Illegal Immigrant Allegedly Forced to Leave Hospital

[Gerald]

A Texas hospital is under fire for allegedly telling a surgical patient she had to leave the hospital immediately because she was an illegal immigrant.

Maria Sanchez, 24, told the Houston Chronicle that she had been at John Sealy Hospital -- part of the University of Texas Medical system -- for six days when a doctor told her on Jan. 12 that she should go to Mexico to have surgery on her growing spinal tumor. The hospital discharged her that day, the paper reported.

Sanchez's husband, Luis Aguillon, a legal U.S. resident, told the paper his wife is now getting medical care in Houston. But the couple's case is sparking a nationwide ethics debate.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/02/08...ration-status/


Note: Published February 08, 2011

[Ducimus]

I'm gonna side with the hospital. Nobody likes a freeloader.

[Dowly]

Originally Posted by Ducimus

I'm gonna side with the hospital. Nobody likes a freeloader.

I do agree.

[gimpy117]

yes, If she was just off the table or about to die it would be unethical...but im betting she wasn't about to drop dead any second.

[Gargamel]

Having been in the hospital for 6 days means she no longer falls under EMTALA. That law was written to cover emergency treatment and labor. Hence the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act. If the Doctors deemed her stable, and in no immediate life threat, then her inability to pay (assumed reason) would allow them to discharge her. Her transfer to another hospital would only be illegal if they sent her by ambulance without having a physician accept her at the receiving facility.

While the law does specificy citizenship and inability to pay are not reasons to deny treatment, she does not fall under this law because she was (assumed) in a fully stable, yet chronic, condition.

Aguillon said after his wife's discharge the couple visited at least five hospitals and three clinics before finally moving to Houston, where she qualified for care and is now being treated at Ben Taub General Hospital .

Clearly it was a failure to pay issue, else those other 8 facilities would be in the same spot. If this person wasn't an illegal immigrant, this would have never made the news.

[bookworm_020]

Maybe she could have washed the sheets and she would be allowed to stay?

[MothBalls]

Originally Posted by Ducimus

I'm gonna side with the hospital. Nobody likes a freeloader.

+1

Being the one who pays higher insurance premiums and taxes to pay for freeloaders, I say kick her to the curb. Is she going to pay for the 6 days she was there or are the rest of us paying for it?

That fact she was an illegal alien has nothing to do with it. There are plenty of US citizens who are refused treatment every day because they don't have the means or insurance to pay for a procedure and it doesn't make headlines.

Sorry for sounding like a bitter old man, but facts is facts and I get tired of hearing how bad we treat everyone else when we can't even take care of ourselves.

[Gerald]

The border must be drawn, and this is not about receiving a poor treatment.