Arizona Lawmakers Approve Bill To Cover Dialysis, Chemotherapy for Undocumented Immigrants
The Arizona Legislature on Dec. 19 approved a bill (SB 1007) that provides the state's Medicaid program funding to cover dialysis and chemotherapy treatment for undocumented immigrants to replace federal funding that was cut off in November, the Associated Press reports. The bill, which passed the House 33-16 and the Senate 18-11, appropriates $2.8 million from the state's tobacco education fund to finance the treatments through the end of the 2002 fiscal year (Davenport, Associated Press, 12/19). The federal government had paid for the treatments, but under a guidelines clarification issued in November, dialysis and chemotherapy are now considered treatments for chronic conditions, not emergencies. After this switch, some of the undocumented immigrants had their treatments cut. The bill allows the state's Medicaid program, called the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System, to cover the treatments with money from the state's $20 million emergency fund (Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, 12/20). Supporters of the legislation said providing dialysis and chemotherapy is less expensive than paying for care in hospital emergency rooms if patients go untreated. But opponents of the measure said it was too costly and would pay for immigrants who are in the country "illegally." France Noyes, a spokesperson for Gov. Jane Hull (R), said the governor is "concern[ed]" about the "temporary nature" of the funding and has not said "what action she'll take" (Associated Press, 12/19).
Praise from the Republic
In an editorial "applaud[ing]" the legislation, the Arizona Republic writes that the Legislature should "re-examine" the "larger issue of health-care and immigration policies" because legal residents who pay taxes and are uninsured are not eligible for similar types of care. While such a policy "may seem imprudent," providing the services for undocumented immigrants saves the state money because federal law mandates that the state cover "more costly emergency health services," the editorial concludes (Arizona Republic, 12/21).
