Help for Maryland Hospitals Rests on Reporting Immigrants

The federal government will reimburse Maryland hospitals $1.3 million annually for the emergency treatment of illegal immigrants -- if hospitals question patients on their legal status and photocopy their citizenship documents under a rule that goes into effect Sept. 1. Critics fear that the policy will turn hospital clerks into immigration agents, scare immigrants away from seeking health care and create more red tape for hospitals. Congress passed legislation last year to provide $250 million annually over the next four years to reimburse hospitals nationally that treat illegal immigrants. Hospitals have sought reimbursement for years to cover the cost of providing medical care to uninsured illegal immigrants. [more ]