Tip of the Iceberg
The Sierra Vista Herald reports Unrecouped costs for emergency health care given to illegal immigrants at $200 million in 2000 and that's just on the border.

Hospitals along the U.S.-Mexico border provide $200 million in uncompensated emergency health care to illegal immigrants, and local government officials say the federal government should help with the expense.

Cochise County hospitals spent more than $1.7 million providing health care service to illegal immigrants in 2000, according to the report.

Officials at Sierra Vista Regional Health Center said they spent nearly $250,000 during that period. Rep. Jim Kolbe, R-Ariz., said the Copper Queen Community Hospital spent nearly $200,000.

According to the report by the U.S.-Mexico Border Counties Coalition, illegal immigrants accounted for roughly 23 percent of all uncompensated health care provided by hospitals in 17 of 24 counties bordering Mexico. Uncompensated care includes charity care and uncollectable debts.

Seven counties do not have hospitals that provide emergency medical care.

...

The effects of the additional costs are debilitating for some hospitals, said Enrique Serna, deputy county administrator in Pima County, which absorbed nearly $25 million in costs.

"We have a real crisis in that the loss of dollars through uncompensated care really impacts our ability to deliver services to our legal residents, so it impacts the elderly, it impacts our youth, it impacts our emergency rooms dramatically," he said.

He said that to stay in business, some hospitals are being forced to limit the range of services they can provide. Last year, one Pima County hospital eliminated its obstetrics division, while another is doing away with its program this year.

Cochise County Supervisor Paul Newman said the Copper Queen hospital in Bisbee had to close its long-term care facility, in part because of the costs of caring for undocumented immigrants.

To ease the burden on border hospitals, as well as other hospitals that have high rates of immigrant care, several senators from border states are backing legislation to reimburse states and providers up to $200 million.

Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., sponsor of the bill, said the figures underscore the serious need for federal assistance, adding that other hospitals in interior counties bear similar burdens but were not included in the study.

"You've got 24 counties, most of which are pretty poor and yet they're bearing the brunt of these expenses," he said. The senator said he is hopeful that at least part of the $200 million would be approved this year.

To a man with a hammer, everything looks like a nail. To a Senator ... well, you get the idea.