Appearing on the Chicago Tribune's Web site is "Undocumented immigrants fight for lifesaving liver transplants: Without insurance, brothers are denied care." The story also appears in today's print edition with the title "Struggles for the sick and undocumented."
The story centers on two illegal immigrant brothers suffering from a deadly liver disease. Contrary to the Web site's headline, however, it seems both of them are receiving care even though uninsured:
Lorenzo Arroyo is being treated at the University of Illinois Medical Center at Chicago, but that institution has not agreed to place him on a transplant list, (Rev. Jose) Landaverde said.
So, while he's not been placed on a waiting list, he's still getting treated. And insofar as the other brother is concerned:
"Since then, Elfego Arroyo has been placed on a wait list for a liver transplant at Rush (University Medical Center), where he had been receiving care, Landaverde said.
A headline claiming that "Without insurance, brothers are denied care" is misleading. Both are receiving treatment, and one has even been placed on a waiting list for a transplant.
Not detailed in the article is who is paying for the illegal immigrants's medical expenses, although we can guess. The writer quotes a family friend complaining, "They are treating us like criminals." Sorry, lady. They are. We can sympathize with their serious illnesses, but they are.
