thanks for the link. I'm not sure how you (or the Norfolk Crime Reporter) can equate the draft of healthcare reform as CAUSING illegal aliens to take anything new from taxpayers. Right now, hospitals can't turn them away if they need emergency care (which, given their status is likely the only time they get care). Taxpayers pay for it. Cheaper, preventative care (which means fewer $100k ER visits) diminishes the cumulative weight on taxpayers for care of IAs, doesn't it?

I also was under the impression that the public option on the exchange (if there even is one by the time this all wraps up) would have similar administrative requirements to a private plan (personal info paperwork - basically exposing who and where IAs are). The line cited from the bill's draft doesn't clear that all up for me - "all nonresident aliens will be exempt from taxes" - Isn't that always the case?

Seems like this is strictly an immigration issue. Should we stop repairing roads because IAs keep on using them?