Do undocumented aliens end up getting after receiving emergency care?

[DolceVita]

I am curious. What happens when a hospital tries to claim funds under the EMTLA for an undocumented alien? Does the government track down the patient, after they have been treated, and start deportation proceedings?

I have always wondered about this. Does anyone actually know?

[Altra, BSN, RN]

the emergency medical treatment and active labor act (emtala) is a united statesact of congress passed in 1986 as part of the consolidated omnibus budget reconciliation act. it requires hospitals and ambulance services to provide care to anyone needing emergency treatment regardless of citizenship, legal status or ability to pay. there are no reimbursement provisions. as a result of the act, patients needing emergency treatment can be discharged only under their own informed consent or when their condition requires transfer to a hospital better equipped to administer the treatment.

am i correct in understanding that us healthcare facilities do not get paid for providing services to illegal immigrants?

that is correct. (see nrskarenrn's post #12 that you quoted)

emtala mandates that all persons who present to an emergency department be screened for an emergent medical condition, regardless of ability to pay. that's it. it makes no provision for reimbursement to the hospital providing care.

hospitals do get some federal funding to cover their "charity care" as part of the medicare reimbursement formula. that "charity care" is all unpaid patient accounts that the hospital has been unable to collect. in other words, all unpaid patient bills whether due to insurance denial, inability to pay, or unwillingness to pay, are all lumped together in this category.

[Diaper, RN]

For me, I always go back and ask myself a question: Why did I go into nursing in the first place? My answer is that I wanted to save people's lives. Therefore, it is my duty to treat and provide care regardless of the person's skin color, economic status and so forth.

When we're in nursing school, we're taught that we should treat the patients in the non-discriminatory manner. Therefore, we should treat the illegal immigrants just like everybody else. Just imagine how it feels like if someone treats you different (or worse) than everyone else.

[carolinapooh, BSN, RN]

We pay the bill, folks. The hospital gets no compensation, they write off the loss, and our fees go up when those of us with insurance policies become patients. Then the insurance companies in turn raise our premiums to compensate for their losses.

Speaking as the wife of a LEGAL immigrant who had to jump through an innumerable amount of hoops to get a British citizen here who worked for the American government his entire adult life who had NO criminal record - I have a serious problem with this. Can't help it - it's a huge moral dilemma for me.

[Virgo_RN, BSN, RN]

I became a nurse for humanitarian reasons, among others. I am not the border patrol.

[dnp2004]

The only people in the US that are NOT illegal aliens are Native Americans and descendants of slaves. Most Americans are descendants of illegal immigrants who stole the country from the Natives and shoved them on reserves.

I noticed that everyone seemed to miss this point that AGATHA PREVOST was making or perhaps it is an uncomfortable reality for many. So let me add a few sobering thoughts to this silly illegals debate.

Yes, the Europeans were illegal immigrants to North America who took over by military force and what today would be called terrorism. So, the United States was founded on illegal activity against the Native Americans. What do some of you on this thread advocate, denying healthcare to uninsured Native Americans?

Much of the southern and western United States was part of sovereign Mexican land. Conflict arose because people from the U.S. were illegally entering Mexican Territory and causing problems. They were in fact undocumented U.S. aliens entering Mexico. The United States illegally seized land from Mexico. So is in undocumented Mexican really an illegal alien?

The only reason undocumented aliens can thrive in the United States is because people like you use them for cheap labor. If you were to remove all illegal aliens from the United States right now the economy would collapse. The same people who complain about aliens costing too much are the same people who hire them to:

Work their farms

Act as maids/servants in their homes

Work construction

Stock the shelves in retail stores

Performing dangerous chemical and industrial cleanup

Etc.

I guess some people on this thread think undocumented people are good enough to work 80 hours a week at low wages but not good enough for medical treatment.

Before everyone questions my loyalty and patriotism let me remind them I was born in the United States and served as military officer for 25 years.