To authorize Federal payment to emergency ambulance and medical services providers for the cost of uncompensated care of aliens aided by the border patrol or other Federal immigration official.

June 16, 2005

Mr. FILNER (for himself, Mr. KOLBE, Mrs. DAVIS of California, and Mr. FLAKE) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce

To authorize Federal payment to emergency ambulance and medical services providers for the cost of uncompensated care of aliens aided by the border patrol or other Federal immigration official.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `Pay for All Your Undocumented Procedures (PAY UP!) Act of 2005'.

SEC. 2. AUTHORIZING FEDERAL PAYMENT TO EMERGENCY AMBULANCE AND MEDICAL SERVICES PROVIDERS FOR THE COST OF UNCOMPENSATED CARE OF ALIENS AIDED BY THE BORDER PATROL OR OTHER FEDERAL IMMIGRATION OFFICIAL.

(a) In General- In the case described in subsection (b), the Secretary of Homeland Security shall, from amounts appropriated under subsection (c), provide payment to the hospital, health clinic, or other provider of the ambulance or other emergency services described in subsection (b) appropriate reimbursement for the costs of such emergency services, but only to the extent that such costs are not otherwise reimbursed through any Federal program and cannot be recovered from the alien or another person.

(b) Case of Injured Alien Described- A case described in this subsection is the case of an alien to whom a border patrol officer or other Federal immigration official provides assistance in any form, directly or indirectly, in seeking or obtaining emergency medical assistance, including contacting an ambulance service for the transport of the alien to an appropriate medical facility for the receipt of emergency services.

(c) Authorization of Appropriations- There are authorized to be appropriated for each fiscal year, beginning with fiscal year 2006, such sums as may be necessary to carry out this section.

END