 4:47:14 PM PST by moonshinner_09
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To: moonshinner_09

Oh,boy.


2 posted on 01/30/2012 4:49:29 PM PST by POWERSBOOTHEFAN (Future Meteorologist.)
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To: moonshinner_09

If he or his insurance company is paying for it, then whats the problem? Maybe they should try to get it back in their homeland?


3 posted on 01/30/2012 4:52:13 PM PST by GeronL (The Right to Life came before the Right to Pursue Happiness)
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To: moonshinner_09

He is an illegal ALIEN,not an illegal IMMIGRANT.

There’s a difference. Can’t the media get it right?


4 posted on 01/30/2012 4:52:13 PM PST by POWERSBOOTHEFAN (Future Meteorologist.)
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To: moonshinner_09

They better put a call into Commie in Chief!


5 posted on 01/30/2012 4:53:22 PM PST by notaliberal
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To: moonshinner_09
as an illegal immigrant, the 35-year-old father is ineligible for billions of dollars the federal government sets aside annually to treat patients like him.

But he isn't asking for anyone's billions of dollars. He is insured. His wife is providing the kidney.

And if the hospital hadn't publicized his immigration status there probably wouldn't even be a problem. I'm not aware that hospitals check your visa normally before performing surgery. So, why now?

6 posted on 01/30/2012 4:55:40 PM PST by marron
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To: moonshinner_09
as an illegal immigrant, the 35-year-old father is ineligible for billions of dollars the federal government sets aside annually to treat patients like him.

But he isn't asking for anyone's billions of dollars. He is insured. His wife is providing the kidney.

And if the hospital hadn't publicized his immigration status there probably wouldn't even be a problem. I'm not aware that hospitals check your visa normally before performing surgery. So, why now?

7 posted on 01/30/2012 4:55:46 PM PST by marron
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To: moonshinner_09

I don’t see what the big deal is. He’ll just rise again after three days anyway.

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Okay, I said it, I had my laugh, so now it’s time to pray for forgiveness. Excuse me.


8 posted on 01/30/2012 5:02:23 PM PST by Apollo5600
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To: moonshinner_09
This is the third time I've heard this week (OK, one was an episode of House) that someone would die without a kidney transplant. I know it sucks, but why can't they continue on dialysis while waiting for a kidney????

I know heart/lung machines they put you on for heart or lung or both transplants gradually destroy red blood cells but I thought you could live on dialysis forever with a shunt on your arm?

9 posted on 01/30/2012 5:04:20 PM PST by Lx (Do you like it, do you like it. Scott? I call it Mr. and Mrs. Tennerman chili.)
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To: moonshinner_09

No problem, send him home and let him have the operation there.
No insurance there?
Too bad, maybe he should have stayed there and bought insurance THERE.

Or maybe the socialist government there should cover the cost.

Either way, I have NO sympathy, according this article the situation may resolve itself.
We end up with one less illegal alien invader job thief in our midst, hurrah!.
Only twenty million more to go.


10 posted on 01/30/2012 5:04:38 PM PST by Loyal Sedition
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To: POWERSBOOTHEFAN

“Administrators also reject patients because of their immigration status, though these patients tend to lack insurance.”

Wrong...they have NO insurance. My GF is a medical professional and Freepers will be stunned at how much the CA state gives to illegals. In her hospital alone, they have a record of 35 illegals on acute care and no one knows which country they came from. It just boggles the mind and annoys her when she has to ask staff to translate her words into Spanish.


11 posted on 01/30/2012 5:04:51 PM PST by max americana (Buttcrack Obama is an idiot)
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To: moonshinner_09

If he has a donor and donor agrees to the circumstances and has insurance to cover the Doctors and Hospital it is no business of their what occurs after he leaves the hospital


12 posted on 01/30/2012 5:06:17 PM PST by SECURE AMERICA (Where can I sign up for the New American Revolution and the Crusades 2012?)
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To: moonshinner_09
Should he lose his private insurance or be deported, his donated kidney could go to waste.

I believe his wife is using it... she could go back to Mexico with him

13 posted on 01/30/2012 5:07:36 PM PST by RnMomof7
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To: moonshinner_09

Sounds like another good reason not to illegally invade a foreign country. What’s the health care like in Mexico? Maybe we should give illegals the same care they’d receive in their home country.


14 posted on 01/30/2012 5:18:22 PM PST by Spok (Who is Sam Zemurray?)
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To: moonshinner_09
A. There is no such thing as an undocumented immigrant. They are border jumping invaders who break the law every day they are in America.

B. Let Mr. Navarro return to Mexico and receive his kidney. At the rate the cartels are killing people, he's sure to get a new kidney, immediately.

15 posted on 01/30/2012 5:19:10 PM PST by liberalh8ter (I don't like what the world has become....)
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To: marron

Yes, there’s something strange about this story. Many people come from other countries to the US for surgery. As long as they can pay for it, what’s the problem?


16 posted on 01/30/2012 5:30:46 PM PST by A_perfect_lady
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To: moonshinner_09

I’ll throw this in to the mix.

who is paying for the “private” insurance?

How “private” is it?

If it’s from an employer. Who’s going to jail for hiring him or id theft?

The reason I ask.. In Minnesota they have Medical Assistance (state funded/controlled) but they ALSO have state funded plans from private carriers like UCare, Health Partners and Medica.

So..

who is paying the bill?

Both he and his wife can return to Mexico and get-r-done.

If HE is paying for the insurance. Good for him. They should fix him up, and ship him out.


17 posted on 01/30/2012 5:38:41 PM PST by cableguymn (Good thing I am a conservative. Otherwise I would have to support Mittens like Republicans do.)
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To: moonshinner_09

He can go back to Mexico and get his transplant there.


18 posted on 01/30/2012 5:43:21 PM PST by ought-six ( Multiculturalism is national suicide, and political correctness is the cyanide capsule.)
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To: moonshinner_09


19 posted on 01/30/2012 5:43:37 PM PST by Chode (American Hedonist - *DTOM* -ww- NO Pity for the LAZY)
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To: moonshinner_09

I really dont see what the problem is at all. Go back to Mexico and have it done there. The solution is so simple, so obvious. Dont waste our time, dont waste our doctors time, with this Mexican matter.


20 posted on 01/30/2012 5:43:52 PM PST by CGalen
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