Senator: No health insurance for illegal migrants

[Terri]

By RICARDO ALONSO-ZALDIVAR
Associated Press
May 22, 2009

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Illegal immigrants won't be entitled to medical insurance under the health legislation Congress is working on, a leading lawmaker said Thursday.

Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., said the health overhaul would cover nearly everyone -- 94 percent to 96 percent of the population -- but not undocumented workers. Baucus is chairman of the Finance Committee, which has taken the lead in drafting the sweeping legislation.

"We aren't going to cover undocumented workers because that's too politically explosive," Baucus said during a session with reporters, in which he previewed legislation he expects to introduce by mid-June.

President Barack Obama wants Congress to revamp health care this year, and Baucus says he's confident a bill can pass with support from both parties.

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[RW]

Health INSURANCE is a good idea, let 'em pay the premiums. It's FREE HEALTH CARE I am against!

[Der Alte]

We aren't going to cover undocumented workers because that's too politically explosive," Baucus said during a session with reporters, in which he previewed legislation he expects to introduce by mid-June.

Politically Explosive - hell Max, its wrong. Send all of them home and the costs of medical care will go down. Who do you think picks up the tab for their visits to the Emergency Room.

[elmerck1]

Have you checked the way Mr Baucus does his job. He lets the staff write the bills and he endorses them, and talks his buddy from Iowa into accepting it,and then they go to the floor and try to sell it.That man has an I.Q. of about 25, and it is really a shame someone like that is over the finance com.The only reason he is chairman is he has senority of the people on the committee, so he inherited it.He and barney frank make a good pair, and if you have ever seen them in conference on a bill, you know what i mean.

[Thundercat505]

Illegal immigrants won't be entitled to medical insurance under the health legislation Congress is working on, a leading lawmaker said Thursday.

uh huh, and just how will you differentiate legal from illegal????? will it be allowed for the companies to ask if they are legal???

I seriously doubt it!!! besides, this will be just another way for them to take us down once more. they are draining one system and now will be able to drain another due to no questions being allowed to ask??????

[ReneeCA.]

Thundercat. You and I know there is moore to this then meets the eye.

There has to be some kind of loophole for the illegals besides just having to go to the emergency room for help. The illegals are too big a constituency for the Democrats not to allow them coverage.

Someone better read the whole bill this time?

[Thundercat505]

Someone better read the whole bill this time?

I hear all you have said renee! it doesn't make sense not to be able to ask because even if they purchase insurance they can still drain that coverage AND that will cost the rest of us that have the ability to afford coverage that much more for our own coverage.

look at what is happening with katrina!! billions paid into home owners insurance all the years of good weather and one storm!! now the companies don't want to pay and in fact I live 300 miles from new orleans and MY insurance went up 10% the first year and the following few years is due to go up another 5% each year!! imagine what happens when too many illegals flood the system and the companies refuse to pay the bill!

they start cutting coverage, they up the prices and in general screws everyone just like the illegals have by flooding our hospitals and either skip paying or just don't pay.

and someone still wants a national health care or they want no health insurance for illegals, yet at the same time they will do like they do employers--they tie their hands to the point that if they ask, they get prosecuted, yet if they hire them they get a stiff fine, then they cut off the e-verify so they can't ask at all in any manner shape or form!

moronic at best!!

[RiverKing]

I have no problem with illegals having medical insurance IF they pay for it. Of course, I feel the same way about Senators and Congressmen having medical insurance. I only get excited about it when I realize that I'm paying for their (illegals', Senators', and Congressmen's) insurance in addition to my own.

[utexas]

Just give Bam-Bam and the Commicrats time and they will give it away to the illegals for free. The first goal is just getting the health plan passed. Once that goal is scored, then they will work on the second goal of giving it to everybody, including the illegals. Remember one step at a time, if you try to take too much at once, the sleeping public will lash back once they figure out they are being taken for a ride, but if you take it in innocent-looking small increments, the stupid public won't say anything and might not even notice.

The easiest way for them to get around not providing it for illegals is to make the illegals legal through amnesty. Then they can give them all the benefits and freebies they want, including free health care. And of course, they will have millions of new voters who will vote Democrat for generations to come, keeping the Commiecrats in power forever.

[Ralph Cringely]

Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., said the health overhaul would cover nearly everyone -- 94 percent to 96 percent of the population -- but not undocumented workers.

What about undocumented non-workers?

Many illegals are children, or unemployed. They aren't workers. And there's another category to consider, the documented illegals. You know, the 3 or 4 million who came with valid documents such as tourist visas and student visas, but slipped into the workforce. They aren't undocumented.

Maybe the AP reporter twisted Senator Baucus' comments about illegals to be about undocumented workers. Or maybe the Senator spoke carelessly. Whichever, discussion about who should be covered will best proceed if it focuses on "illegal aliens" rather than "undocumented workers".