Blue Cross of California to accept Mexican ID cardholders

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http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/articl...927EDT0187.DTL

Blue Cross of California to accept Mexican ID cardholders

Saturday, October 4, 2003

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(10-04) 16:27 PDT LOS ANGELES (AP) --

Blue Cross of California, the state's largest health care insurer, announced it will allow Mexican citizens to apply for health insurance using an ID card from their consulate.

"We recognize the work and effort that the Mexican community puts forth each day and its need to have a health insurance plan that provides protection and peace of mind," Patricia Vargas-Stolze, manager for Blue Cross of California, said Friday.

Blue Cross said it will accept as identification the "matriculas consulares" cards issued by the Mexican consulate. About 800 a week are issued in Los Angeles.

Another insurer, Health Net of California, began accepting the cards as identification in June.

About 155 banks around the country also accept the cards, which have helped illegal immigrants get loans for cars and houses.

Blue Cross, which insures about 7 million Californians, said the policy would reduce the health care burden on governments. Los Angeles County spent an estimated $340 million last year to treat uninsured illegal immigrants.

It is unlikely that many county patients will be able to afford private health insurance, said Thomas Garthwaite, director of the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services.

The majority of patients treated in county facilities have a maximum family monthly income of $499.

Critics said the Blue Cross action further blurs the line between legitimate and illegal immigrants.

"When you take in-state tuition for illegal aliens, driver's licenses for illegal aliens, the matricula card and all together, these spell benefits for people who are in the country in violation of federal immigration laws," said David Ray of the Federation for American Immigration Reform.

"We know there are people who keep opposing immigrants and that those people are not going to disappear," Mexican Ambassador Martha Lara said. "But I think this country is a capitalist country, and if you have the money to buy health care, then you should be able to do it."