David Williams of the Health Business Blog reviews an article from the Boston Globe (“Immigrants…“) stating that immigrants reduce the cost of health care. How can this be with so many immigrants relying on government programs and free clinics to receive their care?
While it is true that immigrants are consumers of medical care, they are also producers as well. A study of the health care workforce in Massachusetts finds that 40% of pharmacists, 28% of physician assistants, 22% of opticians, 21% of licensed practical and vocational nurses, 17% of dentists and 14% of paramedics are foreign born workers. Twenty-eight percent of physicians and surgeons are foreign born.
An increased supply of health care workers from foreign countries can help decrease labor costs for medical care.