Dallas hospital will treat all moms-to-be

In 2004, Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas spent $70.7 million delivering 15,938 babies but ended the year with a $7.9 million surplus in obstetrics. The positive bottom line resulted from a hefty infusion of Medicaid funds to cover the delivery costs for the undocumented immigrants. Dallas County taxpayers also kicked in $31.3 million, or about 40 percent of the total obstetrics costs, and the federal government paid an additional $9.5 million to make up for the hospital's high percentage of patients on Medicaid. Despite the trend of taxpayers paying for those without medical insurane, lawmakers do not expect the hospital to turn away illegal immigrants who are pregnant.