Joseph Zumpano Weighs in on Health Care and Immigration

Joseph Zumpano was cited in an article in the Daily Business Review on the financial strains faced by hospitals in South Florida treating a growing number of undocumented immigrants. The article cited a Florida Hospital Association study finding that that in 2002, Florida hospitals spent an estimated $40.2 million caring for undocumented immigrants. The article focused on a recent decision by Florida.s 4th District Court of Appeal ruling that a state judge has no legal authority to deport an illegal immigrant and that such authority was within the sole jurisdiction of federal immigration authorities. The case involved a hospital's effort to airlift a brain damaged illegal immigrant from Guatemala back to his native country. The Court further found that the hospital had failed to comply with federal regulations requiring Medicare certified hospitals to provide appropriate discharge planning, regardless of a patient.s insurance or immigration status. "The message is that because people who come here are going to need medical care, we must have a health care system that treats all people decently, regardless of where they're from or why they're here," said Zumpano, who was not involved in the litigation.