By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
    Health
    Healthcare organizations are operating on slimmer profit margins than ever. One report in August showed that they are even lower than the beginning of the…
    Show More
    Top News
    UV damage to eyes
    Warning Signs of Long-Term UV Damage to Your Eyes
    December 9, 2021
    degree for healthcare job
    The Ultimate Healthcare Recruiting and Staffing Guidebook
    March 21, 2022
    medicare part d benefits
    Everything that You Need to Know About Medicare Part D
    August 15, 2022
    Latest News
    Beyond Nutrition: Everyday Foods That Support Whole-Body Health
    June 15, 2025
    The Wide-Ranging Benefits of Magnesium Supplements
    June 11, 2025
    The Best Home Remedies for Migraines
    June 5, 2025
    The Hidden Impact Of Stress On Your Body’s Alignment And Balance
    May 22, 2025
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
    Policy and Law
    Get the latest updates about Insurance policies and Laws in the Healthcare industry for different geographical locations.
    Show More
    Top News
    Conservatives: The Utah Health Exchange is Not a Model
    July 23, 2011
    Medical Malpractice Reform Losing Physician Support
    November 7, 2011
    Hospitals Aim to Apply Direct Payments of Care Delivery to Increase Resources
    August 28, 2012
    Latest News
    Top HIPAA-Compliant Messaging Apps for Healthcare Teams
    June 25, 2025
    When Healthcare Ends, the Legal Process Begins: What Families Should Know About Probate and Medical Estates
    June 20, 2025
    Preventing Contamination In Healthcare Facilities Starts With Hygiene
    June 15, 2025
    Strengthening Healthcare Systems Through Clinical and Administrative Career Development
    June 13, 2025
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: Health Care Spending: Why Immigrants Aren’t the Problem
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > Business > Finance > Health Care Spending: Why Immigrants Aren’t the Problem
FinanceHealth ReformHospital AdministrationPolicy & LawPublic Health

Health Care Spending: Why Immigrants Aren’t the Problem

Brad Wright
Last updated: July 30, 2013 8:11 am
Brad Wright
Share
3 Min Read
immigrants and medicare
SHARE

immigrants and medicareI recently wrote a piece highlighting research that shows that immigrants actually strengthen the Medicare program, because they pay more money into it than they spend.

immigrants and medicareI recently wrote a piece highlighting research that shows that immigrants actually strengthen the Medicare program, because they pay more money into it than they spend. But many of you may have noticed that one of the reasons for that is that undocumented immigrants, and legal immigrants with less than 5 years as U.S. residents are not eligible for public programs like Medicaid or Medicare. This doesn’t phase critics of immigration, however. Instead, they claim, immigrants take a toll on the American taxpayer through the use of high levels of uncompensated care and crowd our emergency departments.

The great thing about data, though, is that it does a tremendous job of poking holes in these empirically unfounded, albeit widely held, assertions. A research group out of the University of Nebraska, headed by Jim Stimpson recently published some interesting findings in the July issue of Health Affairs. They report that, from 2000 to 2009, all U.S. immigrants (legal and illegal) accounted for a total of $96.5 billion in health care spending, while native-born U.S. citizens accounted for more than $1 trillion in health care spending. Of course, this simply underscores that immigrants are a relatively small proportion of the population. In fact, undocumented immigrants account for less than 1.5% of total U.S. health care spending. In the grand scheme of things, that is practically a rounding error.

The authors also report that while nearly one-third of native-born U.S. citizens benefit from public health care programs, fewer than 8% of undocumented immigrants do so. Moreover, the average amount of the benefit is markedly different: $1,385 for native-born citizens, compared to $140 for undocumented immigrants). And that emergency room crowding issue? Native-born citizens spend an average of $138 a year on emergency room care, compared to just $54 among undocumented immigrants. It’s easy for us to blame “others” for our problems, but these data demonstrate rather clearly that when we do so, we are merely fooling ourselves into avoiding the reality that we–the native-born sons and daughters of the United States of America–are the ones bleeding this country dry.

More Read

7 Ways Of Becoming A Good Mental Health Professional
Paul Starr’s Remedy and Reaction – Book Review
These Are the 10 Riskiest Jobs for Your Lungs
A “Bundle” of New Learning Resources for Health Care Providers
Smart Strategies for Managing Business Health Care Costs

(immigrants / shutterstock)

TAGGED:immigrants
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

women dental care
What Is a Smile Makeover and How Much Does It Cost?
Dental health
June 30, 2025
HIPAA-Compliant Messaging Apps
Top HIPAA-Compliant Messaging Apps for Healthcare Teams
Global Healthcare Policy & Law Technology
June 25, 2025
recovering from injury
Rebuilding After Injury: Path to Physical and Emotional Recovery
News
June 22, 2025
scientist using microscope
When Healthcare Ends, the Legal Process Begins: What Families Should Know About Probate and Medical Estates
Global Healthcare
June 18, 2025

You Might also Like

Microsoft and Sony Collaborate To Announce A Portable Remote HD IP Camera To Be Used For Patient/Physician Consultations

February 23, 2011
Image
Medical EthicsNewsPolicy & Law

Surrogacy in the News: Extreme Story Not Reflective of Ethical Practices

March 8, 2013
transparent payment systems for patient engagement
BusinessFinanceHealth ReformHospital AdministrationMedical DevicesMedical RecordsMobile HealthPolicy & LawPublic HealthTechnologyWellness

Can I Have My Receipt? Transparent Payment Systems Ignite Patient Engagement

November 10, 2013

Docs Embrace Online Continuing Medical Education (CME)

April 24, 2012
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?