Immigrant Health Services Underused

For several years, even decades, the question of immigrant health issues has been publicly discussed among policy makers and the general population as well. Many claim that immigrants are a burden to the healthcare system in America. While it is true that immigrants have disproportionately higher incidences of disease like tuberculosis, the vast majority of immigrants – illegal or not – are uninsured and are not even aware of the programs that are available to them.

This presents several problems for the public healthcare system, simply because immigrants will by and large avoid preventative health care options out of fear or ignorance, and will thus often end up in the emergency room. That is to say, immigrants largely only use the healthcare system when the need is dire. And this costs the system – and taxpayers – a lot of money.

In a poll conducted by Time Magazine in 2006, 75% of those polled believed that illegal immigrants should not receive any government health services. This statistic, of course, makes sense. State governments are already struggling with various budgetary costs. To provide access to illegal immigrants only places a greater strain on the system.

However, it is important to note that the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act requires that any person, regardless of legal status, must be given emergency medical screening, and if the need arises, emergency care. However, the EMTALA does not provide reimbursed funding to these hospitals after taking care of immigrants who cannot pay for emergency costs. Again, these costs are absorbed, in the end, by the taxpayer.

Both legal and illegal immigrants alike are barred access to government preventative healthcare programs because of various factors. For one, these programs are not highly publicized. Language barriers also present another large problem. Related to language barriers are application processes that are inordinately complicated. In order to alleviate this problem, for example, the state of Illinois formed a coalition of 34 organizations that work together with immigrant families in order to explain availability options, allay fears of losing immigrant status (which keeps many from applying) and to help them with the application process in general.

In the final analysis, immigrant healthcare options paid by taxpayers will always be an issue that will be hotly contested. However, it is important to understand that state and federal governments should develop pragmatic, sustainable solutions that prevent health problems from arising in the immigrant as well as citizen population. This is because preventative healthcare is far cheaper for all involved.