The Collin County Observer

My message to the commissioners court, "Fix this while you still can!"

The debate over indigent health care grants is heating up and may soon be played out on a national stage.

The county is pushing too hard. They need to help these charities do what the county should have been doing all along... providing a decent level of indigent care. The grant money needs to be freed up now, and the clinics should be reassured that the county is not playing politics with the poor.

There must be a compromise between the court and the clinics...one that is reasonable and just. One that is swift.

My fear is that if this confrontation continues to escalate into the election year, some local candidates will seek allies from large national pressure groups. Both sides might then stake out more extreme positions designed to further their own cause - and not to the benefit of our county.

The commissioners court needs to heal the rift with the clinics. They need to do it now, while they still can.

Bill

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Groups criticize Collin County's patient data rule
Rights advocates say county's limits on clinic funds break laws

Thursday, December 6, 2007
By ED HOUSEWRIGHT / The Dallas Morning News

Two national civil rights organizations are criticizing Collin County commissioners for prohibiting nonprofit clinics from treating illegal immigrants with county funds.

Officials with the League of United Latin American Citizens and the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund say they think commissioners are violating federal privacy and health care laws.

"There's no constitutional basis to limit these kinds of programs to U.S. citizens," said Nina Perales, regional counsel for MALDEF in San Antonio.

Commissioners maintain they can legally ask nonprofit clinics that receive county grants to report each patient's name, age, address, medical diagnosis and the last four digits of his or her Social Security number.

"To me, it's not a racial situation," Commissioner Jerry Hoagland said. "It's an economic situation. If you don't want to abide by the rules, don't take the money."

Several clinics have complained about the new reporting requirements, saying the policy forces them to violate patient confidentiality laws and play the role of immigration officer.

Clinics can still treat illegal immigrants, as long as they use other funds, commissioners have stressed. The county is not seeking personal information on patients treated with other funds.

One clinic, Children and Community Health Center of McKinney, has said it will reject its $30,000 grant rather than comply with the reporting requirements. Another, Frisco Cares Children's Clinic, says it may refuse its $11,000 grant.

"We're planning on telling them they are violating federal law," said Dr. Paul Reyes, medical director of Frisco Cares. "Every kid deserves to be treated."

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