[Congressional Record: July 25, 2001 (Extensions)]
[Page E1428]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:cr25jy01-32]
HEALTH CARE SERVICES TO UNDOCUMENTED RESIDENTS
______
HON. GENE GREEN
of texas
in the house of representatives
Wednesday, July 25, 2001
Mr. GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise to introduce legislation
which would allow states and localities to provide primary and
preventive health care services to undocumented residents.
According to some estimates, there are as many as nine million
undocumented residents currently living in the United States. The
Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996
(PRWORA) prohibits public hospitals from providing free or discounted
preventive service to undocumented immigrants--even if they pay for
such services with State or local funds. PRWORA does, however, allow
public hospitals to provide emergency room services.
This system has created a crisis in our nation's emergency rooms.
Because undocumented residents cannot afford to see the doctor for
routine physicals and preventive medicine, they arrive in the emergency
room with costlier, often preventable, health problems. The Federation
for American Immigration Reform estimates that 29 percent of this
population uses hospital and other emergency services in a given year,
compared to the 11 percent use by the general U.S. population.
The costs of this broken system are especially burdensome for our
nation's public hospitals. Harris County Hospital District, in my
hometown of Houston, Texas, estimates that emergency room care for
undocumented residents cost taxpayers, insurance companies, and
patients $225 million over the last three years. Hospitals in New York
State provide a total uncompensated care for undocumented residents of
$300 million to $380 million each year--almost one third of
uncompensated care for the state.
Mr. Speaker, people should not enter any nation illegally, But I
cannot understand a health care system that forces patients to let
their health problems escalate into full fledged emergencies before it
will provide them care. Wouldn't it make more economic sense to cover
preventive services rather than let illnesses develop into painful and
expensive complications? Most importantly, should the federal
government be telling states and localities how they can and can't
spend their own health care dollars?
That is why I am introducing legislation which would allow--not
require--state and local programs to provide preventive and primary
health care to undocumented aliens. This legislation would not provide
a new benefit for undocumented residents. However, it would make sure
that our health care dollars are spent more wisely by preventing
emergencies--not treating them.
___________________
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