Coming soon to a hospital near you! The border crisis and the influx of undocumented individuals into the United States, spearheaded by Joe Biden’s administration, have had a detrimental impact on Denver’s primary public hospital.
Despite not inquiring about or keeping track of patients’ immigration statuses, The Denver Gazette reports that Denver Health has experienced significant economic struggles. In 2022 alone, the hospital incurred $125 million in unpaid medical bills.
This figure jumped to $135 million in the previous year and was at $60 million in 2020. Interestingly, this surge in uncompensated care costs aligns with the arrival of 37,571 immigrants in the city.
Dr. Taylor McCormick, associate director of Pediatrics Emergency Medicine at Denver Health, reveals that these patients generally lack medical insurance coverage.
“Denver Health is eating the cost for many of these visits.”
The hospital has allegedly reached out to FEMA for extra federal aid to cover the expenses of providing care for undocumented individuals.
Donna Lynne, CEO of Denver Health, expressed that the center is facing a critical situation due to unforeseen costs related to treating undocumented patients.
She mentioned that the hospital is rejecting patients daily, particularly in the fields of mental health and substance abuse, as their costs surpass their revenues.
Dr. Steven Federico, the chief government and community affairs officer for Denver Health, also voiced his apprehensions about this matter.
Federico estimated that the bulk of the $10 million difference in uncompensated care between 2022 and 2023 was related to the influx of new immigrants using the health system.
After losing $30 million in 2022, the health system anticipates breaking even in 2023, Federico said.
“It’s a difficult dilemma of how we best meet their health care needs when health care has not been part of the equation,” Federico said.
The surge in new immigrant patients from South and Central America equates to roughly 8,000 people and 20,000 visits, Federico said.
The strain on the healthcare system in the United States is worsened due to insufficient testing for hazardous infectious diseases by the Border Patrol.
The mayors of various sanctuary cities, such as Denver Mayor Mike Johnson, requested a significant $5 billion in federal aid from the Biden administration.
Dr. Federico appeared on Fox with Sandra Smith to address the imminent humanitarian crisis.
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