In what’s sure to be a hotly debated decision, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) informed the New York Medicaid Program last month that it can’t cover chemotherapy treatment for illegal aliens. (Kaiser Network)
CMS allows Medicaid coverage for illegal aliens for emergency services, but chemotherapy is not considered an emergency procedure.
Richard Daines, New York Health Commissioner, told the New York Times, “There are clearly situations that we consider emergencies where we need to give people chemotherapy. To say they don’t qualify is self-defeating in that those situations will eventually become emergencies.”
The national debate about illegal immigration will heat up this election cycle. Look for certain candidates to cite CMS’s decision as an urgent reason to support amnesty for millions of illegal aliens.