A new report released by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Inspector General on Wednesday found that Medicare payments to health care providers for services delivered to 2,575 illegal immigrants totaled more than $91.6 million from the period of 2009 to 2011.
Federal law dictates that Medicare does not give payments for either group or patients, but the money was billed for roughly $33 million for inmate care and more than $91 million for illegal immigrant care over that three-year period. It also noted that agency officials didn’t order its contractors to recoup the lost money.
The report urged the federal government to implement a better system that would automatically flag charges for both inmates and illegal immigrants to cease unlawful payments before they are issued. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services already have a system, but it was deemed inefficient because it didn’t seize the unacceptable bills before they were paid.
“CMS’s records identified 29,185 beneficiaries who had been unlawfully present at some point during calendar years (CY) 2009 through 2011. We limited our review to 133,541 claims on behalf of 2,575 unlawfully present beneficiaries with $91,620,548 in associated Medicare payments,” the report stated.
In 2011, Medicare spending reached $549 billion and even though the report noted a significant sum, it has been argued that it is only a fraction of the entire annual budget. It also comes as President Barack Obama and his administration try to find savings and identifying Medicare fraud could save taxpayers about $60 billion per year.
In a statement released Thursday, the agency noted that it must improve its $77 million two-year-old system in order to catch fraudulent activities. It also noted that is initiating measures to help monitor and detect lost funds, which was commended by Delaware Democratic Senator Tom Carper, chairman of the Senate subcommittee on Federal Financial Management.
“For cases where Medicare is informed of patients’ unlawful presence after claims have been paid, we are working to implement a process for quickly and completely recouping these improper payments,” the agency said in its statement.
A 2010 study conducted by the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), which is considered the first comprehensive look at the price of harboring illegal aliens, found that maintaining illegal immigrants in the United States is costing taxpayers $113 billion each year.
Another study by the group analyzed the costs in each state. It discovered that Washington State spent approximately $2.7 billion in 2011, while 115,000 illegal aliens cost the state and local Michigan governments nearly $1 billion.
FAIR broke it down in Michigan: K-12 education takes the largest share for spending on illegal immigrants, with $314.1 million. Other spending (state and local) includes: General ($225.3 million); Welfare ($142.6 million); Justice ($66 million); Limited English Proficiency (LEP) education ($63.2 million); Medicaid ($62.4 million); and SCHIP ($25.2 million).
During a 2008 Republican presidential debate, retired Texas Republican Congressman Ron Paul talked about how the federal government subsidizes illegal aliens through many of its welfare programs and subsidies.
“I see the immigration problem as a consequence of our welfare state. We encourage people not to work here, but the welfare we offer the people who come – they get free medical care,” said the three-time presidential candidate. “They get free education. They bankrupt our hospitals. Our hospitals are closing. And it shouldn’t be rewarded. That means you don’t give them citizenship. You can’t solve this problem until you get rid of the welfare state, because in a healthy economy, immigrants wouldn’t be a threat to us.”
Following the 2012 election, President Obama held a press conference at the White House where he veered toward an amnesty-friendly policy.
“I do think that there should be a pathway for legal status for those who are living in this country,” the president told reporters in November, adding that an increased Latino “sense of empowerment and civic participation is going to be powerful and good for the country.”
Me thinks we need to start Firing these Incompetent Bearcrats & Deporting the ILLEGALS A.S.A.P.!!!
Soon, very soon the hundreds of thousands of illegal alien hordes will descend upon us, encouraged after hearing the chatter from President Obama? Just as it was in 1986 with the Amnesty that brought even more pitiable, desperate, uneducated and criminal migrants and immigrants either through a spotty fencing or telling passport control that they were here as visitors after arriving at the terminal. I have always been convinced that was no real effort to either seal our borders or even set up a tracking system for airline arrivals. It’s inconceivable that if such laws had been enacted, this ongoing illegal alien invasion should never have reached this height of this foreign population. In addition–if these people had been facing a FELONY and the fact was broadcast, the numbers of welfare invaders would have been minimal. If a real fence had been build comparable to the one constructed in Israel to stop murdering terrorists, we would NOT be confronted by this financial ordeal.
AMERICAN TAXPAYERS MUST DEMAND THE 2006 SECURE FENCE ACT LAW, WHICH JUST SPUTTERED OUT, BECAUSE OF DEMOCRATS CUTTING AWAY AT THE FUNDING. THIS WAS A DOUBLE TALL LAYER FENCING, WITH A NO-MANS TRACK IN BETWEEN FOR HIGH SPEEDING ICE VEHICLES FOR INTERVENTION OF DRUGS, ILLEGAL ALIENS AND OTHER CRIMINAL ACTIVITY. AMERICAN TAXPAYERS MUST DEMAND THAT ALL AIRLINE PASSENGERS ARE TRACKED SO THEY CANNOT OVERSTAY THEIR VISA. Instead we have miles of open areas, with nothing but a drooping cattle fencing or nothing at all. Just open land where the landowners live in peril for their lives, after time and again their homes have been burglarized.
In the last few day Senators from both political parties have potentially sealed the fate of 23 million out-of-work Americans, because of the intention of giving working visas to 11 million illegal aliens, who would be able to join the job marketplace. Then we have President Obama delivering a provocation dirge in the rampant illegal alien hive in Nevada. Next to the mostly Liberal population of California illegal alien families have amassed in the Silver state. Why do you think Nevada had the highest number of home foreclosures, because real estate entities, sold subprime (also known as Ninja loans) properties to people who could not afford them; the majority being low income and many being foreign nationals.
Sen. Harry Reid, a real piece of ugly Socialism, refused to enact the “LEGAL WORKFORCE BILL, he and his group of cronies wouldn’t even pass a federal budget and in those same 4 previous years he has been instrumental in not passing any new bills. Then again, in those same four years when the Liberal Democrats held supreme power in the Senate and House they could have easily have passed any Comprehensive Immigration Reform, but failed to do so. Years of chaos has brought upon us CHAIN FAMILY MIGRATION and now the DREAM ACT controversy. Now we are faced with some form of blanket amnesty and unknown numbers of illegal aliens already here, and with no doubt in my mind thousand on the way after hearing Obama’s the same Path to Citizenship call. There is no voice of reason in this, no restrictions in giving illegal aliens a reward for breaking our poorly enforced laws. I have already heard thousands of times of voices, that Obama’s decision would mean a larger part of the illegal minorities, once gaining citizenship would vote for this Liberal-Socialist agenda, whether immigration or anything that comes along.
All we are doing is importing more poverty, which may do the dirty jobs, but as a larger percentage uses public welfare problems. This may be good for the companies, who sell products or services, but overall it should be an overwhelming concern to everybody who legally lives here. If you don’t already know THE DREAM ACT policy of Obama, are the consequences of smuggled infants and the unborn into America. The “Anchor Baby” enigma is the effect of foreign nationals arriving here and having as many children as they can, as a foothold. It guarantees under the present law that illegal aliens with a four to six babies will not be deported, although the law states they are still liable. That’s why the Birthright Citizenship law must be amended, to stop this racket. Each year hundreds of billions of dollars go into the pockets of newly minted child citizens for the parents and the whole financial burden is felt by Americans taxpayers.
It don’t matter what side of the political spectrum anybody is in, this issues affect us all, in taxes and in the future energy and water availability. To make yourself known to your Senator or Congressional person, call central government phone service at (202) 224-3121. A switchboard operator will connect you directly with the Senate office or the Congressional House Representatives. FIND THE TIME AS IT’S YOUR TAXES THEY ARE SPENDING TO AUGMENT THE IMPOVERISHED PEOPLE’S OF FOREIGN COUNTRIES.