Undocumented Patients

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What do you think about undocumented patients who abuse the hospital system? Anyone have undocumented patients who basically live at the hospital because their families can't take care of them, and they can't go to a facility because of their undocumented status?

Does your ER have a translator available on call?

It is the law that a translation service be available in hospitals. Was that a serious question or one to lighten the atmosphere. Just a little tip to all younger nurses or those that care: LEARN SPANISH or the dominant language in your area. You went to high school and college and it was required. You don't have to translate medical information, but you can say some simple things. You will be an instant hero. And don't tell me about this is America. The Europeans learn two or three, so we have it very easy.

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And don't tell me about this is America. The Europeans learn two or three, so we have it very easy.

This is America. Speak Navajo or go home.

Wait...

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It's not all that uncommon, there are various transport companies that provide "medical repatriation" services. This sometimes refers to people who have transport coverage on travel insurance who want to go back to their home countries, but it also often refers to hospitals that pay for patients, sometimes not even conscious and able to consent, to be transported out of the country.

Transporting a visitor back to their country is done all the time under travel insurance. This is very different to transporting a non-consenting person to their country because of their immigration status. It is not legal unless an authorized family agrees. You can't patient dump here and you can't patient dump there. If you know about this truly happening, you must report. Perhaps there is a misunderstanding about this "repatriation.

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Specializes in M/S, LTC, Corrections, PDN & drug rehab.
OK, so what makes you think I don't feel their pain or try to help them? Much of my career has been spent working in jails and other insitutions where wealthy people are almost never found. I loved it. I got along well with 99% of the patients and that was not for being rude or disrespectful toward them.

That still doesn't mean that their care is free or that, as a US citizen and payer of a lot of taxes, I should not care who pays for the patients' care.

And although there are plenty of decent, good people in any group you name, there are also some bad apples. One small example - on a visiting day at the jail, I saw a woman visitor who changed her baby's diaper right near a trash can where she could easily have disposed of the dirty diaper. Where do you think she left it? In the trash can that was 2 steps from her? No. On the grass. And I heard her remark to her friend. It was to the effect that she wasn't going to clean up after herself and baby because her purse and diaper bag had been searched and the authorities were all s***heads. Never mind that all purses and bags always get searched and that doing so helps prevent weapons and drugs and other contraband from being smuggled in.

All I'm saying is the two should not meet. We can have our opinions but our opinions should have nothing to do with our work. One doesn't have anything to do with the others.

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Specializes in Critical Care.
Transporting a visitor back to their country is done all the time under travel insurance. This is very different to transporting a non-consenting person to their country because of their immigration status. It is not legal unless an authorized family agrees. You can't patient dump here and you can't patient dump there. If you know about this truly happening, you must report. Perhaps there is a misunderstanding about this "repatriation.

In theory that's how it should work, in practice however patients are often effectively "dumped" via medical repatriation.

Report: U.S. hospitals deported hundreds of immigrants - CBS News

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In theory that's how it should work, in practice however patients are often effectively "dumped" via medical repatriation.

Report: U.S. hospitals deported hundreds of immigrants - CBS News

I read this story and am so sick to my stomach by the report. This is illegal and unethical. Patients that are in a coma several days out? Really? Again I say, these hospitals should be reported, as well as the doctor that signed the order. Thank you for posting.

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Health care providers should never be put in the position of weighing the value of someone's life this way... sometimes it's a horrible system we work in.

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I see more abuse of the system from citizens without insurance. Just because someone (legal or not) is insured does not mean payment is not made.

Many of the immigrants want to pay and do work out self-pay fee schedules.

Look out, your bigotry is showing.

Oh, it's bigotry to care about our healthcare system and to worry about the strain it puts on our system? Ah, yes, the old let's just start name calling and not have a real discussion about it.

This is exactly why Hillary lost and Trump is in control now. And no, before anybody starts on that train, I didn't vote for Trump.

Instead of opening up the doors for discussion people simply throw insults. It's exactly what is wrong with this country. That attitude gets you nowhere in life. That attitude is tearing this country apart. I am allowed to have an opinion. Everyone.

Was hooing this site to be different being amongst other educated professionals. Guess it doesn't matter how educated somebody is, they can still resort these tactics.

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Unpopular opinion...but I believe that if the patient is undocumented, especially if they are costing the exponentially high amount a hospital stay is, immediate deportation is necessary. They are contributing nothing. Yes, we need to be human and not be mean/angry to the person we are taking care of but as soon as we are made aware of undocumented status they should be made to leave the hospital/country. I say that as a daughter of an immigrant who grew up in a third world country as an American. This country is starting to look like that third world country, especially in areas with high concentrations of minorities. And situations like that cost us an unimaginable amount. In the nursing home I work at (border town) we have undocumented immigrants taking up beds. It's an extremely well ran, well staffed facility. Because the beds are being filled with non citizens, citizens are forced to go to crappy neglectful places.

OK...And when people get wind that if they seek medical attention they will deported...When they are infected with communicable diseases such as TB, would you prefer that they just infect everyone they come in to contact with? (If you think the cost of one infected person is bad, try to calculate the cost treating 1000 Americans, maybe much more b/c some just don't come to the hospital until they are half dead. Then, you'll have immigrants with American born babies....are you willing to pay for expensive life long treatments because there mom couldn't get prenatal care? Here is another scenario...how are you going to deport someone when they are so sick they cant walk or talk and they need ongoing care? Just dump their lethargic body on a van..right? What happens when they become unconscious on their way to ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) headquarters? Technically there are a prisoner now...so back to the hospital we go :) Here's another question from my lovely brain...How are you going to verify their undocumented status timely enough to provide or not provide care. You will still have to immediately treat them=MONEY. Then have ICE investigate their status=MONEY. Then if they are not illegal...law suit for you and hospital or nursing home=MONEY. (ouch!) Then if they are illegal, then they need to be deported=MONEY. And if they are chronically sick and really need and want help they might very well be back=MONEY. Last question, how exactly will you protect other citizens with strong accents or a minimum grasp of the language, no SSN# (yes, some documented people live in abusive households and are not "allowed access to their SSN", never reapplied, lost it, etc) from being discriminated against? Would you be a little sad if you found out your grandmother went to seek treatment and ended up in ICE custody? My guess is that you'd be the first to try to sue someone.

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Oh, it's bigotry to care about our healthcare system and to worry about the strain it puts on our system? Ah, yes, the old let's just start name calling and not have a real discussion about it.

This is exactly why Hillary lost and Trump is in control now. And no, before anybody starts on that train, I didn't vote for Trump.

Instead of opening up the doors for discussion people simply throw insults. It's exactly what is wrong with this country. That attitude gets you nowhere in life. That attitude is tearing this country apart. I am allowed to have an opinion. Everyone.

Was hooing this site to be different being amongst other educated professionals. Guess it doesn't matter how educated somebody is, they can still resort these tactics.

Don't feel attacked, members of that group (immigrants) are treated with hatred and intolerance in this country. And in this situation it is evident because the number of Americans that abuse the healthcare system compared to immigrants is massive. According to Centers for Immigration Studies, immigrants account for 27 percent of those uninsured and while it certainly contributes it is not the majority. So when we slam on the 27 percent without talking about the 73 percent of Americans who are also uninsured it comes off as hate and intolerance for immigrants (bigotry).

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Having worked in a border state and having personally had patients found out in the desert I would say the majority were stabilized and sent back to Mexico, with or without a receiving facility.

Sucks but it is what it is, at least we do not imprison patients who cannot afford their medical bills.

I had a surfer friend in San Diego who would often go down to Mexico to surf around Ensenada. He was in a car accident and was ejected from his vehicle [read not in good shape]. Well, his "rescuers" did call for an ambulance but only after relieving him of his wallet and literally every possession except for his clothes.

He woke up a week later in the hospital to demands of payment. He didn't have much in the way of family and he literally had no way to pay the $10k they billed him so once he was stabilized they threw him in prison. The entire summer went by until word got out and the community banded together to fundraise enough cash to pay the hospital and bail him out.

Living on the border gives you a unique perspective on border issues.

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Don't feel attacked, members of that group (immigrants) are treated with hatred and intolerance in this country. And in this situation it is evident because the number of Americans that abuse the healthcare system compared to immigrants is massive. According to Centers for Immigration Studies, immigrants account for 27 percent of those uninsured and while it certainly contributes it is not the majority. So when we slam on the 27 percent without talking about the 73 percent of Americans who are also uninsured it comes off as hate and intolerance for immigrants (bigotry).

Immigrants as a whole account for what, 14% of the population, and illegal immigrants account for I think 4% of the population?

I do not know if you are quoting legal or illegal immigrants but that [at most] 14% group accounts for 27% of the uninsured? Wow. Not making a good case for yourself there chief.

To be honest I do not personally believe that being uninsured automatically means you are abusing the system. I have known many patients, and even family members, that cash paid for their healthcare. 99.9% of the care they received was non-catastrophic and when paying with cash the hospitals adjust the billing way down. When I worked in high-end healthcare it was really not uncommon for people to be uninsured. Many of these people chose to simply save the money and accrue the returns from their investments rather than pay an insurance company. This was not a common practice but it certainly was not unheard of.

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