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Provision of Medical Services to Undocumented Aliens
Medical services to undocumented aliens are provided pursuant to "Section 1011, Federal Reimbursement of Emergency Health Services Furnished to Undocumented Aliens" contained in the "Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003 (Pub. L. 108-173) (MMA)".
This program appears to be adminstered by TrailBlazer Health Enterprises LLC under contract with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
See http://www.trailblazerhealth.com/Section_1011/Default.aspx
and http://www.acep.org/practres.aspx?id=37636
Presumably these programs would continue under the "if you've got it now, you won't lose it" principle.
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Obama covered this today in broadcast interviews - it's the law and this is why:
For example, if a child of 'illegal alien' or undocumented adult comes into Emergency Room for treatment and is diagnosed with TB or other communicable disease, we need to deliver medical treatment not only for the child's sake, but for all of ours.
This will not change - nor be a part of HCR legislation as it is already in place by law that anyone seeking emergency medical treatment cannot be turned away.
Note: IMHO, this is just common sense and oh, gee, what's that word - oh yeah, humane! Sure, it has and will continue to be abused, but still better than alternative.
September 10, 2009 6:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
Medicare Modernization Act 2003--enacted when the White House and the House of Representatives were controlled by Republicans and the Senate Split 50-50. And the authorization for 2005-2008 pretty much ditto.
And guess what? Representative Wilson voted FOR this bill.
Public Law 108-173 http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2003/roll668.xml
What's more he voted no on Dana Rohrbacher's amendment to make require employment records as part of the determination of eligibility requirements.
http://www.votesmart.org/issue_keyvote_detail.php?cs_id=8282&can_id=26732
Now we all know what hypocrisy smells like, if we didn't before.
September 10, 2009 7:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
My bad. He actually voted Yea on the Rohrbacher amendment, which failed. Sorry about that. I read across and slipped down one.
September 10, 2009 9:07 PM | Reply | Permalink