Thread: NE-New Bill To Give Pregnant Illegal Immigrants Prenatal Car

Posted: 11:58 AM Feb 17, 2010

New Bill To Give Pregnant Illegal Immigrants Prenatal Care


Email Address: sixonline@wowt.com


Story 56 Comments

Nebraska lawmakers have suspended legislative rules so a bill can be introduced that would let pregnant, illegal immigrants and other women continue to get health insurance coverage for prenatal care.

The vote on Wednesday is a reaction to federal notification to Nebraska that it had been breaking federal rules by allowing unborn children - not just their mothers - to qualify for Medicaid.

For decades, that allowed both legal residents and illegal immigrants who didn't qualify for Medicaid to get Medicaid-covered care because their children qualified.

Campbell's bill is aimed at the yet-to-be-born children of both legal and illegal immigrants, though illegal immigrants would mostly benefit this year.


http://www.wowt.com/home/headlines/84606677.html

For decades, that allowed both legal residents and illegal immigrants who didn't qualify for Medicaid to get Medicaid-covered care because their children qualified.

I've never read it anywhere in print but I would bet that NY is doing the exact same thing.

Related article from the Lincoln Journal Star newspaper:

Prenatal care bill will be considered
StoryDiscussionBy NANCY HICKS / Lincoln Journal Star | Posted: Wednesday, February 17, 2010 12:33 pm | No Comments Posted

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Senators agreed on Wednesday to consider maintaining Nebraska's more than 30-year tradition of providing prenatal care for all women, regardless of immigration status.

But the vote is a measure of legislative independence, not necessarily agreement with the concept.

Senators voted 36-0 to suspend the legislative rule that all bills must be introduced by the 10th day of each session, thus allowing a bill dealing with prenatal care to move through the legislative process.

A public hearing on the measure (LB1110) has been set for Feb. 25 before the Legislature's Health and Human Services. The bill provides coverage for all low-income unborn child independent of their mother's legal status.

Allowing introduction of the bill is an indication of support for legislative authority to make public policy not necessarily agreement with the measure, said Lincoln Sen. Kathy Campbell, sponsor of the measure.

Omaha Sen. Beau McCoy said he would vote to suspend the rules, even though he opposes the bill.

The vote to suspend the rules "should not be construed as support for the bill in its present form." Instead, some senators are voting for the rule suspension out of respect for the convictions of other senators, he said.

McCoy said he could not support a bill that provides prenatal care for women who are here illegally, but he could support coverage of their babies after birth because those children are U.S. citizens.

McCoy said prenatal care of the unborn constitutes a federally prohibited benefit for an illegal immigrant.

But many supporters of the bill see the benefit going to the unborn child.

"At least 1,000 unborn children face the possibility of not receiving care in the dawn of life, unless the Legislature takes action," said Speaker Mike Flood.

"Introduction of this bill ensures that Nebraska lawmakers ultimately decide what the policy of the state should be," said Flood, who has been working with a group of senators to resolve the prenatal care issue. "At the very least we owe those children enough of our time and consideration to listen to their mothers, their doctors, supporters of the bill, opponents of the bill and taxpayers of this state."

The bill would allow the state to continue a program that has been in place in Nebraska for more than 30 years.

Late last year the federal government told the state Department of Health and Human Services that Nebraska cannot continue to provide prenatal care through the federal Medicaid program based on considering the unborn child.

That meant about 1,000 low-income pregnant women who are in the United States illegally, plus a smaller group of women who are citizens, would lose prenatal coverage March 1. Medicaid would cover the delivery and an infant's care after delivery.

Under the bill, senators would create a separate prenatal program for unborn babies and their mothers, using a different federal health care program called SCHIP.

"It is an emotional issue and it is a controversial issue," said Omaha Sen. Tim Gay, chairman of the Legislature's Health and Human Services Committee.

But the Legislature needs to deal with this important prenatal issue and get some direction," he said.

"Otherwise we don't have a policy in place."

Reach Nancy Hicks at 473-7250 or nhicks@journalstar.com.

http://www.journalstar.com/news/state-a ... mode=story

McCoy said he could not support a bill that provides prenatal care for women who are here illegally, but he could support coverage of their babies after birth because those children are U.S. citizens.

Well, I disagree that the newborns are subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, when their parent(s) is/are subject to another country.
I also don't agree that illegals should be given pre-natal care, but then there is the horrific thought these little citizens will be in need of extreme, long-term medical care. And Nebraska, ala Sen. Ben Nelson's deal to sign onto the healthcare bill, will never need to tax anyone in the state to pay for Medicaid, but those in the rest of the country will be picking up their tab. So throw our money around, while the rest of us have absolutely no say in the matter.

Any NEBRASKA SENATOR WHO VOTES YES ON THIS BILL CAN KISS THEIR CAREERS GOOD-BYE AND NEBRASKANS WILL RESCIND AND REPEAL THIS BILL...

ACTION ALERT: PHONE CALLS ARE NEEDED NOW to prevent Nebraska senators from providing pre-natal care to Illegal Alien pregnant women under SCHIP. Sen Kathy Campbell entered a motion this morning and received 36 yes votes to suspend the rules and allowed her to introduce LB 1110.

FYI the senators who worked on this bill with her are: Tim Gay, Mike Flood, Jeremy Nordquist, Kathy Campbell, John Harms, Danielle Conrad and Tom Hansen.

At this time, we need you to CALL YOUR NEBRASKA (see list below) state senator, then contact the Chairman and committee members of Health & Human Services. (Once I have a public hearing date for LB1110 I will send out an email letter action alert) This is all you need to say:

" This is ___________ and I'm asking Sen ______ to NOT support ANY funding of pre-natal care for Illegal Alien pregnant women. Specifically, LB 1110. Thank you."

The phone numbers are listed for all Nebraska senators. The (P) beside each name means the senator was present but did not vote. The (E) means the senator was absent and BOLD are the Health & Human Services Committee members, those senators with no notation beside their name means they voted yes to allow this bill in:
2010 NEBRASKA UNICAMERAL LEGISLATURE
Alphabetical List
Adams, Greg L. 24 471-2756 1107 York
Ashford, Brad 20 471-2622 1103 Omaha
Avery, Bill 28 471-2633 1114 Lincoln
Campbell, Kathy 25 471-2731 1019 Lincoln
Carlson, Tom 38 471-2732 1022 Holdrege
Christensen, Mark R. 44 471-2805 1000 Imperial (P)
Coash, Colby 27 471-2632 1117 Lincoln
Conrad, Danielle 46 471-2720 1008 Lincoln
Cook, Tanya 13 471-2727 1115 Omaha
Cornett, Abbie 45 471-2615 1116 Bellevue
Council, Brenda J. 11 471-2612 1115 Omaha
Dierks, M. L. "Cap" 40 471-2801 2108 Ewing (P)
Dubas, Annette 34 471-2630 1018 Fullerton (E)
Fischer, Deb 43 471-2628 1110 Valentine
Flood, Mike 19 471-2929 2103 Norfolk
Fulton, Tony 29 471-2734 2107 Lincoln
Gay, Tim 14 471-2730 1402 Papillion
Giese, Bob 17 471-2716 1118 South Sioux City (P)
Gloor, Mike 35 471-2617 1523 Grand Island
Haar, Ken 21 471-2673 1017 Malcolm
Hadley, Galen 37 471-2726 2104 Kearney
Hansen, Tom 42 471-2729 1012 North Platte
Harms, John N. 48 471-2802 2015 Scottsbluff
Heidemann, Lavon 1 471-2733 1004 Elk Creek
Howard, Gwen 9 471-2723 1124 Omaha
Janssen, Charlie 15 471-2625 1403 Fremont (P)
Karpisek, Russ 32 471-2711 1015 Wilber
Krist, Bob 10 471-2718 1117 Omaha
Langemeier, Chris 23 471-2719 1210 Schuyler (E)
Lathrop, Steve 12 471-2623 2000 Omaha (E)
Lautenbaugh, Scott 18 471-2618 1021 Omaha (P)
Louden, LeRoy J. 49 471-2725 1016 Ellsworth
McCoy, Beau 39 471-2885 1522 Omaha
McGill, Amanda 26 471-2610 1212 Lincoln
Mello, Heath 5 471-2710 1206 Omaha
Nelson, John E. 6 471-2714 2028 Omaha
Nordquist, Jeremy J. 7 471-2721 1208 Omaha
Pahls, Rich 31 471-2327 1401 Boys Town (E)
Pankonin, Dave 2 471-2613 2004 Louisville (E)
Pirsch, Pete 4 471-2621 1404 Omaha
Price, Scott 3 471-2627 1528 Bellevue
Rogert, Kent 16 471-2728 2011 Tekamah (P)
Schilz, Ken 47 471-2616 1202 Ogallala
Stuthman, Arnie 22 471-2715 1101 Platte Center
Sullivan, Kate 41 471-2631 1019 Cedar Rapids
Utter, Dennis 33 471-2712 1529 Hastings
Wallman, Norm 30 471-2620 1406 Cortland (E)
White, Tom 8 471-2722 1120 Omaha (E)
Wightman, John 36 471-2642 2010 Lexington

My senator John Wightman is a lost cause. He needs to be voted out!

True enough about Wightman - Ultra Liberal!

We need all the help we can get - because not only are we up against ACLU, NE Appleseed, churches, union, chambers of commerce, healthcare providers, et al. the Nebraska Right to Lifer's are pushing for this too.

So, we're really up against a stacked deck - but, we have to try.

Thanks for all you do - Go HUSKERS!

I called again today Susan and will call again right before it comes in front of the committee. We need to fight this. People are extremely upset. If you go to www.wowt.com you can see the comments from folks. Susan please go on there and post what I did, that folks need to contact their State Senators NOW to stop this. Complaining on a board will do no good. Also I am going to cut and paste the comments into an email to my State Senator Steve Lathrop so that he can read them. Hopefully he will get the picture!

What the hell happened to Nebraska! This is America's heartland and now seemingly the new home for illegal invaders and politicans who are pandering to them!

You know this country is in trouble when legislation is being introduced to benefit illegal invaders, in a state that is no where near the border! What a shame!