Thread: Tighter Medicaid rules for babies of illegal immigrants

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/health/29 ... aid03.html

Tighter Medicaid rules for babies of illegal immigrants
Friday, November 3, 2006

By ROBERT PEAR
THE NEW YORK TIMES

WASHINGTON -- Under a new federal policy, children born in the United States to illegal immigrants with low incomes will no longer be automatically entitled to health insurance through Medicaid, Bush administration officials said Thursday.

Doctors and hospitals said the policy change would make it more difficult for such infants, who are U.S. citizens, to obtain health care needed in the first year of life.

Illegal immigrants are generally barred from Medicaid, but can get coverage for treatment of emergency medical conditions, including labor and delivery. In the past, once a woman received emergency care under Medicaid for the birth of a baby, the child was deemed eligible for coverage as well, and states had to cover them for one year from the date of birth.

Under the new policy, an application must be filed for the child, and the parents must provide documents to prove the child's citizenship.

The documentation requirements took effect in July, but some states have been slow to enforce them, and many doctors are only now becoming aware of the effects on newborns.

Obtaining such documents can take weeks or months in some states, doctors said. Moreover, they added, illegal immigrant parents may be reluctant to go to a state welfare office to file applications because they fear contact with government agencies that could report their presence to immigration authorities.

Administration officials said the change was necessary under their reading of a new law, the Deficit Reduction Act, signed by President Bush in February. The law did not mention newborns, but generally tightened documentation requirements because some lawmakers were concerned that immigrants were fraudulently claiming U.S. citizenship to get Medicaid.

Marilyn Wilson, a spokeswoman for the Tennessee Medicaid program, said: "The federal government told us we have no latitude. All states must change their policies and practices. We will not be able to cover any services for the newborn until a Medicaid application is filed. That could be days, weeks or months after the child is born."

About 4 million babies are born in the United States each year, and Medicaid pays for more than one-third of all births. The number involving illegal immigrant parents is unknown, but is likely to be in the tens of thousands, health experts said.

Doctors and hospitals denounced the policy change and denied that it was required by the new law.

Dr. Jay Berkelhamer, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics, said the policy "punishes babies who, according to the Constitution, are citizens because they were born here."

Dr. Martin Michaels, a pediatrician in Dalton, Ga., said that continuous coverage in the first year of life was important because "newborns need care right from the start."

"Some Americans may want to grant amnesty to undocumented immigrants, and others may want to send them home," Michaels said. "But the children who are born here had no say in that debate."

In an interview on Thursday, Leslie Norwalk, acting administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, said the policy "reflects what the new law says in terms of eligibility."

"When emergency Medicaid pays for a birth," Norwalk said, "the child is not automatically deemed eligible. But the child could apply and could qualify for Medicaid because of the family's poverty status. If anyone knows about a child being denied care, we want to know about it. Please step up and tell us."

Under federal law, hospitals generally have to examine and treat patients who need emergency care, regardless of their ability to pay. So the new policy is most likely to affect access to other types of care, including preventive services and treatment for infections and chronic conditions, doctors said.

Quote.
Illegal immigrants are generally barred from Medicaid, but can get coverage for treatment of emergency medical conditions, including labor and delivery. In the past, once a woman received emergency care under Medicaid for the birth of a baby, the child was deemed eligible for coverage as well, and states had to cover them for one year from the date of birth.


I wonder why, our babies are not entitled to that? Are we getting a little tired of our tax dollars being spent on these people? I am.

"About 4 million babies are born in the United States each year, and Medicaid pays for more than one-third of all births. The number involving illegal immigrant parents is unknown, but is likely to be in the tens of thousands, health experts said. "

WHY IS THAT NUMBER "UNKNOWN"? I have NEVER been able to go to a hospital for treatment without having COMPLETE and VERIFIED identity, and this includes, in some instances, a valid credit card!

It's high time to hold the health care industry accountable for their illegal and conspiratorial actions!

Under the new policy, an application must be filed for the child, and the parents must provide documents to prove the child's citizenship.

The documentation requirements took effect in July, but some states have been slow to enforce them, and many doctors are only now becoming aware of the effects on newborns.

This makes no sense. A birth certificate is all they need for proof of baby's citizenship. Is the govt. trying to throw up another smoke screen?

Obtaining such documents can take weeks or months in some states, doctors said. Moreover, they added, illegal immigrant parents may be reluctant to go to a state welfare office to file applications because they fear contact with government agencies that could report their presence to immigration authorities.

Where's the AMERICAN birth certificate?
If it's that difficult then perhaps word will get across the border and others
WON'T BE COMING TO DROP AN ANCHOR BABE so quickly.

.

but can get coverage for treatment of emergency medical conditions, including labor and delivery

They also get pre-natal care that includes food stamps.

"Some Americans may want to grant amnesty to undocumented immigrants, and others may want to send them home," Michaels said. "But the children who are born here had no say in that debate."

I've got an idea, Dr. Michaels. Since the average 24 hour hospital bill for an American citizen is now $7,000, and it doesn't even include charges for $350.00 for a doctor talking to a patient for literally five minutes or less......How about you fat cats start taking care of these babies born to illegal aliens for free? God knows you can all afford to do it !! If the country has an illegal alien crisis....then chip in and help. Offer your services for FREE.

In fact I think the government should demand that you do this. Seriously.

(We'll see how long before they're crying, "Secure the borders....we don't work for free !!")

I think that they should stop medicaid for them period. That way they won't have anchor babies and can get kicked out of the country easier. If there were no freebies they would not come.

Great! So when will this new policy be enforced?

Like so many other policies pertaining to Illegal Aliens, it probally never will.

Originally Posted by ConcernedCitizen

Great! So when will this new policy be enforced?

Like so many other policies pertaining to Illegal Aliens, it probally never will.

This article says it has been in enforced in Texas already.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/hea ... 07319.html

Nov. 3, 2006, 1:17AM
Controversial new Medicaid rules already policy in Texas
Strict guidelines covering babies of illegal immigrants are being criticized as discriminatory


By SUSAN CARROLL and MELANIE MARKLEY
Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle

The controversy centers on federal guidelines published in July that require Medicaid applicants to provide proof of citizenship and identity. Doctors and health care advocates say requiring such proof for a newborn baby delays care at a critical time, but Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services officials said they are simply complying with federal law.

The change will force states to adopt the policy in place in Texas, one of the few states that do not automatically enroll babies born to undocumented immigrants on Medicaid into the indigent health care system. Instead, the state requires parents to file a separate application for the newborn, said Ted Hughes, spokesman for the Texas Health and Human Services.

Some health care advocates and attorneys were critical of the regulation, calling it "discriminatory" and a "barrier" to care for U.S.-citizen children. In mid-October, the American Academy of Pediatrics accused Georgia, Kentucky, Tennessee and Virginia of denying Medicaid health care coverage to babies born to undocumented parents.

Leslie Norwalk, acting administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, said the agency contacted Medicaid officials from those states, and found no cases where U.S. citizen babies were denied benefits. If they were denied coverage, she said, "we would want to know about it."

Norwalk said the new policy was required by the Deficit Reduction Act, signed into law by President Bush in February.

Sonal Ambegaokar, a health policy attorney with the National Immigration Law Center, said the new regulations may not result in an outright denial of coverage, but they do have the potential to delay care at a "critical time," for a newborn.

"It is creating barriers to care," she said. "These U.S. citizen children normally would be seen (by doctors), but they're not being seen."

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