Illegal Immigrants Should Have a Health Care Option

Published: Mon 04 Jan 2010

Mary Banks

With all of this talk about health care reform under scrutiny in Congress, some people may wonder what happened to one of the hottest topics on the campaign trail leading up to last year's presidential election: immigration. Don't worry; it's in there.

And at last, illegal immigrants aren't entirely on the losing side of the arguments. That's because the House of Representatives have found a way for good health care to be regularly accessible for everyone - the intended spirit of the measure.

The issue is not about providing health care that is free - as in U.S. citizens paying for it. Instead, the House bill would allow illegal immigrants access to the exchanges that would be established to sell health care. That is, those immigrants would pay for their own insurance, not us. This group is excluded in the Senate bill.

Further, the House mandate requiring more people to have health insurance also applies to people who are in the country illegally. The Senate again excludes the same group. Unfortunately, the White House supports the Senate on the entire matter.

What really is happening is delaying, even dodging the most obvious solution of all: comprehensive immigration reform. Until something is done, it's ludicrous to think this will be the last time immigration status will be a consideration in suggested legislation.

The Congressional Budget Office forecasts that 10 years from now there will be 8 million people not considered seniors who will be uninsured. If about a quarter of them are willing to pay for their own insurance, as the Budget Office estimates, why shouldn't this be allowed despite their status? This means we all benefit.

How? Think about it: If a person getting treatment is insured, that's one less person who gets "uncompensated" care from hospitals and other health care providers. And guess how the medical professionals ultimately get their compensation? By raising insurance premiums and treatment fees for others, of course.

As important but not as well-known is that most illegal immigrants are young, healthy people. Allowing them to purchase health insurance ultimately is less of a drain on the risk pool. That is, they will pay premiums but seek treatment less often.

Barring illegal immigrants from buying health insurance forces many of them from using a "safety net" already provided to them. Under federal law, any person without health insurance still can demand "emergency" medical treatment without providers considering the person's immigration status as well as coverage and ability to pay.

It all makes sense to allow illegal immigrant to purchase health insurance through exchanges. That is unless you really like paying for someone else's health care.