Paying for Illegal Immigrant Health Care?

From the NY Times today:

The Bush administration announced on Monday that it would start paying hospitals and doctors for providing emergency care to illegal immigrants....But Dr. Mark B. McClellan, administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, said a hospital should not directly ask a patient "if he or she is an undocumented alien."

The humanitarian side of me says we should provide medical care to illegal immigrants who happen to need it and to a certain extent I am fine with that. I am also of the opinion that the federal government should pay--to a point.

But why are we not asking someone if they are an undocemented alien. These people come to our country illegally and unless they can qualify for some asylum status, they should be returned to their country as soon as their health allows. This Administration's policies on illegal immigration seems contradictory to their efforts to protect Homeland security. Every agency in America which possesses an opportunity to aid in homeland security should do so, even if it is a hospital. This requirement not to ask if a patient is an undocumented alien flies in the face of other policies.

Let's say, for example, a man comes in with a gun shot wound. Perhaps he was shot by a criminal and perhaps he is a criminal himself. Regardless, the hospital must report the gunshot wound to the authorities. Similarly, if a child comes in and the hospital suspects child abuse, they must call the authorities. If an injured criminal comes to the hospital, they will get treatment--and an escort to jail after treatment is concluded.

Why then should illegal immigrants be treated any differently. In fact, since the illegal immigrant knows she/he has come into the country illegally, they know they are in violation of the law and subject to sanction. Why shouldn't the hospitals notify the authorities if they suspect or know a patient is in the United States illegally? What about illegal immigration makes it different from child abuse or gunshot wounds or the treatment of injured criminals.

We have a moral duty to provide health care, but we also have a legal and moral duty to protect our nation's borders.

Payments to Help Hospitals Care for Illegal Immigrants - New York Times