By Connie Kaplan, RegainAmerica Staff Writer, February 16, 2009
Part two of RegainAmerica's ongoing Series on "How Your Tax Dollars Are Spent".
Just how are the federal and state and municipal governments of the United States spending OUR (the taxpayers' ) money?
Meet Ana Puente and Jose Lopez, two young Illegal Aliens residing in the State of California. They were featured in an article from the Los Angeles Times as part of a series entitled Life in the Shadows [1], although, as we will see, Ms. Puente and Mr. Lopez, although in the US illegally, seem markedly unconcerned either with their illegal status or with flying beneath the radar. Ana and Jose have had FIVE LIVER TRANSPLANTS between them.
All paid for by the taxpayers.
Not only that, but Ana Puente and Jose Lopez are currently in the market for TWO MORE liver transplants.
The young Ana Puente and Jose Lopez having had their point of view regarding their five (or potentially six or seven) FREE liver transplants put forth, let us now examine the events bespoke from the perspective of the taxpayers.
We will do this by a “Point” – “Counterpoint” analysis, comparing the case of the REAL Ana Puente, with the case of her fictional counterpart, Ashley Middleincome.
And to those who argue the old proverb which says "comparisons are odious", I would offer that the only thing odious about the following comparison is the unsavory smell of circumstances both unjust and unfair, the cynical exploitation of a benevolent "welfare" system, and the slow crash and burning of millions of US citizens and legal residents who work hard, who pay their taxes, and whose biggest fault in life, it would seem, is their attempt to raise their families in an aura of modest contentment and to perhaps put aside some savings.
Ana Puente, as previously stated, is a real person. Ana is 22 years old. Ana was born in some country other than the United States in 1986. The doctors in her home country determined that the infant Ana Puente suffered from a liver disorder. So Ana Puente's aunt brought Ana Puente ILLEGALLY to the United States for medical care. The infant Ana Puente wound up in California where Ana Puente became immediately eligible for any number of benefits including, of course, full health coverage and/or medical care. In 1989, Ana Puentes received a liver transplant at the prestigious and expensive UCLA Medical Center. Ana Puentes and her family were not responsible for the costs of the $250,000 liver transplant, or the medications, or the follow-up care. All these costs were paid by the taxpayers.
The fictional Ashley Middleincome was born in California in 1986. She was the third child of Dennis and Jane Middleincome who owned a home in Garden Grove. The Middleincome family paid $500 premiums every month for private family health insurance, since Dennis and Jane Middleincome made too much money to qualify for government health care benefits. Ashley's doctor determined that the infant Ashley suffered from a liver disorder. So Dennis and Jane Middleincome submitted a request for a liver transplant to their insurance company, which initially denied the claim. After Dennis Middleincome hired an attorney, the insurance company after much debate agreed to pay for half the expense. Dennis and Jane Middleincome then mortgaged their home and came up with the other half of the expense so Ashley could have a liver transplant also in 1989.
The real Ana Puente stuck around the US after her transplant, and continued to collect government benefits such as ongoing health care coverage. Between 1989 and 1998, Ana Puentes had a SECOND liver transplant at UCLA Medical Center. All the costs were paid by the taxpayers. In 1998, the now 12 year old Ana Puentes had a THIRD liver transplant - once again at the prestigious and expensive UCLA Medical Center. Of course, neither Ana Puentes, or her family were responsible for the costs of the $250,000 transplant or any of the costs of the attendant medical care. Once again, all the costs were borne by the taxpayers. The cost of the transplants ALONE now totaled approximately $750,000.
The fictional Ashley Middleincome also needed a second liver transplant. In 1994, Dennis and Jane Middleincome submitted a request for a second liver transplant for Ashley to their private insurance company. Once again, the Middleincome’s private insurance company fought the claim. After yet another attorney intervention, the insurance company offered to pick-up one-third of the expense but nothing more. Dennis and Jane Middleincome took out a second mortgage on their home, cashed in their life insurance policies, and persuaded their elderly parents to take out loans as well. When all the money was put together, there was just enough to pay for Ashley's second transplant. But in 1998, 12 year old Ashley, like Ana Puente, required a THIRD liver transplant. The Middleincome’s insurance company had canceled the family's insurance after the second transplant, so there was no insurance money this time. Dennis and Jane reluctantly closed out the college savings funds for their other two children. Their own home was mortgaged to the hilt - so Dennis persuaded his elderly parents to sell their home, and to let him have the money from the sale to pay for Ashley's treatment. The grandparents moved into a small residential home. Ashley's school had a bake sale and a car wash. The local Girl Scouts raised some money. Finally, there were just enough funds for Ashley Middleincome to have her third liver transplant.
Ana Puente is now 22 years old, and the Los Angeles Times informs she continues to stay in the US - ILLEGALLY.
In approximately 2008, Ana Puente was found to require a FOURTH liver transplant. But this time Ana hit a snag. Apparently, Ana Puente, when she turned 21, had "aged-out" of her benefits and could no longer obtain treatment at UCLA. So, when Ana Puente's liver started failing once again, Ana wound up at the very non-luxurious County-USC Medical Center. In addition to which the County told Ana Puente that they were not going to pop for her latest transplant which, by now, between the transplant, medications, and follow-up could total almost $500,000.
But help was on the way. Puente was apprised of yet ANOTHER option:
If she [Ana Puentes] notified U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services that she was in the country illegally, state health officials might grant her full Medi-Cal coverage.
So Ana Puente did.
And her benefits were restored in full. IN FULL.
Ana Puente is now awaiting a FOURTH liver transplant - to be performed at the very expensive UCLA Medical Center and, of course, to be paid for by the taxpayers. Expected cost: Approximately $500,000. Minimum.
In 2008, 22 year old Ashley Middleincome was also found to need a fourth liver transplant.
Ashley Middleincome had been unable to secure private health insurance due to her poor medical history. So Ashley Middleincome applied for MediCal benefits for herself.
But Ashley Middleincome was unable to qualify for MediCal benefits. She was not receiving SSI. She was not a Refugee. She was not over 65. She was not blind. And, when the social worker found out Ashley was working part time at the bookstore while attending college, Ashley was informed she was not considered to be “disabled”. Nor was there any use in Ashley making a trip to the INS to report that she was in the country illegally, since she was not. Her claim was denied and an appeal was begun. But before her appeal could be heard, Ashley Middleincome died.
Happily Ashley Middleincome is not a real person - but there are many many thousands of citizens and legal residents of the United States who have a tremendous amount in common with the story of Ashley Middleincome.
But Ana Puente is VERY real as are the almost TWO MILLION DOLLARS IN MEDICAL CARE GIVEN TO HER BY THE TAXPAYERS - THUS FAR.
Thus far.
Because, opines the irrepressible Ms.Puente:
"It doesn't matter if I'm undocumented, . . . . .They should take care of me at UCLA for the rest of my life because I've been there since I was a baby."
Sentiments which are echoed by young Mr. Lopez, already the recipient of two prior liver transplants, courtesy of the taxpayers. Mr. Lopez is in need of a third transplant, but has also aged out of the system. “I'm just mad," he said from his Los Angeles apartment.
The liberals of course have their platitudes in motion. Dr. Michael Shapiro, a vice-president of an organ network cried the boo-hoos saying:
"People are people, and when you make an incision in an organ donor, you don't find little American flags planted on their organs."
It was a snappy answer, but it did not address the question which is a fundamental one of fairness.
One who made rather more sense was Roy Beck, executive director of NumbersUSA, which favors stricter controls on immigration. Mr. Beck pointed out that “all transplants are about rationing” and opined that, “I just don’t think the public ought to be funding any kind of benefits for people who are breaking the law.”
If we are in fact determined to use our tax dollars to ensure that "no or low income" individuals receive medical care - shouldn't we pay FIRST for the low income individuals who are US citizens and legal residents?
If we are absolutely adamant that we expend countless millions of our tax dollars to ensure that “no or low income" individuals receive the best and all possible of medical care available - shouldn't we pay FIRST for the those WHO AREN'T VIOLATING OUR LAWS BY BEING IN THE US IN THE FIRST PLACE?
This is what 54 year old Larry Gonzalez had to say:
"Why do we have to get in line behind immigrants, foreigners, when we have enough people here to fill the hospitals?" asked Gonzalez. It just seems obvious to me that we shouldn't be taking a back seat."
And Mr. Gonzalez has good reason to ask. Mr. Gonzalez is a U.S. citizen who has known for a decade that he needs a new liver. Mr. Gonzalez was placed on the transplant waiting list in April, 2008.
Taking care of US citizens and legal residents FIRST with US tax dollars.
Shouldn't that be the way we structure our priorities?
What do you think? Please let RegainAmerica know. Together, we will let our legal representatives know that we don't think it right that we pay for the medical care of Illegal Aliens before taking care of US citizens and legal residents.
That's the American way!