Review of Can Immigrants Get Health Care

Republicans are Claiming Democrats Shut-Down the Government "to demand free health care for illegals."

Undocumented Immigrants are largely Ineligible for Federal Health Benefits, said Leo Cuello, Research Professor at Georgetown University's McCourt School of Public Policy. They Don't Qualify for Comprehensive Medicaid Coverage, Medicare, or the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). And they can't Purchase Federally Subsidized Health Plans on Exchanges Backed by the Affordable Care Act.

There are Immigrants on Medicaid in the U.S. They are so-called "Noncitizen Enrollees" in Medicaid and accounted for 6% of the Total. Not being a Citizen isn't the same as Residing in the U.S. Illegally; there are Many ways to Live in the U.S. as a Legal Resident, without full U.S. Citizenship. This is where the Political Argument gets Messy.

Medicaid is a Joint Federal-State Program. The New GOP Tax and Spending Law, Tightens-Up Access to Medicaid Benefits in several ways including:

- By Prohibiting an Individual from being Enrolled in Multiple State Plans.

- Ensuring Deceased Individuals don't remain Enrolled.

- Instituting Quarterly Eligibility Screening.

It also Rolls-Back a Medicaid Expansion that could leave 10 million Americans Uninsured. An additional 4 million People may No longer be Able to Afford Insurance on the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Exchanges, when Tax Credits Expire at the end of 2025. But the Law also Excluded from Medicaid Eligibility certain Classes of Lawful Immigrants who previously might have Qualified for Benefits.

The Trump (R) Administration and many Republicans, have taken the View this year that certain Immigrants Once Considered "Legal" should No longer be. For example, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) this year, Canceled Humanitarian Parole under the Biden (D) Era: Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans, Program, or (CHNV).

DHS also Revoked the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) of some: Haitians, Venezuelans, and Others, though the Revocations are Tied-Up in Federal Court.

In March, the Nonpartisan Congressional Research Service's List of so-called "Qualified Aliens" who were Eligible for Medicaid Coverage included only Lawful Immigrants: Legal Permanent Residents, Refugees, People Granted Asylum, People Granted Humanitarian Parole including: Afghans and Ukrainians, certain Cubans, Haitians, and certain Victims of Human Trafficking and Domestic Violence, among Others.

Even among the "Qualified Aliens," several Groups were Required to wait Five to Seven years, after their Arrival in the U.S. before they could become Eligible, according to an April 2025 Report by the Congressional Research Service. The New Law Restricts Eligibility only to U.S. Citizens, Legal Permanent Residents, i.e. Green Card Holders, and certain Cuban and Haitian Immigrants.

"Refugees,vVictims of trafficking, victims of domestic violence, people here for humanitarian reasons, and people granted political asylum, are all groups who today are in medicaid and tomorrow will not be," Cuello said.

The Law also Restricts Payments to States for Medical Assistance, including Emergency Care, furnished to Anyone who isn't a Citizen or Lawful Permanent Resident. In 1986, Congress passed a Law requiring that Anyone in need of Emergency Care Receive it, regardless of Who they are or their Ability to Pay.

"Currently the federal government pays a share of those costs," Cuello said. "This law says the federal government will reduce how much money it is paying."

Democrats want to Reverse many of the Health Care related Provisions included in the New Act to keep more Americans, and some Lawful Immigrants, Eligible for Medicaid. They say the Shutdown is over Preserving Healthcare Access, and there is No Proposal to provide Free Health Care to People Living in the Country Illegally.

Harry S. Truman (D) the 33rd President of the U.S., created the Law, that Hostibiles had to take All People that needs Help.










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