Border town hospitals straddle care and costs
Illegal immigrants part of the growing burden in health care
By Robert Bazell
Chief science and health correspondent
NBC News

“…But the care is expensive. Since May 2005 the Bush Administration has paid hospitals in border areas and large cities for caring for undocumented immigrants, but the payment amounts to only pennies on the dollar. Dickson says Copper Queen now puts out $3,000 to $4,000 a month in free care. That cost is one of the reasons the hospital had to close several of its services, including obstetrics, he says. As a result, some local residents must now travel 100 miles for prenatal care”.

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