 (Image: Bearman2007 under CC 3.0) |
Proponents of healthcare reform predict that the vast majority of Americans will be insured by 2019. However, several million people will still lack affordable health insurance. A large percentage of that group–about seven million–are undocumented immigrants.
Illegal immigration were a very controversial issue in the debate. They often receive expensive emergency care through hospital ERs. Community health centers, which had their funding increased in the legislation, will also treat them. However, their inclusion in the bill would result in both higher costs (and therefore more debt) and belief that it would encourage more people to come into the U.S. without proper documents. Some people believe that the safeguards against this group benefiting from the bill aren’t strong enough.
Both versions of the legislation, including the Senate version that ultimately passed, specifically forbid immigrants without documented residency or citizenship to participate in the newly created health insurance exchange markets. They will not receive subsidies to purchase a health insurance plan. (Such subsidies will be in the form of tax credits, and most illegal immigrants don’t file income taxes–although they do pay sales taxes and other expenses in the United States.) Undocumented immigrants won’t be able to use their own money to buy health coverage at the discounted rates available in that exchange market, either.
