Seems the illegal immigrant does have a viable option–to return to Mexico and receive the transplant for $40,000. We already have a shortage of transplantable organs in this country. Why isn’t the guy on much cheaper peritoneal dialysis? But, more importantly, why the hell should an almost 50 year old medical technology cost $75,000/yr. and the costs continue to rise every year?
Hint: ESRD is the only (or one of very few anyway) chronic conditions that is eligible for Medicare benefits at any age. Since the early 70’s, anyone diagnosed with ESRD receives free medical care and disability. So, as in all other areas dominated by government third party payment–prices/costs continue to escalate even as efficiencies have been instituted.
Allowing for taxpayer funded kidney transplants for illegal immigrants opens the doors for all other taxpayer funded organ transplants and a multitude of other medical interventions advocacy groups would push for once they get their foot in the door. Not to mention that while the cost of the actual transplant may be $100,000, I’m sure the annual maintenance of meds/MD visits/ secondary complications, etc. post transplant are enormous.
I find the arrest statistics particularly disturbing. This MUST be having an enormous impact on employment and yet I’ve seen nothing connecting the two till now. In this age of documented data, there is no escaping an arrest record and that has to crush job hunting options for the arrestee.
I’d like to see what portion of the “one in three” were arrested for offenses that are, for the most part, negligible in terms of social impact. So many of those who are arrested are released within a few days, and offenses of that sort rarely bog down one’s employment options.
The number of arrested youth is the product of police departments who juke the stats to show arrests are up. Kids make easy targets, particularly those engaged in petty crimes. While rapes and homicides are frequently reclassified (can’t have those stats going up…), minor offenses are routinely targeted.
Regarding the first story, it would be interesting to see how other currencies compare. Does Mexican currency or South American currency have a higher incidence of cocaine trace than American currency?
Probably not.
One in three arrested. That’s hard to believe.
Seems the illegal immigrant does have a viable option–to return to Mexico and receive the transplant for $40,000. We already have a shortage of transplantable organs in this country. Why isn’t the guy on much cheaper peritoneal dialysis? But, more importantly, why the hell should an almost 50 year old medical technology cost $75,000/yr. and the costs continue to rise every year?
Hint: ESRD is the only (or one of very few anyway) chronic conditions that is eligible for Medicare benefits at any age. Since the early 70’s, anyone diagnosed with ESRD receives free medical care and disability. So, as in all other areas dominated by government third party payment–prices/costs continue to escalate even as efficiencies have been instituted.
Allowing for taxpayer funded kidney transplants for illegal immigrants opens the doors for all other taxpayer funded organ transplants and a multitude of other medical interventions advocacy groups would push for once they get their foot in the door. Not to mention that while the cost of the actual transplant may be $100,000, I’m sure the annual maintenance of meds/MD visits/ secondary complications, etc. post transplant are enormous.
I find the arrest statistics particularly disturbing. This MUST be having an enormous impact on employment and yet I’ve seen nothing connecting the two till now. In this age of documented data, there is no escaping an arrest record and that has to crush job hunting options for the arrestee.
I’d like to see what portion of the “one in three” were arrested for offenses that are, for the most part, negligible in terms of social impact. So many of those who are arrested are released within a few days, and offenses of that sort rarely bog down one’s employment options.
Maybe the reason “90% of U.S. bank notes carry traces of cocaine,” is related to the “nearly one-in-three will be arrested by age 23.”
The number of arrested youth is the product of police departments who juke the stats to show arrests are up. Kids make easy targets, particularly those engaged in petty crimes. While rapes and homicides are frequently reclassified (can’t have those stats going up…), minor offenses are routinely targeted.
Regarding the first story, it would be interesting to see how other currencies compare. Does Mexican currency or South American currency have a higher incidence of cocaine trace than American currency?
Probably not.
http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2011/12/illegal-drugs-air-quality/
There are drugs in our air too. This is making it harder to “say no to drugs.”