Americans Traveling to Mexico for Health Care
Published June 12, 2009 @ 09:00AM PT
Check out Tim Foley's great post on medical tourism--people leaving the U.S. to get needed medical care:
where you travel to care has a lot to do with your situation. If I were a king or a celebrity looking for an expensive and dangerous medical intervention, yes, I’d come to the United States. Money would be no object. If I’m struggling to make $35,000 a year, have no health benefits, and need that exact same expensive and dangerous medical intervention, I’d want to be in any industrialized nation other than the U.S. There, I’d be treated. Here, I wouldn’t just be sick; I’d be ruined.
Tim links to an interesting study of California residents traveling to Mexico for health care. "Everybody knows" that undocumented immigrants are responsible for California's budget crisis, largely because they clog emergency waiting rooms and use up valuable public services.
Except that they don't.
"What the research shows is that many Californians, especially Mexican immigrants, go to Mexico for health services," said lead author Steven P. Wallace, associate director of the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research, which conducts CHIS. "We already know that immigrants use less health care overall than people born in the U.S. Heading south of the border further reduces the demand on U.S. facilities."
Cost and lack of insurance were primary reasons both Mexican and non-Mexican U.S. residents sought health services across the border.
The one concern I would raise is that the study is based on info from 2001, but it has become much more difficult to cross the border without inspection since then. However, our health care system is at least as dysfunctional as it was then because George Bush basically ignored the problem for all eight years of his presidency.
Even Governor Schwarzenegger acknowledges that immigrants are needlessly scapegoated on budget issues (via Shadow). But try telling that to some of California's rabid restrictionists like Lupe Moreno, who hates teh Gay at least as much as she despises immigrants.
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Comments (23)
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David is an attorney in Philadelphia, PA, where he helps immigrants to the U.S. navigate the complex immigration legal system. Views he expresses at change.org are his alone and don't represent the views or opinions of his employer, Nationalities Service Center. The information contained on this site is intended for educational and advocacy purposes only.
And my high school econ teacher told us that Canadians come to America for health care so they won't have to wait in lines. The wealthy ones, I'm sure.
Posted by Luella - on 06/12/2009 @ 09:45AM PT
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I was told just the opposite. I was told that Canadians avoid coming to America because they are afraid that they might get sick over here and have to deal with our horrible healthcare system. I'm not sure what the truth really is but this is what I was told.
I also watched that Micheal Moore movie and they showed an American girl go to Canada to try to receive treatments for Cancer because her healthcare plan dropped her. I think she married a Canadian just to get on the Canadian plan to save her life?
Posted by Mary Pranzatelli on 06/14/2009 @ 06:55AM PT
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Mary's version is correct as shown in sicko the documentary Canadians will not travel to our country without special insurance. Because they fear needing attention and our system bankrupting them as it does to one American ever 36 seconds. They lose their homes and everything they have to the greedy for profit hospitals..
CFJ
Posted by Cherokee Fred Jesus on 08/01/2009 @ 06:22PM PT
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Thank-You Fred for commenting on this one. We have the for profit hospitals in American and we have the for profit Immigrant detention system in America. I really do not know what is to become to the future of America. The only way we will ever have real CHANGE in America is for people to protest the issues. The buracreacys are so powerful it will take a strong grassroots effort to ruffle their feathers.
Posted by Mary Pranzatelli on 08/02/2009 @ 11:14PM PT
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One factor left out here is the number of mothers illegally in our country that are giving birth on our dime. That medical cost is costing the taxpayer millions if not billions.
Posted by Mark Lindley on 06/12/2009 @ 10:13AM PT
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The (illegal) immigrants are not traveling back to Mexico for health care....duh And the poor Americans here which can't get things like dental care or eye care on their Medical/Medicaid cant afford to get the required passport that is now mandatory to go to Mexico. Meanwhile we supply medical to the registered illegals (they consider them legal now as long as they register as being here) which is bankrupting the Medical/Medicaid, education, and SSI system here in CA. Oh..we also give them social security.... yet disabled Americans SSI is being cut to death. May = $47 in cuts, July another $20, and in September we are to get another $20. SSI for a single disabled person as of July will be $830 per month and we do not qualify for food stamps in CA. At the same time the co-pay on meds for the disabled went up too!!
"Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Friday disputed claims that illegal immigrants caused California's $24.3 billion deficit, while he praised their economic contributions and said he is "happy" they have access to services."
They didn't create the whole budget deficit, but it sure didn't help. Schwarzenegger's idea to balancing the budget is to take away from the disabled Americans who have lived here all their lives and paid into that system all their working lives so that the registered illegals can get SSI, Medical/Medicaid, food stamps, section 8 rental vouchers and an education at the risk of the rest of us disabled becoming homeless. And he also is cutting off Welfare to thousands of Californian children which will become homeless. Schwarzenegger has grossly understated what it is costing us..
"He said the cost of services to illegal immigrants, which has been estimated at $4 billion to $5 billion annually, is a "small percentage" of the deficit California faces." It probably cost at least that much in food stamps alone and he needs to mutiply the cost of those sevices by at least 10 yrs or more.
I'm disabled white American, I live in low income one bedroom apartment (rent = $750 per month in Sacramento). Not one of my neighbors speak ENGLISH here and the Mexican gangs are gun fighting for turf (bullets flew off my bedroom wall the other night). That really helps my Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. I have been to Mexico and have seen the little cardboard shanties they live in there and it is heart breaking but I also see American people here living in cardboard shanties hiding in trees/bushes just around the corner from me. Sorry....I will get off my soap box now. Dont get me wrong... I dont want to see anyone suffer no matter where they come from or where they were born.
Gee....wonder if he is going to run for President of Mexico next seeing that no one supported his idea of changing the law about having to be American born to run for president here?
Posted by Sharon Blasingame on 06/12/2009 @ 12:28PM PT
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You know Sharon, people out of California have the same story. We understand the problems with having millions of undocumented people in your state and the problems it brings to traffic, culture differences, running out of state aid that was paid for and set up for residences, but it falls on deaf ears here and if you have the nerve to stand up fur yourself and say Hey, we are getting taken advantage of over there, they will tell you to shut up and call you a racist. if they see you are a latina then they say will then you are a nationalist. it couldn't be as bad as you say you are the one with the problem. It is very sad to see what is happeing with californa. When I was told to come back to the er with my sick daugher after 8 hour becuase there where so many illegals ahead of us that it would be 8 hours till they could take my daughter i saw this is becomming a national emergence that will effect the quality of life as we know it. I switched to Kaiser and I haven't had that problem. People who are from other states don't even get to listen to testimonials about how hard living with thousands of illegals is because if we complain, our posts get deleated. with me you are preaching to the choir.
Posted by Hilary Johnson on 06/12/2009 @ 09:43PM PT
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Meanwhile we supply medical to the registered illegals (they consider them legal now as long as they register as being here)
That is news to me. What is your source?
we also give them social security
Also not true, as far as I am aware.
Schwarzenegger's idea to balancing the budget is to take away from the disabled Americans who have lived here all their lives and paid into that system all their working lives so that the registered illegals can get SSI, Medical/Medicaid, food stamps, section 8 rental vouchers and an education at the risk of the rest of us disabled becoming homeless.
I am curious as to where you are getting this information.
The U.S. does not have a workable health care system, and there is a lot of room for improvement in disability policy. But finding a convenient scapegoat will not solve those problems. CA's budget problems will not be resolved by deporting all its undocumented immigrants.
Hilary, with your previous problems with the health system, I guess you must be a big advocate of universal health care. I know I am. Our health care system is among the worst in the developed world. Again, blaming immigrants will not make that problem go away.
Also, I'm curious: how did you know the people in front of you in line were undocumented? Did they tell you so? Did you see their papers?
Posted by Dave Bennion on 06/13/2009 @ 06:17AM PT
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This isn’t were I got my original information which was from budget enactments but this does show what I’m talking about since you asked. Below shows cuts in what they are getting, but it proves they are “getting”
http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/11051.html
http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/11051-sup.html#who
Who Is In a Qualified Category Under the Law?You are in a qualified category if the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) says you are one of the following:
1. Lawfully admitted permanent resident ("LAPR"), including "Amerasian immigrants;”
2. “Conditional Entrant” under the immigration law in effect before April 1, 1980;
3. Parolee into the U.S. for a period of at least 1 year;
4. Refugee;
5. Asylee;
6. Person whose deportation or removal is being withheld;
7. "Cuban/Haitian entrant" under the Refugee Education Assistance Act; or
8. Under certain circumstances, you, your child or your parent has been subjected to battery or extreme cruelty while in the United States.
http://www.wclp.org/Resources/WCLPContent/tabid/1088/smid/3613/ArticleID/243/reftab/1088/Default.aspx
Limit Medi-Cal for Qualified Immigrants. Limit benefits for newly qualified immigrants (except children and pregnant women) and some other legal immigrants to restricted-scope services. $125 million.
Some of the Human Service Cuts Proposed Include:
Eliminate the Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants (CAPI) and the California Food Assistance Program (CFAP). Reduce SSI/SSP Grants to the minimum federally allowable levels: $830 for an individual and $1,407 for a couple per month. Several IHSS cuts including limiting the domestic and related services, targeting the IHSS share-of-cost buyout to the most functionally impaired persons, limiting state participation in IHSS wages.http://www.dof.ca.gov/budget/historical/2009-10/documents/GB%20GF%20Proposals.pdf
$4.4 million ($9.4 million General Fund and increased federal funds of $5 million due to diminished recoupments) in 2008-09 and $64.6 million ($139.9 million General Fund and increased federal funds of $75.3 million) in 2009-10 by providing “limited-scope” benefits to newly qualified immigrants and immigrants who permanently reside under the color of law.
$9.6 million ($4.8 million General Fund) in 2008-09 and $142.4 million ($71.2 million General Fund) in 2009-10 by implementing month-to-month eligibility for undocumented immigrants unless a subsequent emergency ensues.
Is that enough info?
Posted by Sharon Blasingame on 06/13/2009 @ 01:54PM PT
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I'm not a benefits attorney but I can say that most--arguably all--of the categories on that list do not describe undocumented people. By definition, if you register with the government or legalize your status, then how are you "illegal"?
I'm not familiar with # 2 and 7, but since both those laws date to 1980, I'd be surprised if there were many people still in those categories who had not either fallen out of status or changed into some other lawful status. I've had many undocumented Haitian clients and I've never known of any who were eligible for SSI or other public benefits. Cubans are another story but most of them are not undocumented and I'd be surprised if there was a substantial number of Cubans in California. If you are interested in urging Obama to lift the Cuban embargo, I would join you in that effort.
#6 describes someone with a removal order against them for which the government is withholding enforcement for some reason, often because the government has decided the person would face persecution, torture, or death if deported. Not many people get withholding.
#8 sounds like it includes self-petitioners under the Violence Against Women Act. Some of these petitioners will have their cases granted and then may be eligible for permanent residence, some will have their cases denied. If you'd prefer that victims of DV and their (often) U.S. citizen children stay with the abusive spouse/parent for financial reasons, then I suppose you could lobby to have this part of the law changed. I would prefer that they leave abusive situations with modest support from the government once they make out a prima facie case of qualification under VAWA.
The other categories simply do not refer to anyone who is "illegal" or undocumented. Are you saying that green card holders, refugees, and asylees are just undocumented immigrants who have registered with the government? Maybe I don't understand your argument.
It seems that most of what you're talking about refers to legal immigrants. Even so, the numbers are a small percentage of the overall budget, as the governor pointed out. CA's principal problem is that it refuses to match taxes up with expenditures. The state has a disruptive referendum process and dysfunctional apportionment leading to a low number of competitive districts and a polarized legislature: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Politics_of_California#Bi-partisan_gerrymandering
That may be why the state can never settle on a workable budget and is perpetually on the brink of bankruptcy. Other states have large immigrant populations and don't fall into the level of distress that California does.
But rather than tackle those problems, which are difficult, it's easier to scapegoat immigrants. Unfortunately for Californians, that won't solve any of the state's problems.
Posted by Dave Bennion on 06/13/2009 @ 05:35PM PT
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all the things you mentioned are people who are seekers of some kind of relief. those people can work while their case is pending... they are not technicaly "illegal", that is why they are considered to be "under the color of law".. you may think that everyone who applies from abroad; gets their greencard as soon as they land. well, thats not how it works, especialy for isylum seekers like myself. its a long process that it has taken 10 years for me. all those 10 years i've been considered to be LAWFULY in the country; BUT without a greencard.
your list doesnt include people who are in the country illegally. but people who have applied for some type of relief under the law, or adjustment of status, therefor they are not illegaly residing here.
Posted by Alex Shqipe on 06/13/2009 @ 06:06PM PT
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I'm curious: how did you know the people in front of you in line were undocumented? Did they tell you so? Did you see their papers?
Most Americans don't need an interpreter when they go to an American Dr. that was one clue, they sat next to me when i was pulling out my insurance card and id and we are all sitting in those little cubes and the people on either side of me didn't have any id. i do understand spanish. another thing is illegal mexican women frequently wear a transa larga. braids in their hair. most american latins don't wear braids. You see quite a few illegal immigrants i imagine you can't spot who's american and who's not?
Posted by Hilary Johnson on 06/13/2009 @ 11:17PM PT
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I'm curious: how did you know the people in front of you in line were undocumented? Did they tell you so? Did you see their papers?
Most Americans don't need an interpreter when they go to an American Dr. that was one clue, they sat next to me when i was pulling out my insurance card and id and we are all sitting in those little cubes and the people on either side of me didn't have any id. i do understand spanish. another thing is illegal mexican women frequently wear a transa larga. braids in their hair. most american latins don't wear braids. You see quite a few illegal immigrants i imagine you can't spot who's american and who's not?
Posted by Hilary Johnson on 06/13/2009 @ 11:17PM PT
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(women frequently wear a transa larga. braids in their hair. most american latins don't wear braids.)
I've seen blondes wear transa larga. braids in their hair???? Isn't that just a fashion statement? If I braid my hair will ICE police stop me??
Posted by Mary Pranzatelli on 06/14/2009 @ 06:46AM PT
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You see quite a few illegal immigrants i imagine you can't spot who's american and who's not?
No, it's not always clear. Does someone change their style the day after they get a green card? Do they suddenly become fluent in English?
Also, as someone who is bilingual, you should understand as well as I do that just because someone speaks one language in public doesn't mean it's the only language they speak.
Posted by Dave Bennion on 06/14/2009 @ 07:37AM PT
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If I braid my hair will ICE police stop me??
one can only hope.
Posted by Hilary Johnson on 06/15/2009 @ 12:38AM PT
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If I braid my hair will ICE police stop me??
one can only hope.
That is unless you look like Boo Derick!! hehe...now I am dating myself.
One might worry more about being stopped by the fashion police.
Posted by Mary Pranzatelli on 06/15/2009 @ 06:34PM PT
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Boo Derick
Boo?
Posted by Hilary Johnson on 06/15/2009 @ 11:42PM PT
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(Boo?)
You are right Hilary. It's bow....lol....I guess I was thinking about my good friends Jenny's cat named Boo...only Boo's black hair is too short for braids. Maybe we could put a little braided bonet on Boo but it will be a matter of 2 seconds before Boo tears the Bonet off.
Posted by Mary Pranzatelli on 06/16/2009 @ 09:25AM PT
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Here is a pic of Boo. Boo is so sweet. If you are sad or have a tummy ache Boo will put his paw on you and try to make you feel better. Boo is the kindest cat in the nation and we are lucky to have Boo.
Posted by Mary Pranzatelli on 06/16/2009 @ 09:47AM PT
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Urgent! I have just been told that ICE have been detaining immigrants at Newark Airport when they go to pick up their relatives. I am not sure where the source of info. is from but the message has come from the New Jersey Civil Rights Defense Committee.
Posted by Mary Pranzatelli on 06/12/2009 @ 04:59PM PT
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I found this posting when I googled detained at Neward airport. If I was an immigrant I wouldn't want to travel anywhere. It is ashame that people have to live in fear.
*My brother-in law went on a vacation to Dominican Republic, returned last week and upon entring USA (Newark airport ) he was detained for a few hours. The outcome was that his residency documents were taken from him and he was asked to return to Newark on May 20th to retrieve the data. On May 20th he was arrested upon his arrival to Newark. The only thing we have been able to know is that he was recently sent to New Brunswick awaiting trial. How do we find out what the charges are and exactly where he is being detained? We are trying to seek a lawyer , but we don't even know the exact charges. He did have a criminal case over 10 years ago, but he complied with his responsibilities back then. Since then he has been a prime citizen and hard worker and tax payer.
Posted by Mary Pranzatelli on 06/12/2009 @ 05:20PM PT
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That was a posting from May 29th, 2009 so I think he must be in Middlesex County NJ??
Posted by Mary Pranzatelli on 06/12/2009 @ 05:21PM PT
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