Proof Of Citizenship To Be Required For Medicaid Coverage
by Matt Margolis, April 11th, 2006 at 09:47pm
Thanks to a little noticed provision inserted Deficit Reduction Act of 2005, which was signed by President Bush, U.S. citizenship is now required to receive Medicaid coverage. This may have interesting effects on the new socialized health coverage plan the Massachusetts legislature approved.
Almost all of the state’s poorest residents will have to show proof of US citizenship to continue getting medical care by July 1, under a little-noticed federal law that could endanger coverage for many, as Massachusetts is trying to expand access to healthcare.
Born out of ongoing efforts in Washington to clamp down on illegal immigration, the new federal requirement compels anyone seeking Medicaid coverage to provide a birth certificate, a passport, or another form of identification in order to sign up for benefits or renew them.
It sounds comforting, but somehow I don’t believe that this little law is going to be enforced as much as it should, if at all.
Entry Filed under: Health Care
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