Hospital Closes Dialysis Unit for Illegal Immigrants
Some knew before the crossing that they had diabetes or lupus or high blood pressure, but it was only after they arrived that their kidneys began to fail. To survive, they needed dialysis at a cost of about $50,000 a year, which their sporadic work as housekeepers, painters and laborers could not begin to cover.
And so they turned to Grady, a taxpayer-supported safety-net hospital that would provide dialysis to anyone in need, even illegal immigrants with no insurance or ability to pay.
If you set up a life saving facility that gives people care they cannot get in their own countries then you are obviously going to attract sick, expensive-to-treat patients from all over the world.
DOH.
Worse than what Ken said: they have no source of funding to pay for all this free caring they are delivering.
If Atlanta wants to attract sick people from all over the world who need care and have no money, then let Atlenta pay the cost. I hope they don’t go to the federal government asking for a taxpayer bailout.
Dialysis costs $50,000 per year only because the government is the only source of payment. Dialysis is a rather simple technology. Because people have not been paying out of pocket for dialysis for the past 35 years, no market developed that competes on cost. Thus, the public funds (and rations) dialysis.
If people cannot afford healthcare, regardless of what country they come from then of course they will seek out free help. The employers of the illegal immigrants have no qualms about paying below average wages for their labour!! So they at least should not complain when they ask for free medical help. I personally do not care if a person is illegal or not, if they are poor and really cannot afford medical care then as a fellow human being I hope they find it whether in USA, UK or any other country that offers free healthcare. Why are there no charity collections for medical centers that offer free healthcare? Put the hat out … or are people “with” too mean to contribute to those “without”. I pray to God and thank him daily that my life is good compared to some. Yes I am unemployed, yes I have health issues, but I praise the lord that there are some people out there who are willing to give help to those who need it … illegal or not!