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Originally Posted by jinx
I just don't understand how the illegal immigration issue can be ignored when reforming health care. I'm not saying I have the answer... but I also didn't run for president.
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I think it's mostly because the illegal immigration issue has so much of its own baggage that healthcare reform could never get passed if it even touched on the issue, at least in appearances. But if you think about it, I think this plan absolutely will affect the illegal immigrant problem, they just can't talk about that aspect of it without riling everyone up for a totally different debate.
Right now, an illegal goes to the ER to get an antibiotic, the hospital asks for money/insurance, they get little or none, and they may even have a direct admission that the patient is illegal--down here, it's not usually a big secret, because what are they realistically gonna do about it? Hospitals don't call INS, and INS doesn't do anything even when they are called. The only way illegals really ever get reliably deported is if they commit a crime.* And this proposed bill will make it a crime to be without health insurance, and guarantees the hospital will call someone about it. I think it will have a huge effect on illegals, in the long run.
*Yes yes, Merc, they're already committing a crime, but you know what I mean.