Monday, September 6, 2010

New York looks to extend ObamaCare to illegals

From City Hall:

New York State has found a loophole in the federal health care reforms that it wants to use to cover a group that Washington specifically has not, of non-citizens since before the 1996 welfare reforms.

The same loophole, though, could also present a challenge to the state’s constitution, if the federal government decides to cover fewer people than the state currently requires, government watchdogs said.

At issue is whether a class of non-citizens known as PRUCOL (persons residing under color of law)—a designation that includes legally present, undocumented and in-between immigrants under federal laws, but recognized under state laws— are covered under the new guidelines for the state’s high-risk pool program, the temporary reform that provides coverage for people with pre-existing conditions, until insurance exchanges go into effect in 2014. The temporary program is set to go into effect this October.

These non-citizens can include people not currently covered by programs like Medicare, such as people waiting to receive immigration statuses from the U.S.

Customs and Immigration Services. PRUCOL residents are already covered under New York State’s expansive health care laws. Immigration advocates say the challenge is to make sure the federal reforms do not shrink coverage for them.

When passing the reforms in the spring, Congress decided to cover all persons “lawfully present” in the United States. But Washington has yet to issue a permanent ruling on who, exactly, falls under that umbrella.

“There’s sort of a question mark about what that means,” said Elisabeth Benjamin, vice president of health initiatives at the Community Service Society.

And that question mark could provide a golden opportunity for broadening federal benefits for non-citizens, said Sonal Ambegaokar, a health policy attorney at the National Immigration Law Center.

“There’s no set list for ‘lawfully present.’ We suggested, ‘Here are a few categories you may want to consider adding,’ as we have those immigrants already enrolled in state Medicaid,” Ambegaokar said.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

now is the time to quickly send these illegal aliens back to their countries. the n.y.s. citizen taxpayer will not have to pay for their health care then.

REMEMBER IN NOVEMBER.....

i wonder when the n,.y.s. government will form a PROGRESSIVE CAUCUS similar to the n.y.c. council? is this extension of obamacare also their agenda in n.y.c.?

Anonymous said...

With our tax bases shrinking because of the recession, you would think the government would smarten up and ban illegals from free health care. So tired of paying for these criminals. Enough is enough. Deport them now and vote out any politician who wants to give illegals a free ride.

Anonymous said...

I am unemployed with no benefits and not eligible otherwise and Obama is taking care of these folks? No small wonder there are gun control laws in this city imposed by liberals, they would all be ................gone otherwise.

Anonymous said...

i suggest that you be more cautious with your comments. i also have been in your situation in my life and keep being persistent searching for the job. try a part time situation. many employers are waiting for the obama administration to flop,so they can start hiring again.
he obviously is trying to crash our capitalist system fast.
i have faith in the American voter and believe that a federal government correction is due shortly.

DON'T QUIT........

Anonymous said...

Is our prez a US citizen or what?

Let's call it Hussein's Health Care!

Anonymous said...

- he obviously is trying to crash our capitalist system fast.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WHAT DO YOU THINK THE BUSH / CHENEY REPUBLICAN CREW LET WALL STREET DO?

Are you for real? Go buy another 20 room house in the Hamptons, you clueless waste.