Speech #1050097633

Mr. President. I am offering legislation with Senator KYL as original cosponsor. a legislation which provides full reimbursement to state and local counties for costs incurred for emergency medical services and ambulatory services provided to undocumented aliens injured during a pursuit by border patrol or under the custody of federal. state. or local authorities. This legislation: Authorizes full reimbursement for emergency medical costs. including ambulatory services for illegal aliens who are injured during illegal crossings at land and sea ports. or during a pursuit by border patrol. or while in custody of Federal. State. or local authorities. Authorizes up to $18 million per year for the next 4 years from a separate account under the Attorney General to reimburse States and localities for emergency medical services provided to illegal aliens. Requires the Attorney General to submit a written report to Senate and House Judiciary Committees on the policy and practice. including custody practice. of the border patrol by March 1. 1998. Requires annual report by the Attorney General to Senate and House Judiciary and Appropriations Committees on the implementation of this bill. INS reports show that in Fiscal Year 1996. 1.65 million illegal aliens were apprehended. of which 97 percent or 1.6 million apprehensions were made at the Southwest border. INS also reports that more than 300.000 illegal aliens come into the country every year and in Fiscal Year 1997. over 111.000 criminal and other illegal aliens were put through formal deportation proceedings. With increased focus on apprehending illegal aliens at the 140mile stretch of our Southwest border. recent reports also show increases in unreimbursed emergency medical service cost of illegal aliens to State and local county hospitals. The California State auditor recently released a report which charged that San Diego alone incurred up to $8.1 million in unreimbursed charges in emergency medical service for illegal aliens between January 1996 and May 1997. The auditor estimates that San Diego hospitals incurred from $4.9 to $8.1 million in unreimbursed emergency medical services and ambulatory services for up to 1.074 illegal aliens during the 17month period. The unreimbursed medical service costs include hospital care. costs incurred for paramedics and air transportations. physicians. surgeons. and laboratories. These uncompensated services. which hospitals and other emergency service providers are required to provide under California law. were provided to illegal aliens who were injured during illegal crossings at the border and while escaping border patrol pursuits. The Sacramento Bee recently reported the following: Every time a Border patrol chase results In injuries. San Diego area hospitals provide free care to those injured... (For instance). medical care for Fransclso Quinterawho was struck by a car while fleeing Border patrol agentscost UCSD Medical Center over $1 million in uncompensated expenses. In one recent vehicle chase. a van loaded with illegal immigrants crashed while evading the Border Patrol. costing Scripps Hospital $200.000 and Mercy Hospital $100.000 in uncompensated care. In the 1996 Immigration Act. Congress acknowledged the huge cost shift to state and local county hospitals in unreimbursed cost for emergency medical services provided to illegal aliens by authorizing full reimbursement for emergency Medicaid and ambulatory services. However. the $25 million appropriated annually over the next 4 years under the Balanced Budget Act for emergency Medicaid for illegal aliens is insufficient to cover the full cost of emergency medical services for illegal aliens nationwide. where high immigrant States like California. Texas. New York.