po-thinker

The scenario of a person being brought to a hospital and who can not pay happens every day. Currently the law requires that in any real life or death emergency, that the hospital do all the treatment without regard to the ability to be paid. No one can be treated unless , 'Permission to Treat' for is signed. In the event the person is a minor or is unconscious. Hospitals have on tap a quick phone call to a local Judge who can issue an order equal to a signed permission to treat from the patient. In all true emergencies, care must be given without consideration to ability to pay. Funding for emergency rooms comes from profitable parts of the hospital, raising the rates of the emergency room so the unpaid cases are partially paid for by the paid cases. The Federal and State governments often pay sums of money to hospital emergency rooms. In southern Texas, hospitals are being forced to close because of the cost of treating illegal immigrants in emergency room. Our country benefits from having a large group of illegals to pick our fruits and vegetables at a very low cost. The illegals do not have the clout to negotiate a contract with growers that would include health care for themselves and their families. Our entire country benefits from having lower prices of fruits and vegetables. Are we ethically bound to pay for the health care of this group?