Linking health care to immigration control

In the midst of the financial and economic crises, both health care and immigration reforms have taken a back seat, yet both could be effectively addressed by linking them intelligently. Let’s first address health care; by this time, most parties seem to agree that any reform must include universal coverage. In other words, everyone will have to be insured so no single individual should “fall through the cracks;” this means that everyone would need to pay some kind of a premium and there would be no more “free ride” through the emergency back door. At that point, let’s imagine that each American and legal resident is given a smart card (like its “Vitale” French counterpart.) Now, when anyone shows up for any kind of treatment without this card, it will red-flag that this person is either a tourist or an illegal alien. From there, health authorities will have to inform the immigration services about the person’s status. Two things will occur; the individual will be held financially responsible for the care received and it will have to be paid through assets held in America, in the foreign domicile, or through the country’s Embassy (tourist situation.) In addition, a one-time grace period of six month will be offered to legalize the person’s immigration status – if possible - while staying inside the United States; should that prove impossible, voluntary departure or deportation will follow. Without exception, both health card and driver’s license would solely be issued to citizens and legal residents. Unless, this idea proves unconstitutional (any lawyers out there?), it would go a long way to solving our illegal immigration problem…