July 12, 2006
Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas plans to send a bill to the Mexican government and other countries to help cover the costs of health care for indigent illegal aliens. A Mexican diplomat has called the plan “an act of discrimination.”
Indeed, it is. It discriminates between those who abide by the law and those who don’t. It discriminates between those who pay taxes and those who think they ought to get things for free. It discriminates against people who pay for their health insurance and people who want you to pay for those who have no health insurance. That kind of discrimination is good and it’s about time we had it. We need more of it.
The billing plan will not only affect illegals, but people who use parkland services and come from other counties in Texas. Those counties will be billed, too.
Why should Dallas and American citizens be forced to pay the medical bills of indigent illegals who use hospitals as their personal doctor’s office? Emergencies are one thing, but anything else should be paid for by the country and the government from which these people come.
Cal Thomas is a nationally syndicated columnist based in Washington, D.C.
