A guy has joined our CA coding unit. He's an immigrant from China and is looking for health insurance information. He's young (26 years) and doesn't bear any pre-existing condition.
Total Comments: 9
Posted: Tue Mar 30, 2010 05:35 am Post Subject:
Yes, I think most of the immigrants here don't have insurance through their employers. Again, these immigrants are not eligible for our Medicaid benefits till they're here for 5 years or more.
Posted: Tue Mar 30, 2010 08:00 pm Post Subject:
Anthem Blue Cross will take him
Posted: Wed Mar 31, 2010 06:05 am Post Subject:
If you're a legal immigrant, you may obtain private health insurance. Such coverage could be a bit expensive. These policies are not meant to serve immigrants who belong to our lower income groups.
Posted: Thu Apr 01, 2010 12:47 am Post Subject:
These policies are not meant to serve immigrants who belong to our lower income groups.
The cost of health (or any other) insurance is not based on whether you are a legal immigrant or not. It is based on age, location, type of coverage, and health status at the time of application for the insurance.
Employers who provide group health insurance cannot exclude any eligible employee (age, hours worked, length of service with the employer) from the plan once the stated probationary period has elapsed. The employer is supposed to validate the employee's right to work in the United States. Illegal immigrants are often covered under group health plans, just like they're covered under Worker's Compensation Insurance.
immigrants are not eligible for our Medicaid benefits till they're here for 5 years or more.
Really? Tell that to the State of California that expends some $10+ billion annually on Medi-Cal payments to hospitals and doctors on behalf of illegal immigrants, including those who come across the border to give birth, and their new American citizen child.
Posted: Thu Apr 01, 2010 07:18 am Post Subject:
Well, I thought things are similar across a majority of US states when it comes to illegal immigrants.
including those who come across the border to give birth, and their new American citizen child.
Immigrants are generally not eligible for even the State Children's health insurance plan during the initial 5 years of their stay. They may not obtain coverage till the point of time they'd satisfy certain economic criteria.
Posted: Fri Apr 02, 2010 05:16 am Post Subject:
Medical costs are indeed increasing at a faster rate in the US. A good health insurance plan would surely help reduce our cost burden.
It's true that immigrants who'd fall into the high income group will find it easier to obtain private health care plans than the ones belonging to a lower income group.
At the same time, I'll maintain that all American residents (irrespective of whether they're citizens or not) should have health insurance to cover their needs.
Posted: Fri Apr 02, 2010 09:37 am Post Subject:
Yes, even the immigrants should have health insurance and they should know how to pay for such coverage. If they don't have proper health coverage, then we'll have to pay the price in the end.
Posted: Wed Apr 14, 2010 04:13 am Post Subject:
Bluecross shield might take him
Posted: Fri Apr 16, 2010 01:03 am Post Subject:
Well, I thought things are similar across a majority of US states when it comes to illegal immigrants.
Steven, you need to read up on the piece of federal law known as EMTALA, which was an ancillary part of the COBRA legislation of 1986 that was also responsible for the "COBRA" continuation of group health insurance with which most of us are familiar. The Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA) requires emergency rooms to treat anyone (citizen, legal resident, visitor, or illegal immigrant) who comes through the ER doors, regardless of their status or whether they have health insurance or not. Failure to follow the dictates of EMTALA exposes a hospital to a minimum $50,000 federal fine.
Because this is a requirement under federal law, hospitals are permitted to apply for reimbursement under Medicaid (Medi-Cal here in California) for any uninsured person to whom they provide treatment. There is no residency requirement, no income test, and only about $0.10 on the dollar is paid to the hospitals and doctors for treating a person compared to the actual cost of delivering the care.
This is the same in all states.
But in states with exceptionally high illegal immigrant populations, like California, the financial and physical burden on hospitals is enormous. The Los Angeles area has lost more than a dozen hospital ERs in the past ten years as a direct result of the increasing illegal immigrant population that uses the ER as their primary care physician.
My wife is an ER nurse here in the LA area, has been for almost 40 years, and I speak the truth. Just ten years ago, a "busy" 12-hour day in her ER meant seeing 30-35 patients. Today, a typical 12-hour day in the same ER will see 60-70 patients come through the door, and now on a "busy" day, the census will easily exceed 80 patients. The area population has not doubled in that time, but the number of local ERs (within a 25 mile radius) that once existed has been reduced by five or six. The remaining ERs have all seen their daily census increase by a factor of two or more.
I'll maintain that all American residents (irrespective of whether they're citizens or not) should have health insurance to cover their needs.
Juanita, this is simply unrealistic. If I, as an American citizen, took up residency in Mexico, I would not be "entitled" to anything as a non-citizen of Mexico, especially free health care, or "constitutional rights" under the Mexican Constitution. That's one of the problems in America today. Too many people have come to believe that they (and others) are entitled to anything and everything they desire, citizen or not. Mexican presidents have demanded free access to American infrastructure for Mexicans, but look at how they treat illegal immigrants from below their southern border.
And don't even bring up the "but they pay taxes" argument. The day laborers outside any Home Depot are not paying a dime in INCOME tax on the $50-$100 they get for a day's work. Sure, they may pay sales tax on some of the stuff they buy, but sales tax does not fund the federal government, and it does not fund the state's share of Medicaid costs, and it does not fund the public schools their children may attend. In California, illegal immigrant households receive roughly 15 times more in tax-supported services than they pay in taxes.
And what about my neighbors who don't pay their local property tax? Here in Los Angeles County, every property is assessed a hefty additional fee that is supposed to provide some support to the trauma/emergency services system in the county. But if my scoff-law neighbor, who probably has no health insurance, walks into my wife's (or any other) ER, he cannot be turned away and will be cared for. I and the rest of my tax-paying neighbors are footing his bill. Through our income taxes, our property taxes, and our higher medical insurance premiums.
What better way to turn a nation full of people into lazy slobs than to give them everything on a silver platter.
My greatest fear is that my granddaughters will not have an America to call home by the time they are in their 50s like grandma and grandpa. We are beginning to look a lot like the ancient Roman empire that disappeared 1,615 years ago (in the year 395).
Posted: Tue Mar 30, 2010 05:35 am Post Subject:
Yes, I think most of the immigrants here don't have insurance through their employers. Again, these immigrants are not eligible for our Medicaid benefits till they're here for 5 years or more.
Posted: Tue Mar 30, 2010 08:00 pm Post Subject:
Anthem Blue Cross will take him
Posted: Wed Mar 31, 2010 06:05 am Post Subject:
If you're a legal immigrant, you may obtain private health insurance. Such coverage could be a bit expensive. These policies are not meant to serve immigrants who belong to our lower income groups.
Posted: Thu Apr 01, 2010 12:47 am Post Subject:
These policies are not meant to serve immigrants who belong to our lower income groups.
The cost of health (or any other) insurance is not based on whether you are a legal immigrant or not. It is based on age, location, type of coverage, and health status at the time of application for the insurance.
Employers who provide group health insurance cannot exclude any eligible employee (age, hours worked, length of service with the employer) from the plan once the stated probationary period has elapsed. The employer is supposed to validate the employee's right to work in the United States. Illegal immigrants are often covered under group health plans, just like they're covered under Worker's Compensation Insurance.
immigrants are not eligible for our Medicaid benefits till they're here for 5 years or more.
Really? Tell that to the State of California that expends some $10+ billion annually on Medi-Cal payments to hospitals and doctors on behalf of illegal immigrants, including those who come across the border to give birth, and their new American citizen child.
Posted: Thu Apr 01, 2010 07:18 am Post Subject:
Well, I thought things are similar across a majority of US states when it comes to illegal immigrants.
including those who come across the border to give birth, and their new American citizen child.
Immigrants are generally not eligible for even the State Children's health insurance plan during the initial 5 years of their stay. They may not obtain coverage till the point of time they'd satisfy certain economic criteria.
Posted: Fri Apr 02, 2010 05:16 am Post Subject:
Medical costs are indeed increasing at a faster rate in the US. A good health insurance plan would surely help reduce our cost burden.
It's true that immigrants who'd fall into the high income group will find it easier to obtain private health care plans than the ones belonging to a lower income group.
At the same time, I'll maintain that all American residents (irrespective of whether they're citizens or not) should have health insurance to cover their needs.
Posted: Fri Apr 02, 2010 09:37 am Post Subject:
Yes, even the immigrants should have health insurance and they should know how to pay for such coverage. If they don't have proper health coverage, then we'll have to pay the price in the end.
Posted: Wed Apr 14, 2010 04:13 am Post Subject:
Bluecross shield might take him
Posted: Fri Apr 16, 2010 01:03 am Post Subject:
Well, I thought things are similar across a majority of US states when it comes to illegal immigrants.
Steven, you need to read up on the piece of federal law known as EMTALA, which was an ancillary part of the COBRA legislation of 1986 that was also responsible for the "COBRA" continuation of group health insurance with which most of us are familiar. The Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA) requires emergency rooms to treat anyone (citizen, legal resident, visitor, or illegal immigrant) who comes through the ER doors, regardless of their status or whether they have health insurance or not. Failure to follow the dictates of EMTALA exposes a hospital to a minimum $50,000 federal fine.
Because this is a requirement under federal law, hospitals are permitted to apply for reimbursement under Medicaid (Medi-Cal here in California) for any uninsured person to whom they provide treatment. There is no residency requirement, no income test, and only about $0.10 on the dollar is paid to the hospitals and doctors for treating a person compared to the actual cost of delivering the care.
This is the same in all states.
But in states with exceptionally high illegal immigrant populations, like California, the financial and physical burden on hospitals is enormous. The Los Angeles area has lost more than a dozen hospital ERs in the past ten years as a direct result of the increasing illegal immigrant population that uses the ER as their primary care physician.
My wife is an ER nurse here in the LA area, has been for almost 40 years, and I speak the truth. Just ten years ago, a "busy" 12-hour day in her ER meant seeing 30-35 patients. Today, a typical 12-hour day in the same ER will see 60-70 patients come through the door, and now on a "busy" day, the census will easily exceed 80 patients. The area population has not doubled in that time, but the number of local ERs (within a 25 mile radius) that once existed has been reduced by five or six. The remaining ERs have all seen their daily census increase by a factor of two or more.
I'll maintain that all American residents (irrespective of whether they're citizens or not) should have health insurance to cover their needs.
Juanita, this is simply unrealistic. If I, as an American citizen, took up residency in Mexico, I would not be "entitled" to anything as a non-citizen of Mexico, especially free health care, or "constitutional rights" under the Mexican Constitution. That's one of the problems in America today. Too many people have come to believe that they (and others) are entitled to anything and everything they desire, citizen or not. Mexican presidents have demanded free access to American infrastructure for Mexicans, but look at how they treat illegal immigrants from below their southern border.
And don't even bring up the "but they pay taxes" argument. The day laborers outside any Home Depot are not paying a dime in INCOME tax on the $50-$100 they get for a day's work. Sure, they may pay sales tax on some of the stuff they buy, but sales tax does not fund the federal government, and it does not fund the state's share of Medicaid costs, and it does not fund the public schools their children may attend. In California, illegal immigrant households receive roughly 15 times more in tax-supported services than they pay in taxes.
And what about my neighbors who don't pay their local property tax? Here in Los Angeles County, every property is assessed a hefty additional fee that is supposed to provide some support to the trauma/emergency services system in the county. But if my scoff-law neighbor, who probably has no health insurance, walks into my wife's (or any other) ER, he cannot be turned away and will be cared for. I and the rest of my tax-paying neighbors are footing his bill. Through our income taxes, our property taxes, and our higher medical insurance premiums.
What better way to turn a nation full of people into lazy slobs than to give them everything on a silver platter.
My greatest fear is that my granddaughters will not have an America to call home by the time they are in their 50s like grandma and grandpa. We are beginning to look a lot like the ancient Roman empire that disappeared 1,615 years ago (in the year 395).
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