Speech #1100054413

President. I rise today to highlight one of the most important domestic issues this country is facing. and that is rising health care costs. I think it is also important to point out that nearly 10 million noncitizens are uninsured according to the September 2006 U.S. Census report on the uninsured. Since no hospital can legally deny a person health care because of their immigration status or inability to pay. my amendment would help prevent that cost from b~eing shifted to the American taxpayers in the form of uncompensated care. Since about threefourths of all uncompensated care costs are paid by taxpayers in the form of national and State programs. it is imperative the Senate pass my amendment that would require Z visa holders to maintain a minimum level of private health coverage. Under this amendment. minimum health coverage would be defined as a highdeductible health care plan. It Is my firm belief these visa holders should take some responsibility for their own health care and avoid burdening American taxpayers when they have medical problems. By requiring Z visa holders to have a minimum level of private health insurance. it will help keep individuals off public assistance and out of th le emergency rooms. According to the Economic Research Initiative of the Uninsured. immigrants as a group are nearly three times more likely to be uninsured than nativeborn U.S. citizens. I am almost certain some of my colleagues will say it is not possible for these visa holders to afford a private health insurance plan. In fact. there are plenty of highdeductible policies available on the individual market that are affordable. with an average cost of about $116 a month. Furthermore. these plans have seen only a 2.8percent increase on an annual basis compared to 8 percent for all other types of health plans. This low rate of increase is another reason highdeductible health plans are affordable to those with lower incomes. It is also important to point out that by having their own highdeductible health plans. visa holders will be able to keep their policy regardless of their employer. Many employers who want less expensive labor will likely help their employees pay for these highdeductible policies. Mr. President. it is also important to point out that there is a precedent for this type of action. In 1993. the Department of State issued regulations requiring students entering the United States under exchange visas to have health coverage. This amendment would only extend this policy to Z visa holders. What is most troubling to me is that this legislation before us does almost nothing to stem the rising costs of uncompensated care. If we do not pass my amendment. the growing cost of uncompensated care currently at $41 billion per year will only be exacerbated. Supporters of this bill will point to the State Impact Assistant Grant Program that is cstablished in the legislation. This grant program would be funded through fees paid by the immigrant. and it would be administered by the Federal Government to repay States for health and education expenses. However. even the bill language suggests. through a sense of the Congress. that this will not be enough to solve the problem of illegal immigrants using our health care services at a cost to the American taxpayer. Our country is spending $2 trillion per year on health care. While my amendment does not address the entire problem. it does address the problem of noncitizens using our resources at a cost to the American taxpayer. In my opinion. there are many problems with this legislation. But I believe this amendment will at least improve upon this extremely flawed bill.