On his ride back to Indiantown from a landscaping job one afternoon nearly a decade ago, Luis Alberto Jimenez’s destiny collided with the front end of a stolen van. The impact killed two passengers in the car he was in and landed the van’s drunken driver, Donald Flewellen, in prison for nearly 10 years on a DUI manslaughter charge.
The crash also left Jimenez, an illegal Guatemalan immigrant, with debilitating injuries and the cognitive ability of a fourth-grader.
Jimenez has become the center of a legal battle between the hospital that flew him back to Guatemala after spending more than $1 million on his care and Jimenez’s family members who say the hospital falsely imprisoned him and deported him so it would no longer have to pay to treat him. The case is at the forefront of national debates on health care and immigration…
Against objections from Montejo (Jimenez’ cousin) and his attorney – after two years – a judge eventually sided with Martin Memorial. Montejo filed an appeal, but less than a day later hospital officials took Jimenez to Guatemala on a chartered jet…
An appeals court in 2004 overturned Judge Fennelly’s decision, saying he had no jurisdiction to authorize the return…
Martin Memorial officials declined last week to comment on the specifics of the case. They said their situation reflects those of hospitals across the country.
“Unfortunately, the cost of providing that care is rising and the burden of paying the health care bill for many undocumented immigrants is falling on hospitals and health systems that simply cannot afford to pay it,” hospital communications director Ronda Wilburn said in an e-mail.
I don’t know of another country that spends so much time feeling guilty over the plight of those who enter the country illegally. Should we just pick up the tab for everything?
If they had the authority, I think they should deport illegals.
The decision of what a hospital will/should/have to/do when encountering illegals will be real simple when all hospitals become government property filled with faceless bureaucrats whose only job is to not get fired.
Makes one wonder what kind of help this ‘free medical care’ will be for those who don’t fit into mould of a good citizen – whether they be illegal, poor or choose to live off the grid.
America clearly needs its underclass of low paid illegal ‘untouchables’ in order to prosper, otherwise they wouldn’t get jobs. Its only fair that they get health care on these jobs.
Its also fair under the current system that the employer pays for this cover, but all you pointy heads don’t wanna make it legit.
#33 – Patrick – What’s your point?
My point is that most Americans wouldn’t take these jobs, because they don’t pay enough to justify the amount of work and pain that’s involved.
#36 – Hugh Ripper
I fully agree with you, but the thing with making it legitimate is that the salaries will go up and the companies can no longer tie the illegals down to their plantation.
by Eideard “I don’t know of another country that spends so much time feeling guilty over the plight of those who enter the country illegally. Should we just pick up the tab for everything?”
I do, here in good old Oz, bleeding hearts abound everywhere, illegals somehow get better legal reps than those of us born here can afford. Then factor in that even 1/4 wages is still 200% better than they had at home …. wonder where the jobs go?
#38 Jag
Yes, the shock and horror of wages going up. Always a problem. The wealthy will never allow that. Better to keep em illegal and desperate.
Perversely, if wages did go up, residents would apply for the jobs and the illegals wouldn’t be needed.
#37
That mantra is as dated as a 4% unemployment level.
Alternative Fuels:
By increasing the cost of gasoline, alternatives fuel sources that were impractical, became viable.
Unemployment:
As the volume of unemployed increases, jobs that were formally avoided, will be chosen.
In one respect, a very high unemployment level is the only fair and equitable way to chase illegals out of the country, by making someplace else more attractive.
#40 – Hugh Ripper – if wages did go up, residents would apply for the jobs and the illegals wouldn’t be needed.
Very true. But it would also mean higher prices in the stores, which would lead to Average Joe asking for a salary increase. That means inflation… which means that rich people are getting poorer (actually it’s everyone, but the rich will lose the most).
#41 – Rick’s Cafe – In one respect, a very high unemployment level is the only fair and equitable way to chase illegals out of the country, by making someplace else more attractive.
No worries… the next Republican President will arrange that.
#42 Jag
My bleeding heart doesn’t bleed for the rich. 😉
A slightly poorer but more equitable society does tickle my fancy, however.
#44 – Hugh Ripper
The only roadblock is the rich… they’ve got plenty of influence in the – two party – elections that takes place every four years in the USA.
#45 Jag
Agreed. Left or Right, Democrat for Republican, Liberal or Labour, Coke or Pepsi, its all irrelevant. The rich elite are directing this pantomime.
While a good old French Revolution style class war would seem to be the cure, I’m eternally hopefully that the elites will grow some goodwill. Clearly I’m delusional.
#43
Thanks mate, look forward to that time!
Do ya think maybe we should hurry up the process by shortening the current President’s term? A side benfit would be fewer free loaders of the ‘free’ medical care….in addition to all those low paying jobs.
#43, yeah damn republicans causing unemployment to go up the last 5 months. I swear if they weren’t in charge it would be around 1%, but no, since they are in charge, its up around 8%. Damn Bush, we need to get him out of office, that and throw all the republicans out too congress too.
What? We did that 5 months ago? Damn.
No, the Hospital should not have chartered a private jet to fly him home. They should have put him on a stretcher and drove him to the nearest INS office and dropped him off.
The Hospital is there only to treat people, not make legal decisions for them. If he is a criminal with, for example, condoms filled with drugs in his stomach, they would not hesitate to call in the police. The same should apply here.
A great many people like to be charitable here operating under the mistaken idea that the government is paying for all this when in fact they are paying for it.
I can’t wait for the new health care package so I can pay a 25% income tax on my insurance while the unions are exempt.
Don’t feel bad guys. It’s just Obama and Congress spreading your money around and of course you do remember he said he wasn’t going to increase the taxes of the middle class. That might be true because based on what I make I may not make enough to count as middle class. A few more tax increases and a lot of people won’t be taking home enough money to count as middle class. Don’t ya just feel the love?
I think one liberal paper reported that 58% of their readers approve. Of course almost 100% of their readers voted for Obama and Democratic so that might suggest that a lot of border state newly elected Congress critters had better think twice about this.
#48 – Bob
Dumb post, but you’re too dumb to realize it.
If I was on the jury I’d favor Martin Memorial. Then I’d also ask why the hospital and the state are not suing the crap out of the landscaping company and the drunk driver for their negligence and illegal activity.
In these cases the only humane thing to do is to shut up and make sure he survives. Hand over the case to immigration when he is fit to be released.
The US health care system is such a mess. But what else would you expect when it is run by companies trying to maximize profits. Anyone against state run or governed health care should just think for a second: your doctors and health insurance company wants to maximize their their pay check and how can they do that…..by screwing you.
#51, Jag,
There ya go agin, picking on the retards.
🙂
#53, Nekkes,
Hand over the case to immigration when he is fit to be released.
The problem was, he wasn’t fit to be released. He had no one to care for him or to take him. He couldn’t be released on his own because of the brain damage.
# 37 Jägermeister said, “My point is that most Americans wouldn’t take these jobs,”
You’d be wrong. Before the illegals, Americans worked them.
# 42 Jägermeister said, “Very true. But it would also mean higher prices in the stores,”
The cost difference between ~$2.50 & $5.50/hr picking lettuce only adds a few cents per head to the cost.
#54 – Mr. Fusion
Shame on me. 🙁
#37 – Patrick – Before the illegals, Americans worked them.
And what has changed since then?
#57 – Patrick – The cost difference between ~$2.50 & $5.50/hr picking lettuce only adds a few cents per head to the cost.
Does that cover health care benefits, vacation pay etc?
# 58 Jägermeister said, “And what has changed since then?”
Illegals will work for under minimum wage because they aren’t about to turn in the employer.
Let me know if you need and more obvious questions answered.
# 58 Jägermeister said, “Does that cover health care benefits, vacation pay etc?”
No, none of those things are required to be paid. You do live in the US, right?
I read that the employer of a foriegner working in China
is responsible for the employees medical expenses.
Thats how it should be in the U.S.
That should be part of immigration reform
leticia olalia morales of 15501 pasadena ave #8 tustin ca 92780 submitted fake documents and paid a consul 5000.00 dollars to obtain a US tourist visa. she is now applying for citizenship.