LETTER: Where is our humanity?
Under current law, illegal immigrants are not eligible for federally funded health care coverage. In the current shutdown fight, the Republicans are trying to imply that all kinds of health coverage is available to illegals, framing that as an example of Democratic wastefulness. There is a grain of truth to the Republican position. However, that grain of truth demonstrates the overall cruelty of their efforts.
The Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act requires hospital emergency rooms to give a level of care to anyone, period, even “If you aren’t a U.S. citizen.” This information is posted in every emergency room. Hospitals are required to give an appropriate medical screening, and stabilizing treatment, and/or an appropriate transfer, if necessary.
Less than 1% of emergency room patients are illegal immigrants. After screening, they don’t all require treatment. The rest are our neighbors who may not have or may lose their coverage. Hospitals are reimbursed for providing such treatment. Apparently, there are Republicans who resent paying for this “free” treatment. While one could argue that such treatment is simply what any decent, caring person in the richest nation on earth would support, it should also be supported out of self-interest.
Would we really want to prevent people from getting treatment for broken limbs, heart attacks, car accidents, life-threatening communicable diseases? Picture the alternative.
Gerard Weiss
Upper St. Clair