Despite what right-wing sources claim and multiple Tele-Talk respondents repeat, illegal immigrants do not all get free health care. In very limited cases, they may be eligible for limited benefits, but they do not all get free health care. The claim that they all get free health care — and the often added claim that American citizens or veterans suffer because of it — is one of the most persistent lies from the right.
As I understand the issue, there are two primary ways that illegal immigrants get healthcare.
According to federal law, anyone who shows up at an emergency room needing care who doesn't have insurance "gets free care." Look it up.
Of course, no one would want such care denied because we are a compassionate people. But then you can't open the floodgates and let tens of millions of illegal aliens into the country with such laws on the books.
The second way is that the Biden administration loosened the rules by declaring millions of extra people access to the country, even flying them around to the airport of their choice. This was part of the same scheme, but these people were given temporary access under very loose guidelines meant to facilitate the mass migration. These actions by the Biden administration effectively made millions of illegal immigrants "legal." And thus they could get healthcare paid for by taxpayers.
Republicans want to reverse these edicts and end such status and eventually send these immigrants back to their countries of origin. The American people through their Congress never authorized such an influx and Trump's election was a repudiation of Biden's policies in this area. So while they may have been given legal cover by Biden and his allies, that is now gone and they need to go home.
Why did the Democrats allow this to happen? Why did they keep insisting the border was secure and closed when we could see that wasn't true?
The only logical explanation is that they were hoping that these immigrants would become voters sooner rather than later and help ensure continued Democrat control of the government.
G-Allen - Hospitals are required by the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) to provide stabilizing emergency care regardless of a patient's ability to pay or immigration status.
I worked in the medical field. There is a difference between emergency care and health care. Emergency care requires them to stabilize the patient, not cure them. Would you want that not to be the case? If you or a family member are brought into an emergency room unconscious, alone, do you want them to hold off care while they try to find if you are legally here and if you have health insurance?
A member of my family, had been laid off, lost his health care. Passed out, brought to hospital, they stabilized him: he was bleeding internally, they gave him blood, fluids. That’s it. Didn’t know what caused the bleeding, since he didn’t have insurance, they wouldn’t do any tests without him paying in advance. He did, maxed out his credit card, still didn’t know the problem, sent him home. That is how it works. No money, no insurance, no care. That is for citizens.
A rule finalized by the Biden administration did expand eligibility for the ACA marketplaces to an estimated 100,000 lawfully present immigrants with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status (often referred to as "Dreamers"), allowing them to purchase subsidized health insurance plans. This is coverage they purchase with federal assistance based on income, not "free healthcare," and it only applied to a specific group of lawfully present individuals, not "millions of illegals".
Thanks for your feedback. I agree that emergency room care should be for all. The problem is that the Biden-Harris-Schumer-Pelosi administration allowed tens of millions of extra people into the country who should not be here. They end up using the emergency room as their healthcare. This is why waits are so long, rooms are so crowded, and care is so hurried and haphazard. The country is also experiencing issues with infections due to millions of people who haven't been vaccinated like most Americans. This problem is quite costly, so however you want to parse the words, this is what many of us call "free healthcare." Free healthcare does not mean that every illegal has free health insurance or discounted copays or whatever, it means that our system is being overrun by people using public resources who are not paying into it.
Your information about "dreamers" appears to be inaccurate and misleading. According to the AI Internet, there are about 3.5 million dreamers and 530,000 on DACA.
But the underlying issue is the same. If people come to the country legally and follow the rules and procedures, they can eventually gain citizenship. But if they come here illegally, overstay their visas, etc., they should be deported. And because Biden et al broke the system, this will result in some people having to leave who we might have liked to invite them to stay. That compassion is simply not possible nor affordable with tens of millions of extra freeloaders in the country.
The claim that undocumented immigrants receive “free healthcare” or were mass-legalized by the Biden administration is false. Federal law only requires hospitals to provide emergency stabilization care under the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA). Undocumented immigrants are not eligible for full Medicaid or Affordable Care Act coverage, and their access is limited to emergency Medicaid, which accounts for less than one percent of total Medicaid spending. The Biden administration’s use of humanitarian parole for select groups (such as Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans) was a temporary, case-by-case measure allowing entry under strict conditions, not a blanket legalization program. Claims that migrants are being flown into U.S. airports as part of a “scheme” have been debunked, since such transfers predate this administration and are managed by both federal and local agencies. Assertions that Democrats opened the border for future voters have no factual basis; non-citizens cannot vote in federal elections, and any path to citizenship remains a lengthy, legislatively controlled process.
Sources:
Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF): 5 Key Facts About Immigrants and Medicaid
KFF: Less Than 1% of Total Medicaid Spending Goes to Emergency Care for Noncitizen Immigrants
PBS NewsHour: Judge Upholds Biden’s Parole Program for Migrants from Four Countries
American Immigration Council: Debunking Claims About “Secret Flights” of Migrants
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(6) comments
As I understand the issue, there are two primary ways that illegal immigrants get healthcare.
According to federal law, anyone who shows up at an emergency room needing care who doesn't have insurance "gets free care." Look it up.
Of course, no one would want such care denied because we are a compassionate people. But then you can't open the floodgates and let tens of millions of illegal aliens into the country with such laws on the books.
The second way is that the Biden administration loosened the rules by declaring millions of extra people access to the country, even flying them around to the airport of their choice. This was part of the same scheme, but these people were given temporary access under very loose guidelines meant to facilitate the mass migration. These actions by the Biden administration effectively made millions of illegal immigrants "legal." And thus they could get healthcare paid for by taxpayers.
Republicans want to reverse these edicts and end such status and eventually send these immigrants back to their countries of origin. The American people through their Congress never authorized such an influx and Trump's election was a repudiation of Biden's policies in this area. So while they may have been given legal cover by Biden and his allies, that is now gone and they need to go home.
Why did the Democrats allow this to happen? Why did they keep insisting the border was secure and closed when we could see that wasn't true?
The only logical explanation is that they were hoping that these immigrants would become voters sooner rather than later and help ensure continued Democrat control of the government.
Cite sources for your claims.
G-Allen - Hospitals are required by the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) to provide stabilizing emergency care regardless of a patient's ability to pay or immigration status.
I worked in the medical field. There is a difference between emergency care and health care. Emergency care requires them to stabilize the patient, not cure them. Would you want that not to be the case? If you or a family member are brought into an emergency room unconscious, alone, do you want them to hold off care while they try to find if you are legally here and if you have health insurance?
A member of my family, had been laid off, lost his health care. Passed out, brought to hospital, they stabilized him: he was bleeding internally, they gave him blood, fluids. That’s it. Didn’t know what caused the bleeding, since he didn’t have insurance, they wouldn’t do any tests without him paying in advance. He did, maxed out his credit card, still didn’t know the problem, sent him home. That is how it works. No money, no insurance, no care. That is for citizens.
A rule finalized by the Biden administration did expand eligibility for the ACA marketplaces to an estimated 100,000 lawfully present immigrants with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status (often referred to as "Dreamers"), allowing them to purchase subsidized health insurance plans. This is coverage they purchase with federal assistance based on income, not "free healthcare," and it only applied to a specific group of lawfully present individuals, not "millions of illegals".
Hi Guest,
Thanks for your feedback. I agree that emergency room care should be for all. The problem is that the Biden-Harris-Schumer-Pelosi administration allowed tens of millions of extra people into the country who should not be here. They end up using the emergency room as their healthcare. This is why waits are so long, rooms are so crowded, and care is so hurried and haphazard. The country is also experiencing issues with infections due to millions of people who haven't been vaccinated like most Americans. This problem is quite costly, so however you want to parse the words, this is what many of us call "free healthcare." Free healthcare does not mean that every illegal has free health insurance or discounted copays or whatever, it means that our system is being overrun by people using public resources who are not paying into it.
Your information about "dreamers" appears to be inaccurate and misleading. According to the AI Internet, there are about 3.5 million dreamers and 530,000 on DACA.
But the underlying issue is the same. If people come to the country legally and follow the rules and procedures, they can eventually gain citizenship. But if they come here illegally, overstay their visas, etc., they should be deported. And because Biden et al broke the system, this will result in some people having to leave who we might have liked to invite them to stay. That compassion is simply not possible nor affordable with tens of millions of extra freeloaders in the country.
The claim that undocumented immigrants receive “free healthcare” or were mass-legalized by the Biden administration is false. Federal law only requires hospitals to provide emergency stabilization care under the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA). Undocumented immigrants are not eligible for full Medicaid or Affordable Care Act coverage, and their access is limited to emergency Medicaid, which accounts for less than one percent of total Medicaid spending. The Biden administration’s use of humanitarian parole for select groups (such as Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans) was a temporary, case-by-case measure allowing entry under strict conditions, not a blanket legalization program. Claims that migrants are being flown into U.S. airports as part of a “scheme” have been debunked, since such transfers predate this administration and are managed by both federal and local agencies. Assertions that Democrats opened the border for future voters have no factual basis; non-citizens cannot vote in federal elections, and any path to citizenship remains a lengthy, legislatively controlled process.
Sources:
Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF): 5 Key Facts About Immigrants and Medicaid
KFF: Less Than 1% of Total Medicaid Spending Goes to Emergency Care for Noncitizen Immigrants
PBS NewsHour: Judge Upholds Biden’s Parole Program for Migrants from Four Countries
American Immigration Council: Debunking Claims About “Secret Flights” of Migrants
Thanks for pointing out the facts to G once again guest and Michael. Let's hope G miraculously acknowledges facts this time.
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