Denver Health Chief of Government Affairs Dr. Steve Federico detailed Thursday on Fox News the “humanitarian crisis” occurring at the state’s hospital affected by the migrant crisis, calling on Congress for additional funding.
Federico appeared on “The Ingraham Angle” to discuss recent reports a hospital system was facing challenges due to the ongoing migrant crisis. The health chief said the millions spent on “uncompensated care” had been an issue prior to the migrant crisis. Due to the hospital’s financial status, it “has been greatly limited” in providing “expanded care.” (RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: GOP Rep. Ken Buck Introduces Legislation To Target Federally Funded Healthcare For Illegal Immigrants)
“We absolutely need additional public support to help provide health care to our safety net hospitals such as Denver Health. Just to be clear, the $135 million of uncompensated care was something that Denver Health was experiencing before the population that recently arrived here to Denver. So the ability to provide and expand care to them has been greatly limited by our financial status prior to the arrival of migrants,” Federico stated.
The health chief continued to state that the hospital is pleading for “policymakers to step,” listing issues that his fellow colleagues are facing when treating patients. Federico stated that while his health care continues to “step up” the worry is that patients will not be able to continue to be “safe and healthy,” calling for a “better system.” (RELATED: California Offers Illegal Immigrants Taxpayer-Funded Health Care)
“And so, we’re needing to respond to this huge humanitarian crisis in our emergency rooms and our clinics. And so what we’re looking for is for policymakers to step up — step up and fund appropriately the health care providers that are providing this care,” Federico stated.
“I’ll tell you, as a pediatrician, I’ll tell you what my colleagues see every day — they see human beings coming in asking for health care. And I’m proud to say that, you know, our hospital and our health care team continue to step up, and help these human beings in their times of need. But we’re gonna need additional financial support in order to do it the right way.”
“My healthcare partners and colleagues are experiencing a lot of moral strife, staying up at night after they care for these patients, wondering if they’ll be able to get the needed medications that have been prescribed or the follow up care that they’ll need in subsequent days or weeks. We need a better system to help these people get on their feet and to be safe and healthy,” Federico stated.
A Denver hospital warned the Colorado city on Monday it had been facing challenges due to the migrant crisis within the state, with Denver Health CEO Donna Lynne saying there had been unexpected costs with an increase in visits, The Denver Post reported. Denver Health had reportedly asked the Federal Emergency Management Agency for additional funding in order to cover migrant medical costs the federal and state authorities have not covered. Denver Health has spent$136 million spent on patients who didn’t pay, the outlet reported.
Colorado Democrat Gov. Jared Polis’ office told Politico the state was transporting illegal immigrants out of Colorado in order to get them to their final destinations. The response had come after reports were released by New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ office regarding Polis’ sending illegal immigrants to the city, Politico reported.