“Under President Joe Biden’s term, the VA has processed 161,000 medical and dental care claims for unauthorized migrants in 2022 while postponing medical care for U.S. veterans.”

Townhall

Sarah Arnold | December 03, 2023 10:30 AM

The Department of Veterans Affairs is taking heat for putting the care of illegal migrants first over the needs of those who fought for the United States. 

Russ Duerstine, executive director of Concerned Veterans for America and a veteran of the United States Air Force, told Fox News Digital he is concerned much-needed care for veterans will be forfeited and instead given to migrants. The Department of Veterans Affairs and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) reportedly have an agreement to process claims for illegal migrant medical care.

Duerstine explained that the VA has had an internal agreement with the Health Service Corps (IHSC) since 2002 to provide processing. The organization noted that it is not the VA’s responsibility to offer or pay for healthcare.

• Related reading: A second look at veteran priorities and how we treat illegal aliens

He said that Congress needs to launch an investigation to get more information on the agreement. 

More on the process from Trending Politics: 

When an illegal immigrant detained by ICE requires medical attention, they are usually treated on-site by medical specialists. If they require expert or emergency treatment, they may be moved to an independent private provider. In these circumstances, ICE enters into a contract with the VA’s Financial Service Center (VA-FSC) to execute payments to those providers. According to a July report, ICE has hundreds of letters of understanding in which the Health Service Corps (IHSC) of ICE will compensate clinicians at Medicare rates. The VA-FSC’s Healthcare Claims Processing System is used for this, which is a portal that allows clinicians to file and evaluate claims as well as access other services.

ICE has insisted that the VA does not pay for healthcare services for illegal aliens but instead sends funds to the VA-FSC for reimbursements. It noted that the IHSC spent roughly $352 million in FY23 on a “spectrum of healthcare services” to those in ICE custody.

Darin Selnick, who worked as veterans’ affairs adviser on the Domestic Policy Council and as a senior adviser to the VA secretary during the Trump administration, said, “In my position, we would have stopped this because…  read the entire article here.

 

*Update: Dec. 5, 2023: I received a response in a Twitter message from Garrison Douglas, Gov Kemp’s Press Secretary at 4:58 PM today.

That reply directed me to OCGA 50-36-1, which is a code section I have been working on since it was introduced as part of SB 529, the ‘Georgia Security and Immigration Compliance Act of 2006.’ I drafted the first update to that law in HB2 (it’s section 3) in 2009. I worked on this law in 2011 when GA passed HB 87, the “Illegal Immigration Reform and Enforcement Act of 2011.”  I can recite much of the details and requirements in that law from memory.

It is worthy of note that around 11:30 AM today, Dec. 5, I received a call that went to my voicemail from a David Dove in Gov Kemp’s office informing me that I could call him back about the request I had sent to their “comms” office.

I called back multiple times but never got an answer or any voice mail despite the phone ringing about twenty times. I then called the main number for Gov. Kemp’s office (404-656-1776) and spoke to a very nice staffer there. She confirmed that David Dove did in fact work there but she had no phone number or email address for him. I asked her to note that I called. It was quite odd.

I was informed later that David Dove is Gov. Kemp’s Executive Counsel.

I will have much more to say about Gov Kemp’s answer to me very soon. It is posted above as a screenshot from Twitter/X.

Audio of David Dove’s voice mail below.

 

End of update.

_______________

Original post:

• I had to send a second request as I spelled Mr. Isenhour’s name wrong. Sorry!

At about 11:45 AM today the below request for a comment and response from Gov. Kemp’s office was emailed to Mr. Andrew Iisenhour, Gov. Kemp’s Communications Director. I also emailed it to Gov. Kemp and received a reply from him that it had been received. I also tweeted / X’ed this post to Mr. Garrison Douglas, Gov. Kemp’s Press Secretary.

 

_

Mr. Eisenhour, 

(apologies)

Mr. Isenhour,

Focused on illegal immigration in Georgia, I am writing a news/opinion column on the results of passage of SB 379 in the 2022 General Assembly. To insure fairness and accuracy I hope to include a comment from Gov. Kemp’s office.

I see the quote in a Nov. 2022 media release from the governor on the legislation and the HDCI program: “During the 2022 legislative session, Governor Kemp and lawmakers partnered to pass SB 379, representing a historic investment in apprenticeships in Georgia through the HDCI Program. The HDCI Program awards up to $50,000 in funding to Georgia businesses to upskill workers through registered apprenticeships and increase skilled talent within Georgia’s high-demand industries.”

I am hoping for a response to the following request:

 Please cite any language or reference to any required verification procedure contained in current laws created by SB 379 that serve to exclude illegal alien employees and employers from participating in and benefiting from the HDCI/apprenticeship program as apprentices, apprenticeship sponsors or apprenticeship employers.

* For clarity and put differently, is there a provision in state law created by 2022’s SB 379 that prevents illegal alien employers and employees similar to the subjects of this press release by the U.S. Attorney in Georgia’s Southern District from accessing the tax-payer-funded apprenticeship program on any level?

If yes, please cite and explain any existing provisions.

I am writing for my own blog and will likely submit a version of my finished investigation column to James Magazine Online and/or Breitbart News. My deadline is Tuesday, Dec.5 2023 at 5:00 PM.

Thank you. Please contact me with any questions.

Go Dawgs!

D.A. King

Marietta

The Dustin Inman Society

ImmigrationPoliticsGA.com

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