Submitted by Ruzanna Harutyunyan on Jan 12th, 2009
The Iowa Legislature this year needs to include the "uninsured, undocumented immigrant child" in legislation "guaranteeing all eligible children health insurance by 2011," Sen. Jack Hatch (D-Iowa), chair of the Senate Health & Human Services Budget committee, and Sen. Joe Bolkcom (D-Iowa), chair of the Senate Ways & Means Committee, write in a Des Moines Register opinion piece.
The state Legislature last year approved legislation that guarantees eligible children health insurance by 2011. According to Hatch and Bolkcom, undocumented immigrant children were "left out" of the plan. They ask, "What does the state hope to achieve by promoting the perpetuation of a subclass of sick kids within our state, increasing the costs that are associated with disease and illness, all while putting our own kids at risk?"
They continue, "Studies have shown that allowing [undocumented immigrants] access to primary care health services is the best and cheapest way to keep them healthy." Hatch and Bolkcom write, "We are already providing health services to undocumented children in the emergency rooms of our community hospitals," which "is the single most expensive venue to provide health care services. It is far more cost-effective to provide care in an organized fashion."
"Through the proposal that will be presented this legislative session, we hope to join the ranks of other states that have decided to provide access to health care programs to undocumented immigrant children," Hatch and Bolkcom write. "There is no justifiable purpose in denying health care coverage for these kids" (Hatch/Bolkcom, Des Moines Register, 1/12).
Reprinted with permission from kaisernetwork.org. You can view the entire Kaiser Weekly Health Disparities Report, search the archives, and sign up for email delivery at kaisernetwork.org/email . The Kaiser Weekly Health Disparities Report is published for kaisernetwork.org, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. © 2007 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.
Comments
#1 The children of Illegal
The children of Illegal aliens need to return with their parents home country to get their free health care.
The United States barely offers health Care for U.S children, so why should the children of criminals be treated better then our own U.S. Citizens.
Our is Economy down and Millions of American Citizens are out of work an Unemployment is at its highest level and our highest leaders considering amnesty?????
We need the SAVE ACT and E-verify used for every business and NOT Amnesty for criminals.
E-verify does not discriminate against RACE, Religion, SEX or physically capability only your Citizenship and your LEGAL right to be and work in United States.
If we can stop Predatory business owners from hiring then the Illegal Aliens will not Stay and return to their native Countries.
This ISSUE is not about RACE, but Governments Federal/State/LOCAL not doing their jobs, because big and small business owners want cheap workers and no labor laws to bother with......Its called GREED!
Both Liberals and Conservatives need to take some pride in our Country and protect it from all invading nations citizens and corporate greed.
Please support, NO IMMIGRANT BASHING or HATE Crimes.
HATE only feeds the single RACE agenda groups for Open Borders and the Media.
www.numbersusa.com
http://dontspeakforme.org/