Blog - Joe Wilson Voted to Provide Taxpayer Money for Illegal Immigrants' Healthcare 
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Joe Wilson Voted to Provide Taxpayer Money for Illegal Immigrants' Healthcare
September 11, 2009 - by Donny Shaw
On Wednesday night, Rep. Joe Wilson [R, SC-2], shouted “You lie!” at President Obama when he said that the healthcare bill would not cover illegal immigrants. “The supporters of the government takeover of healthcare and liberals who want to give healthcare to illegals are using my opposition as an excuse to distract from the critical questions being raised about this poorly conceived plan,” Wilson said the next day in a campaign fundraising video.
However, in 2003, Wilson voted to provide federal funds for illegal immigrants’ healthcare. The vote came on the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003, which contained Sec. 1011 authorizing $250,000 annually between 2003 and 2008 for government reimbursements to hospitals who provide treatment for uninsured illegal immigrants. The program has been extended through 2009 and there is currently a bipartisan bill in Congress to make it permanent.
Hospitals have a legal obligation to treat everyone who comes in seeking care, regardless of citizenship status, insurance or other characteristics. This means that hospitals treat millions of people every year who don’t have the means to pay. Obviously, this drives up the nation’s healthcare costs overall. Section 1011 helps cushion the costs for hospitals, but it’s not nearly enough to cover the actual costs in most areas.
To be fair, Section 1011 is just a small part of a much larger bill that contained many Republican priorities. Still, Wilson’s protest against the current healthcare reform proposal giving coverage to illegal immigrants (which is false), is in direct contradiction to his 2003 vote. Allowing illegal immigrants to purchase unsubsidized healthcare through the Exchange that would be set up under the current proposal wouldn’t cost taxpayers a cent, and it would be a step towards fixing the problem that Section 1011 was designed to throw federal money at.
Here are a few more links on Wilson and the healthcare reform bill:
- Wilson’s OpenCongress profile
- Wilson’s OpenCongress Wiki page
- The House healthcare bill
- The line in the bill blocking subsidies for illegal immigrants
- The healthcare bill’s tax increases
- 5 major lies about the healthcare bill debunked
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Displaying 211-240 of 303 total comments.
Hey Staff, You lie!!! The bill is going to supply illegals with healthcare due to it doesn’t say it will keep them from applying. It’s a word game that dems play every day. Do you know what the meaning of the word is ‘IS’?? Chalk one up for the Repubs.
I love all the hate and death wishes toward republicans on this blog. They know not what they say. Have you ever heard the saying “What goes around comes around”
I’m a Democrat and I don’t like them either. In fact, here’s a video on that very subject. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_E4V1Brsm9o
I’m in love with Joe Wilson. He’s my new found hero. Go Joe!!! I have just made out a check for $2,000 for your campaign in 2010. I recommend everyone to do the same. Lets wipe our feets on the dems in 2010. Clean congress out!! Go Joe!!!!!!!!!!………………………Fan of Capitalism, Hater of Obama’s communist Views and CZARS
There is an inaccuracy in this article. Hospitals are NOT legally required to provide all care for patients. They are required to provide emergency care if you go through the ER. That means they stabilize you and provide trauma surgery and some other emergency services. But if you have cancer and need chemo or radiation to survive or you need an organ transplant or back surgery or chronic care for diabetes, etc., the hospitals and physicians have NO legal obligation to give you that care if you can’t pay for it. They may do some services under charity, but in most cases uninsured patients do not have access to the care they need. That is why 18,000 uninsured people die each year according to the IOM. The statement that “Hospitals have a legal obligation to treat everyone…” is misleading. If that were the case, we wouldn’t be so passionate about health care reform. I was a hospital financial manager for 15 years and I know. Alison Victoria
If you are naive enough to believe that we do not already pay for illegals healthcare you must be living on a different planet. Drop in to most any emergency room and you will find them. Especially in California. I am not speaking of those who are here legally nor am I being racist about illegals I think no one should be turned away. My point is that you people do not seem to understand that we are already paying for all of those people who are not covered by insurance and live on the poverty line.So why are you against a bill that might even lessen the amount we pay in premiums, co-pays and deductables.
I would like to know why people keep calling it universal health care? I could be wrong and I often am , but is that the same thing as public option?
The terms are often confused. Universal health care simply means that everyone is covered in one way or another – government and/or private insurance. That is the goal. Unfortunately, universal health care has come to mean “nationalized” or “socialized” medicine or “single-payer.” (Or even “Hitler’s Nazi Health Care Program” in the minds of some wackos). The public option, along with private insurance, Medicare, Medicaid, etc., is one way to get us to coverage for everybody. It just gives us one more choice. The single-payer option (where the government basically insures everyone) has never been on the table. That has not kept anyone from objecting to the Public Option and treating it like a scary “socialized” healthcare plan. I’d personally like to have the choice of a public plan with low overhead in which premiums actually paid for healthcare and not fatcat CEO salaries and stock dividends.
I’m a die hard Democrat – and Joe Wilson is a complete liar since illegals have NEVER been covered in the health care bill – however, this is not remotely the same thing, reimbursing hospitals for care they are legally required to provide.
As it stands now, anyone who shows up at a hospital needing care cannot be turned away. Hospitals get the government to cover the costs. That means that right now every taxpayer in the country is paying a hidden tax for covering medical care that we could be providing for up front and for less money. And it doesn’t mean only illegal immigrants. Poverty doesn’t know color. Note also that because of our penny pinching, doctors now fly in from overseas to provide medical care to poor US communities. If our system is so good why do we need foreign aid in the form of basic medical care for our own people?
JOE WILSON voted to help more hospitals keep from going broke. It is mandatory for a hospital to provide care regardless of the ability to pay! Providing care to illegals and losers have caused several hospitals and clinics in small towns to close! FACT: Hospitals and clinics have to OVERCHARGE people with insurance or the ability to pay to cover for the losers that won’t pay! Rather than make people responsible government wants to reward laziness by pushing the state burden of medicaid onto all taxpayers. Then the responsible people that payed into medicare for their whole career will be cut off or rationed! THINK, THEN KILL THIS BILL!
“JOE WILSON voted to help more hospitals keep from going broke. It is mandatory for a hospital to provide care regardless of the ability to pay!”
Only emergency care.
“Providing care to illegals and losers have caused several hospitals and clinics in small towns to close! FACT: Hospitals and clinics have to OVERCHARGE people with insurance or the ability to pay to cover for the losers that won’t pay!”
That’s true whether insurance is privatized and for profit OR if it’s covered by a single payer system of the government (and what works for Tricare).
“Rather than make people responsible government wants to reward laziness by pushing the state burden of medicaid onto all taxpayers.”
We’re already all paying for it!
“Then the responsible people that payed into medicare for their whole career will be cut off or rationed!”
How so? If anything this expands medicare & medicade it doesn’t shrink such systems.
“THINK, THEN KILL THIS BILL!”
Think indeed!
I have read the bill (h.r.3200) and detailed what it actually says at www.FaithfulinPrayer.wordpress.com. The only place it says anything about illegal aliens is on page 146, Section 246 where is says “no federal payments for affordability credits on behalf of individuals who are not lawfully present in the United States”.
Wake up intransigent and belligerent right-wing members of Congress. Y’all can’t see the forest for the trees. You’re rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic. And a bunch of other cliched metaphors too, probably. Is the ship of state going to sink if a small percentage of people con the system and get care they’re not entitled to? No. Is the economic forest going to burn if five percent of the people choose a government-run option? No. Are we all screwed beyond belief if we don’t turn this thing around right now? Most definitely. All you’ve got to do is make sure there are mechanisms in the bill to plug the holes or prevent unfair competition and get on with it. Now do you think you can grow up for a few seconds and do this, or do we have to send Larry The Cable Guy to the Hill? And while we’re talking about growing up, show some respect for the presidency. You don’t have to like the president or agree with him to do that. Just be an adult.
Lawrence O’Donnel the newsman who spent much of his career in Washinton in close contact with members of Congress has revealed quite emphatically that “just about everyone in DC” thinks that Rep. Joe Wilson is something of an idiot. Now to your article indicates that he is a hypocritical odiot !
Rep Joe Wilson was inappropriate, sure. The purpose of that whole Presidential Address was to enlighten, explain and make clear. Mission NOT accomplished. I understand his outburst in terms of an emotional response. The President was utilizing the address platform as a soap box pep talk. No clarification was given. Even the misleading “explanation” of how this bill will be funded was left poorly and only half way answered…, “with savings made from ineffective/inefficient practices in the current system”. The economics of this plan don’t work, read the bill and consider history to be the best teacher. Less government is good, not a complete lack of it (i.e…, we need regulation, left and right limits…, not government micro management). Capitalism is harsh, its not nice, if you don’t like it why stay in the home of it? I understand why you do it, its much easier to let others provide for you than to provide for yourself, but the providers…getting pretty tired of it.
Cancel Joe Wilson’s, and all HC reform opposing members of Congress’ health insurance coverage for pre-existing conditions of being REPTILES. See how they like being treated at the Drs. office
So….
If he voted to reimburse hospitals for costs that they incurred because hospitals were mandated to help illegal aliens…
So, He voted to help defray the costs of ILLEGAL ALIENS to hospitals. Thereby, He helped to pay for illegal aliens health care! This is basic logic, REALLY BASIC!!!
Duh…..
Joe Wilson, THE HYPOCRITE.
Some people don’t realize that by making everyone have insurance, it makes it cheaper FOR EVERYONE! Currently you are paying for people who are uninsured who have to go to the hospital. Yes, you are paying apx 1K a year in increased premiums because YOU ARE PAYING FOR THE UNINSURED.
The amount of Canadians who think that their healthcare is better than the US?
91%!!!
Insurance and Pharmaceutical Companies are funding this opposition to the tune of over $1.4M PER DAY! You are being mislead by news entertainers, even they don’t call themselves newsmen, they are multi-millionaires who have their own health insurance and don’t give a damn about yours.
True, the bill does not specify citizenship enforcement requirements. What would you propose as valid proof, an easily forged birth certificate perhaps? Many repubs don’t believe the prez’s is legit…
Obama Lied Wilson Right
http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2009/09/10/taking_liberties/entry5301652.shtml
1. According to the Congressional Research Service, HR 3200 “does not contain any restrictions on noncitzens participating.” The system would essentially operate on an honor system by illegal immigrants.
2. HR 3200 provides State Medicaid agencies with the ability to set eligibility standards for the low income subsidies. Since States are given a 100% federal match, there is nothing to discourage them from setting loose standards that allow illegal immigrants to be enrolled in the program.
3. With the help of the National Council of La Raza, House Democrats defeated two amendments offered to HR 3200 that would have added explicit taxpayer protections to stop benefits from going to illegal immigrants.
4. Senate Democrats promised Friday to include NEW citizenship verification requirements in their health care bill, proving that Joe Wilson was right about giant loophole in the House bill.
Joe Wilson was right, Obama Lied
Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC) was right. The President was being dishonest when he said the House health care bill does not providing benefits to illegal immigrants. It does.
Obama did lie, Obamacare will insure illegal immigrants, Joe Wilson was right…
http://www.examiner.com/x-21448-Charlotte-Political-Buzz-Examiner~y2009m9d10-Obama-did-lie-Obamacare-will-insure-illegal-immigrants
http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/blogs/beltway-confidential/Obamacare-wont-cover-illegal-immigrants—55021087.html
Obamacare won’t cover illegal immigrants? Yes it will, says Congressional Research Service…
ALIPAC Takes Issue With Obama’s Lie about Health Care for illegal immigrants
http://www.mmdnewswire.com/illegal-immigrant-health-care-5716.html
“I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them. " – Thomas Jefferson
The Constitution does not guarantee any free stuff, entitlements etc., to anybody, this includes but is not limited to Health Care on your neighbors dime…
We need to get back to the tenets this Country was founded on; small-limited government, self-reliance…
Ever try to get health care in Mexico? no cash, no service, you can drop-dead at the doorstep of the hospital if you cannot pay for it…
Socialized Medicine is in fact unsustainable, as has been proved everywhere it has been tried in the history of the world, including this Country; E.G.: Massachusetts.
This Administrations Socialist Tax & Spend, Entitlement and Generational Debt. has to STOP!
Deregulate, repeal all existing entitlement programs, ban future ones, repeal the 16th Amendment, repeal the IRS & BATFE, implement the FairTax http://www.fairtax.org and give people 100% of the paycheck in their hand…
Now that’s right CHANGE…
Charity begins at home, and should be your individual choice.
Congressman Joe Wilson might be tempted to yell “You lie!” again – this time at a poll that shows the presidential heckler trailing in his reelection bid.
“Republicans believe every day is the Fourth of July, but the democrats believe every day is April 15.” – Ronald Reagan
Does Joe as a military man, and congressman have government health care?
Does not Joe’s four sons not have taxpayer paid health care as they are employed by the government?
Would Joe let an illegal immigrant spread disease in the USA rather than treat them?
Does Joe have a heart? Probably not as he is a military judge who probably loves sending men to prison.
Those who will lose their jobs because of health care reform can always take on some other jobs, like working in farms. We are kicking out all the illegal aliens anyway. More than half of them work in farms earning less than minimum wage. Or you can bus tables in restaurants..or work in sweat shops..or cut grass..Let’s kick out all the illegals so we can have their jobs !!!
If socialized medicine worked, why would governments around the world be abandoning it?
“We need to get back to the tenets this Country was founded on; small-limited government, self-reliance.”
How would a smaller government work? What services would it provide?
“Socialized Medicine is in fact unsustainable, as has been proved everywhere it has been tried in the history of the world, including this Country”
Where are your facts to support this claim?
“This Administrations Socialist Tax & Spend, Entitlement and Generational Debt. has to STOP!”
I think that the federal Goverment needs to be much smarter about how it spends the money that it receives. I don’t think you will find anyone who would disagree with that.
While it may be trendy to chastise the current administration for it’s spending habits, I will assume that you were also doing the same for the previous administration who generated the largest budget deficit in the history of this country. if you did, then I appalud you for your consistency. If you did not, then why should we listen to you?
English is my second language, you bigoted liberal.
“I can find no warrant for such an appropriation in the Constitution, and I do not believe that the power and duty of the general government ought to be extended to the relief of individual suffering which is in no manner properly related to the public service or benefit. A prevalent tendency to disregard the limited mission of this power and duty should, I think, be steadfastly resisted, to the end that the lesson should be constantly enforced that, though the people support the government, the government should not support the people.” – Grover Cleveland 22nd & 24th President of the United States.