Health Care Eligibility For Unauthorized Migrants - Moral & Practical Implications

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Article Title:

==============

Health Care Eligibility For Unauthorized Migrants - Moral & Practical

Implications

Article Description:

====================

Various organizations and government officials have cited

estimates for the number of illegal immigrants at between eight

and twenty million. With rising health care costs as a major

issue for most Americans, this article considers the moral and

practical issues of providing medical care for uninsured

immigrants.

Additional Article Information:

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823 Words; formatted to 65 Characters per Line

Distribution Date and Time: Wed May 3 00:17:53 EDT 2006

Written By: Shaughnessy

Copyright: 2006

Contact Email: mailto:erin@...

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Health Care Eligibility For Unauthorized Migrants - Moral & Practical

Implications

Copyright © 2006 Shaughnessy

Health Insurance Sort

http://www.healthinsurancesort.com/

Various organizations and government officials have cited

estimates for the number of illegal immigrants at between eight

and twenty million. With rising health care costs as a major

issue for most Americans, this article considers the moral and

practical issues of providing medical care for uninsured

immigrants.

According to a research report entitled " The Size and

Characteristics of the Unauthorized Migrant Population in the

U.S. " {© [2006] Pew Hispanic Center, a Pew Research Center

Project}, there are an estimated 11.5 to 12 million unauthorized

migrants currently residing within The United States. The report

was based on Census 2000 data, as well as the Current Population

Survey of March 2005, and the monthly Current Population Surveys

through January of 2006. The Pew Hispanic Center uses the term:

'Unauthorized Migrants'. This term refers to persons residing

in The United States who are not U.S. citizens, have not been

admitted for permanent residence, and do not have specific

authorized temporary status that permits extended residence

and work within the United States.

The Pew Hispanic Center report found that the unauthorized

population consisted of 5.4 million adult males, 3.9 million

adult females, and 1.8 million children. Adult males are in the

majority, making up 58% of the unauthorized adult migrants, while

females account for 42%.

When discussing the percentage of unauthorized migrants, it is

important to consider their labor force participation. Thirty-

one percent of unauthorized migrants are employed in service

industry jobs, while only sixteen percent of natives work in

service. Native workers make up the great majority of white-

collar jobs, while unauthorized migrants are underrepresented.

Certain occupations have proportionately high concentrations of

unauthorized migrant workers: Farming (24%), Cleaning (17%),

Construction (14%), Food Preparation (12%), Production (9%),

and Transport (7%). This is relevant to the issue of health

insurance because the cited industries do not typically provide

health insurance coverage.

The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation

Act of 1996 (PRWORA) addressed eligibility requirements for

non-citizens to receive Federal means-tested public benefits.

The Act resulted in significant restrictions on immigrants'

eligibility. Such benefits include Medicaid and the State

Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). Certain immigrants

are not eligible for Medicaid or SCHIP for five years from the

date they enter the United States in a qualified-alien status.

Generally, only " qualified aliens " are eligible for coverage.

Who is considered a qualified alien? There are nine basic types

of qualified aliens: Aliens lawfully admitted for permanent

residence under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), 8 USC

1101 et seq.; Refugees admitted under §207 of the INA; Aliens

granted asylum under §208 of the INA; Cuban and Haitian Entrants,

as defined in §501(e) of the Refugee Education Assistance Act

of 1980; Aliens granted parole for at least one year under

§212(d)(5) of the INA; Aliens whose deportation is being withheld

under (1) §243(h) of the INA as in effect prior to April 1, 1997,

or, (2) §241((3) of the INA, as amended; Aliens granted

conditional entry under §203(a)(7) of the INA in effect before

April 1, 1980; Battered aliens, who meet the conditions set forth

in §431© of PRWORA, as added by §501 of the Illegal Immigration

Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996, P.L. 104-208

(IIRIRA), and amended by §5571 of the Balanced Budget Act of

1997, P.L. 105-33 (BBA), and §1508 of the Violence Against Women

Act of 2000, P.L. 106-386. Section 431© of PRWORA, as amended

is codified at 8 USC 1641©.1; Victims of a severe form of

trafficking, in accordance with §107((1) of the Trafficking

Victims Protection Act of 2000, P.L. 106-386.2.

Unauthorized migrants will be denied health care with the

exception of emergency situations. This policy creates a problem

for paramedics and other medical professionals, who will be

forced to determine whether the individual's life is at risk and

what constitutes a medical emergency. How emergency health care

workers are expected to enforce this policy is unclear. The

Department of Health and Human Services is currently working on

the terms, with the start date set for less than three months

from now.

To receive health care, individuals will be required to provide

proof of citizenship or proof that they are eligible as qualified

aliens. This requirement creates potential problems for United

States citizens, as well as immigrants. The homeless are perhaps

the most obvious example of individuals who are eligible for care

but may not have the proper documentation. Another, lesser

known, example may be African-American senior citizens. African-

Americans from the South were not allowed to be born in hospitals

and therefore do not have proper birth certificates.

Another issue that needs to be addressed is the potential spread

of disease. Testing for Tuberculosis, for example, is something

that Americans take for granted. Those initiating and enforcing

these policies should consider whether basic medical testing will

be provided. Regardless of the apparent moral implications,

denying health care services to individuals residing within the

United States can easily result in more tangible problems.

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