The way that Republicans often get away with their rhetoric is because they don’t tell the whole story.
Republicans keep screaming about “millions of illegals on Medicaid” like it’s some giant scandal. So let’s clear this up.
Undocumented immigrants are not eligible for full Medicaid. Not now, not ever. The only time Medicaid steps in is for emergency medical care – and not because the immigrant applies for it, but because hospitals legally have to treat anyone in an emergency, and Medicaid is the system that covers the bill so hospitals don’t collapse under unpaid trauma care.
That means if an undocumented person gets hit by a car, breaks an arm, or goes into labor in the ER, the hospital treats them – and Medicaid reimburses that emergency cost. That’s it. No check-ups, no chronic care, no ongoing coverage. Just the bare minimum to keep people from bleeding out on the sidewalk.
So when Republicans pretend Medicaid is some comfy handout for “illegals,” they’re lying – and they know it.
.The GOP’s plan? Cut the emergency care funding – not to stop the care (they legally can’t) – but to stop paying for it. Hospitals still have to provide it, but if this had passed – they would just have to eat the cost.
So who really pays? Hospitals get squeezed. Prices go up for you. And the government pats itself on the back for “cutting spending” by shifting the burden onto patients, hospitals, and states.
Now, SOME STATES have extended their Medicaid coverage using state funds to cover undocumented pregnant women and children – and this comes back to a states’ rights issue – to be able to use their own funds as they see fit.
This bill proposed reducing the FMAP rate from 90% to 80% for states that provide comprehensive health benefits to illegal immigrants, regardless of funding source. This penalty aimed to discourage states from using state funds for such coverage, which could lead to fewer illegal immigrants receiving health benefits overall, thereby reducing the federal share of costs associated with any overlapping federal programs or emergency services.
So, what have we learned?
Undocumented Immigrants are not eligible for Medicaid – however, in the case of emergency services – Medicaid gets the bill from the provider.
About 6 states are using their own state funds to provide healthcare under their state-run Medicaid programs to cover prenatal care for pregnant women and coverage for uninsured children that are undocumented.
So, Republicans are trying to clawback funds that cover people needing emergency care, and pregnant women and children in just 6 states, in order to fund their tax giveaway to the wealthy. It’s fucking shameful.