Hospitals Already Report Domestic Violence Victims, Gunshot Wounds and Suspected Child Abuse
Why All the Controversy About Reporting Illegal Aliens?

May 11, 2004

Dear Colleague:

One of the objections you will hear about HR 3722, my legislation to add accountability to the monies appropriated in the Medicare Modernization Act we passed last year, is that we don't want to turn hospitals into law enforcement agencies.

I agree completely. That is why my bill does not mandate doctors obtain immigration information. It does not affect the treatment given to illegal aliens. Actually, hospitals do not have to obtain any information at all if they don't want to participate in the reimbursement program.

What the bill does do is make sure that hospitals document that they are actually treating an illegal alien if they want to be reimbursed for the treatment. Surely, if the funds appropriated are expressly for illegal aliens, at the very least we can make sure the money is spent for the purpose it was appropriated for.

And just as hospitals do not arrest child abusers or gang members, they would not be involved in anything other than reporting to the Department of Homeland Security the illegal aliens they have treated. The DHS is then responsible for enforcement, which is as it should be.

Congress and state and local governments have decided that in certain dangerous situations, such as child abuse, public agencies such as hospitals and schools must proactively participate with law enforcement to ensure dangerous criminals are not allowed to continue victimizing the innocent. Surely with the continuing experience our country has had with terrorism a proactive policy, particularly since it involves a voluntary taxpayer reimbursement to hospitals, is appropriate.

Please read the summary of this legislation. If you agree that illegal immigration is a problem and this is a start to controlling the runaway costs of emergency room care, please co-sponsor this legislation by calling Maureen Muncy at XXXX.

Sincerely,

Dana Rohrabacher
Member of Congress