Feds Back Off On Citizenship Requirements For Medicaid
http://www.nbc6.net/health/9483643/detail.html
Feds Back Off On Citizenship Requirements For Medicaid
POSTED: 12:28 pm EDT July 7, 2006
WASHINGTON -- Federal officials backed off slightly Friday on a requirement for recipients to prove they're citizens before getting health care through Medicaid.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is issuing regulations to exempt about 8 million people from new rules requiring documentation.
About 6 million of those exempted qualify for both Medicare and Medicaid. Another 2 million aged and disabled people who get an income supplement will also be exempted.
At least two lawsuits have been filed to block the requirement. The lawsuits argue that a lack of documents could cause nursing home residents, the mentally ill and the poor to lose health coverage.
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The head of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid said "simply checking a box on a form" is no longer enough to claim citizenship.
