Impact of Uninsured Population Project PART TWO & FINAL - Essay Example

With more and more states, Texas included, passing laws making it illegal for immigrants here without papers to receive benefits, medical insurance becomes unavailable for these individuals and their families. Illegal immigrants coming into Texas are young and healthy workers, but as years pass, these workers have children, and grow older. This makes illegal immigrants have the same medical needs as average Americans. However, because of their illegal status, many of these individuals put off routine health care.

Wolf (2008) suggests “For many illegal immigrants, the fear of deportation outweighs the pain of illness or injury, so they live with their afflictions rather than seeking help until their health problems become critical.” An example would by high blood pressure. Most Americans go to the doctor and are placed on medication. An illegal immigrant will live with high blood pressure until they have a heart attack or stroke. Wolf (2008) explains “Illegal immigrants can get emergency care through Medicaid, the federal-state program for the poor and people with disabilities.

But they cant get non-emergency care unless they pay. They are ineligible for most other public benefits.” Since medical care is so high, many immigrants can only receive care through the emergency room. The organization that will be affected by the uninsured Texas illegal immigrants would be the taxpayers of Texas first and foremost, but then the emergency rooms around the state taking these individuals in. Money does not grow on trees. If the state of Texas runs out of money allotted for medical expenses for the uninsured, or with the new legislation passed making it illegal to give undocumented immigrants benefits, the hospitals take up the slack.

Then hard choices must be made. Wolf (2008) states “The University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston is considering denying cancer care to