The Toll Men

Various organizations and government officials have cited estimates for the number of illegal immigrants at between eight and twenty million. With rising health care costs as a major issue for most Americans, this article considers the moral and practical issues of providing medical care for uninsured immigrants.

According to a research report entitled “The Size and Characteristics of the Unauthorized Migrant Population in the U.S.” {© [2006] Pew Hispanic Center, a Pew Research Center Project}, there are an estimated 11.5 to 12 million unauthorized migrants currently residing within The United States. The report was based on Census 2000 data, as well as the Current Population Survey of March 2005, and the monthly Current Population Surveys through January of 2006. The Pew Hispanic Center uses the term: ‘Unauthorized Migrants’. This term refers to persons residing in The United States who are not U.S. citizens, have not been admitted for permanent residence, and do not have specific authorized temporary status that permits extended residence and work within the United States.

The Pew Hispanic Center report found that the unauthorized population consisted of 5.4 million adult males, 3.9 million adult females, and 1.8 million children. Adult males are in the majority, making up 58% of the unauthorized adult migrants, while females account for 42%.

When discussing the percentage of unauthorized migrants, it is important to consider their labor force participation. Thirty-one percent of unauthorized migrants are employed in service industry jobs, while only sixteen percent of natives work in service. Native workers make up the great majority of white-collar jobs, while unauthorized migrants are underrepresented. Certain occupations have proportionately high concentrations of unauthorized migrant workers: Farming (24%), Cleaning (17%), Construction (14%), Food Preparation (12%), Production (9%), and Transport (7%). This is relevant to the issue of health insurance because the cited industries do not typically provide health insurance coverage.

The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA) addressed eligibility requirements for non-citizens to receive Federal means-tested public benefits. The Act resulted in significant restrictions on immigrants’ eligibility. Such benefits include Medicaid and the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). Certain immigrants are not eligible for Medicaid or SCHIP for five years from the date they enter the United States in a qualified-alien status.

Generally, only “qualified aliens” are eligible for coverage. Who is considered a qualified alien? There are nine basic types of qualified aliens: Aliens lawfully admitted for permanent residence under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), 8 USC 1101 et seq.; Refugees admitted under 207 of the INA; Aliens granted asylum under 208 of the INA; Cuban and Haitian Entrants, as defined in 501(e) of the Refugee Education Assistance Act of 1980; Aliens granted parole for at least one year under 212(d)(5) of the INA; Aliens whose deportation is being withheld under (1) 243(h) of the INA as in effect prior to April 1, 1997, or, (2) 241(b)(3) of the INA, as amended; Aliens granted conditional entry under 203(a)(7) of the INA in effect before April 1, 1980; Battered aliens, who meet the conditions set forth in 431(c) of PRWORA, as added by 501 of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996, P.L. 104-208 (IIRIRA), and amended by 5571 of the Balanced Budget Act of 1997, P.L. 105-33 (BBA), and 1508 of the Violence Against Women Act of 2000, P.L. 106-386. Section 431(c) of PRWORA, as amended is codified at 8 USC 1641(c).1; Victims of a severe form of trafficking, in accordance with 107(b)(1) of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000, P.L. 106-386.2.

Unauthorized migrants will be denied health care with the exception of emergency situations. This policy creates a problem for paramedics and other medical professionals, who will be forced to determine whether the individual’s life is at risk and what constitutes a medical emergency. How emergency health care workers are expected to enforce this policy is unclear. The Department of Health and Human Services is currently working on the terms, with the start date set for less than three months from now.

To receive health care, individuals will be required to provide proof of citizenship or proof that they are eligible as qualified aliens. This requirement creates potential problems for United States citizens, as well as immigrants. The homeless are perhaps the most obvious example of individuals who are eligible for care but may not have the proper documentation. Another, lesser known, example may be African-American senior citizens. African-Americans from the South were not allowed to be born in hospitals and therefore do not have proper birth certificates.

Another issue that needs to be addressed is the potential spread of disease. Testing for Tuberculosis, for example, is something that Americans take for granted. Those initiating and enforcing these policies should consider whether basic medical testing will be provided. Regardless of the apparent moral implications, denying health care services to individuals residing within the United States can easily result in more tangible problems.

Erin Shaughnessy is a freelance writer tackling timely political and consumer advocacy issues. Recent articles published related to the health insurance industry cover topics including finding affordable health insurance and comparing health insurance quotes.

Now that so many term life insurance policies are available online, it makes sense to use this option when you are looking for protection for your family, you can take your time to consider all the different types of term insurance, and the different rates available. There’s a ready supply of information, which puts you in a position of knowledge and will help you to make the correct decision.

There are several different labels applied to term insurance, but basically it comes down to three different types.

First, there is Level Term Insurance. This is designed to pay out a lump sum on the death of the life or lives assured, this type of policy can be used to cover immediate expenses i.e. funeral estate taxes outstanding debts, this type of term insurance can be written on either a joint or single life basis.

Perhaps the best-known type of term insurance is that associated with a mortgage, which not
unsurprisingly is called Mortgage Term Insurance. It is designed to cover the declining balance on the outstanding mortgage on your home. It is a very cost-effective type of term insurance because it is covering a reducing liability as a mortgage comes down so does the level of cover. This type of life insurance can also been written on either a single life, or join life basis.

The third main type of term life insurance is Family Income Benefit, unlike the previous types, as its name suggests this type of policy is designed to pay a regular income, rather than a lump sum. This type of policy has been rather overlooked until recently, but now that interest rates are so low, it is gaining in popularity, because of the extremely large amount of capital that is required to be invested to produce a reasonable level of regular income. By taking the Family Income Benefit route, you can sometimes save as much as 50% of the premium cost.

All the above types of policy can have various additional benefits added for instance, critical illness cover, guaranteed insurer ability options, automatic renewable options, etc obviously not all companies offer all the benefits, and it does require you to compare the cost of the policy with the benefits provided. However, by shopping for your life insurance online, you are better able to do this for yourself and hopefully will end up making the correct decision.

Term insurance is a very low-cost option, and while some would argue that it is better to go the whole of life route, with such a low-cost option, there is no need for any family to be without some life insurance or term insurance protection.

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Homeowners Insurance is supposed to protect us in case of disasters. That is what we have come to expect from our homeowners insurance over the years. But what if the disaster is the costliest in U.S. History? What if your insurance agent’s home and office were destroyed in the disaster also?

That is what happened to many customers and homeowners insurance agents and companies after Katrina hit the Gulf coast. Many agents’ homes, offices and insurance Companies’ claims centers were in the same situation as their clients due to the storms. So what did they do? They set up “office” in tents and mobile trailers. Then Hurricane Rita blew away these temporary offices and the agents and companies set them up again. These temporary shelters acted as a communications center for all people in the surrounding areas. Local people would come by to ask questions, meet with their claims adjustors and just catch up on the news with their neighbors. Extreme circumstances dictated unconventional responses: some agents even filed claims for their clients without even talking to the clients just so they could get the claim “in the queue.” Allstate allowed customers to submit claims through any agent in the country and set up a priority line to assist. They sent email to agents in the areas surrounding the disaster areas to act as messengers by “word of mouth” to their fellow agents in the effected areas. The larger companies such as State Farm & Allstate that service claims for the national flood Insurance Program even used satellite imagery to determine damage in some neighborhoods that were entirely flooded.
Lessons Learned: Those of us not effected by these disasters can learn a few lessons about coping with future disasters from the thousands of policyholders that are still waiting to get their claims paid. As soon as possible, take steps to prevent further damage to your home if possible: such as covering the roof with a tarp if possible. You can hire a contractor if you can find one, as that would be safer for most of us than climbing on our roofs. Hold off making any repairs until you see or talk to an adjuster first. Plus, keep your receipts, as you’ll need them to prove expenses that can be re-imbursed later.

What Does Homeowners Insurance Cover?

You can generally expect your homeowners insurance to help pay for additional living expenses for up to 12-24 months while your home is being repaired. But, homeowners insurance usually pays only after they verify you have a legitimate claim. After Katrina, many insurers made an exception, automatically distributing enough to cover two weeks’ worth of additional living expense to anyone in an area subject to mandatory evacuation. Some companies even gave small advances on contents under the personal property part of their homeowners insurance policies.
If you have to wait to get your check, it helps to have cash that is easily accessible in a bank account or money market fund. Stashing cash at home isn’t a great idea because if your home burns down and you weren’t able to get to your cash, most homeowners insurance policies only cover $100-$200 in cash whether it is stolen or burned up in a fire. Your goal should be to have an emergency fund available to take care of your family for 2-4 weeks (minimum)if possible. In a disaster it might be hard to even find a local bank to get cash. Debit/credit cards with a statewide or national bank would perhaps be better.
Your biggest problem in getting your claim handled may be in either not having the proper homeowners insurance coverage or not having enough coverage. Most good homeowners insurance policies today cover up to 120% of your dwelling coverage limit. It is important that you review the dwelling limit with your agent every couple of year’s at a minimum. Homeowners insurance policies do not cover Flooding, but you should again see your agent for this coverage.
If your homeowners insurance falls short, you may qualify for money from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) or a disaster-assistance loan from the Small Business Administration (SBA). Homeowners can borrow up to $200,000 for rebuilding and $40,000 to replace personal property at very low interest rates for up to 30 years.
You may reprint this article on your site or in your newsletter with proper credit to the author and a simple link to http://www.hometownquotes.com

Matt McWilliams is one of the co-founders of www.HometownQuotes.Com, an online insurance quotes web site. He is originally from Pinebluff, NC and attended Middle Tennessee State University. He is considered an expert in the field of online insurance shopping and finding new ways to help consumers save money on their insurance. For more information visit www.hometownquotes.com