Speech #1020161837

I would also like to thank the conferees for their support of this important piece of legislation. I introduced this same measure last Congress. with the intention of assisting State and local governments in the maintenance and improvement of regional systems in trauma care. Based upon recent Congressional Budget Office estimates of the undocumented alien population and the Census Bureaus estimates of yearly growth in this targeted populationapproximately 6 million undocumented aliens and alien workers will be potential users of Americas health care systems in 1992. Of the 6 million undocumented aliens present in the country. approximately 1.8 million will utilize some form of health care services available to the population at large. and of that. 40 percent of the costs Incurred will be attributable to emergency medical servIces. My legislation establishes a program of formula grants to compensate In whole or In part. certain trauma care centers for unreimbursed costs incurred by treating undocumented aliens. It is my understanding that the conferees realize the crisis facing our Nations trauma care centers and authowzed $100 million to assist them for the fiscal year 1993. Under my provision. trauma care centers must prove that at least 15 percent of their unreimbursed trauma care costs are attributable to undocumented aliens. Furthermore. trauma care centers must prove that they attempted to track down the patient to recover the costs. But once they have demonstrated to the Secretary of Health and Human Services that a genuine effort at recouping the costs of trauma care provided has been attempted. assistance from the Federal Government will be provided. While the formula may be subject to change. it is estimated that the 15 percent figure will address the most dramatic needs of the various trauma care centers throughout the country--enabling them to keep their doors open. This problem is not a new one. In 1977. the House Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce. and the House Subcommittee on Health and Environment held hearings on five separate pieces of legislation which would have authorized the Public Health Service to provide financial assistance to medical facilities for trauma and medical emergency treatments provided to indigent and undocumented aliens. More recently. on September 11. 1985. the House Subcommittee on Immigration. Refugees. and International law held similar hearings on this exact issue. I do not think it is necessary for me to stand here on the floor and praise the virtues of trauma care centers and the role they play in saving lives. Without immediate treatment. many trauma patients die within the first hour of sustaining their injury.