Immigrants for years have paid far more into Medicare’s coffers than they have pulled out, effectively subsidizing rising healthcare payments to the aging U.S. population, a study released on Wednesday showed.

The analysis from Harvard Medical School showed immigrants generated a $13.8 billion surplus for the U.S. government healthcare program for the elderly in 2009, the most recent figures available.

From 2002 through 2009 immigrants posted a Medicare surplus of $115 billion, while the American-born population logged a deficit of $28 billion in contributions.

The Harvard study was posted in the June issue of the medical journal “Health Affairs.” It counters impressions that immigrants put a strain on healthcare resources.

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