RSSCoverage, Access and Quality | Los Angeles Times Examines Medical Coverage for Chronically Ill Undocumented Immigrants
Carolyn Hileman - The Voice | April 14, 2008
The Los Angeles Times on Sunday examined a “little known option” for undocumented immigrants in California with certain medical needs: if they notify U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services that they are not U.S. citizens, they could be eligible for health care benefits through the state’s Medicaid program, Medi-Cal. The Times profiled the case of 21-year-old Ana Puente, an undocumented immigrant with a liver disorder who has received three liver transplants and other care at UCLA Medical Center since she was an infant.
Undocumented immigrant children with certain severe, chronic illnesses are eligible to receive care under the California Children’s Services program until age 21. After age 21, undocumented immigrants can receive no-cost or discounted health care through county programs that serve the indigent or, in some cases, through emergency Medi-Cal. However, in Los Angeles County, neither program covers liver transplants, and “when they become adults, patients like Puente often have to switch doctors and hospitals and may lose access to necessary medical care,” the Times reports. Norman Williams, spokesperson for the state health department, said that if undocumented immigrants inform the state in writing of their presence and if federal officials have no plans to deport them, they could be eligible for full Medi-Cal coverage, which includes liver transplants. Medical condition is taken into account in determining whether immigrants receive Medi-Cal coverage, the Times reports.
Ethical Issues
Puente’s case “highlights two controversial issues: Should illegal immigrants receive liver transplants in the U.S. and should taxpayers pick up the cost,” according to the Times. The average cost of a liver transplant and first year of follow-up care is almost $490,000, according to the United Network for Organ Sharing. Anti-rejection medications can cost $30,000 annually. Immigration status is not taken into account when allocating donated organs. In 2007, more than 90% of liver transplants in California went to U.S. citizens.
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