In a move that is sure to cause controversy (although it shouldn’t), President George Bush plans to implement new standards requiring Medicaid recipients to prove American citizenship in order to receive benefits.
Although the Senate and House of Representatives are trying to reach a compromise on the immigration bill, Bush signed the Medicaid citizenship requirements into law back in February. The requirements will take effect on July 1, 2006.
From the New York Times (free registration required):
They vividly illustrate how concern about illegal immigration is affecting domestic social welfare policy. The purpose of the law was to conserve federal money for citizens, reducing the need for states to cut Medicaid benefits or limit eligibility.
Gov. Rick Perry of Texas won enthusiastic applause at a state Republican convention on Friday when he vowed to increase border security and said, “Texas will start requiring every Medicaid applicant to verify that they are in the country legally in order to receive benefits.”
But officials in some other states and advocates for the poor said the new requirements could cause hardship for children, older Americans and poor people born at home in rural areas who never received birth certificates. Children account for about half of Medicaid recipients. People 65 and older account for about 10 percent.
Some critics say the citizenship requirements will cause problems for older Americans and those without birth certificates. I’m sure there’s a work-around for such cases. Regardless of how people feel about illegal immigration, it would seem only fair to require Medicaid recipients to be American citizens. What do you think?
(Image credit: CNN)
