Presenter Information
Ricky Pazer
Master Student at the Center for Global Health Ethics
Abstract
Millions of undocumented people live in America and roughly a million have entered every year since 2021. This is a hot-button issue in mainstream politics for a variety of reasons. However, there is an issue that tends to get overlooked which is their health care. In most states, undocumented people do not qualify for healthcare coverage of any kind. This leaves them reliant on EMTALA and emergency departments (ED). Through an examination of the various state and federal policies that pertain to undocumented people’s healthcare coverage, we can see that these people are in desperate need of assistance. It becomes clear that having millions of people reliant on EDs as their primary care leads to major issues with resource allocation, budgeting, and physician fatigue for hospitals around the country. New York and California both have programs that extend Medicaid eligibility to undocumented people. This model is quick and effective. However, it can be quite controversial since there are still nearly a dozen states that have yet to sign on to the Medicaid expansion for low-income Americans put in place by the ACA. Another possible model is one represented in Massachusetts that helps fund more free clinics and city or charitable hospitals around the state. This is a model that may be less controversial since it helps everyone, Americans and undocumented people alike. Also, a case study of a patient named Mrs. Gomez who was an undocumented person with kidney failure receiving care regularly through an ED can show the tension that can arise between the beneficence-focused physician and the justice-focused director of the ED. All of this suggests that America must find effective ways to provide affordable and accessible health care for all people in America, Americans and undocumented people alike. This is a matter of justice.
School
McAnulty College and Graduate School of Liberal Arts
Advisor
Dr. Joris Gielen
Submission Type
Paper
Publication Date
2024-03-17
Healthcare for Undocumented People in America
Millions of undocumented people live in America and roughly a million have entered every year since 2021. This is a hot-button issue in mainstream politics for a variety of reasons. However, there is an issue that tends to get overlooked which is their health care. In most states, undocumented people do not qualify for healthcare coverage of any kind. This leaves them reliant on EMTALA and emergency departments (ED). Through an examination of the various state and federal policies that pertain to undocumented people’s healthcare coverage, we can see that these people are in desperate need of assistance. It becomes clear that having millions of people reliant on EDs as their primary care leads to major issues with resource allocation, budgeting, and physician fatigue for hospitals around the country. New York and California both have programs that extend Medicaid eligibility to undocumented people. This model is quick and effective. However, it can be quite controversial since there are still nearly a dozen states that have yet to sign on to the Medicaid expansion for low-income Americans put in place by the ACA. Another possible model is one represented in Massachusetts that helps fund more free clinics and city or charitable hospitals around the state. This is a model that may be less controversial since it helps everyone, Americans and undocumented people alike. Also, a case study of a patient named Mrs. Gomez who was an undocumented person with kidney failure receiving care regularly through an ED can show the tension that can arise between the beneficence-focused physician and the justice-focused director of the ED. All of this suggests that America must find effective ways to provide affordable and accessible health care for all people in America, Americans and undocumented people alike. This is a matter of justice.