Illegal Aliens Stay, You Pay

Source: Washington Post

The lion's share of Emergency Medicaid expenditures in North Carolina covers undocumented immigrants' pregnancy and labor complications, a trend that's probably occurring in other states, a new study found.

*SNIP*

Undocumented immigrants are estimated to account for 29 percent of the total foreign-born population in the United States. Many "new growth" states that previously did not have large immigrant populations, such as North Carolina, are getting many of the newcomers. These "new growth" states may be less prepared to meet the health-care needs of the new arrivals, the study authors suggested.

I wasn't familiar with the distinction between Medicaid and Emergency Medicaid benefits, so let's clear that up...

Undocumented immigrants and legal immigrants who have been in the United States less than five years are generally excluded from Medicaid benefits. But they can receive emergency medical care (known as Emergency Medicaid) if they are children, pregnant women, families with dependent children, or elderly or disabled.

And just how much of this taxpayer-funded medical care is going to people who are in the country illegally?

In their study, researchers at the University of North Carolina analyzed administrative claims data for Emergency Medicaid, which showed that 48,391 people in the state received emergency care between 2001 and 2004.

Within that group, 99 percent of patients were undocumented immigrants, 93 percent were Hispanic, 95 percent were female and 89 percent were between the ages of 18 and 40.

In addition, the data showed, about 82 percent of Emergency Medicaid spending in 2004 was for childbirth and pregnancy complications, which accounted for 91 percent of hospitalizations.

That's right, folks. In North Carolina from 2001-2004, Emergency Medicaid $$$ went to 47,907 people who broke our laws to be here, and 484 citizens.

If you are personally interested in funding healthcare for illegal aliens at the expense of Americans, I suppose that's your extremely misguided business. But leave my tax dollars out of it.

Technorati Tags: Illegal Immigration, Illegal Alien, Healthcare, Medicaid, North Carolina