As Congress works to reform policies surrounding immigration, hospitals and health systems stand to gain, or lose, a lot, according to a report from The Hill.
Under President Barack Obama's healthcare reform law, illegal immigrants cannot purchase health coverage through health insurance marketplaces, which will go live Jan. 1, 2014. In most instances, illegal aliens cannot receive Medicaid either, meaning the two big health coverage expansions of the law will keep a large swath of potential patients as uninsured.
Many Congress members are fighting to make undocumented immigrants eligible for coverage within the law's health exchanges if they do not receive health benefits through their employer.
Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.), a member of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, told The Hill that giving illegal immigrants an easier pathway to citizenship and health benefits will immediately help offset the growing expenses of uncompensated care.
"I think hospitals and healthcare providers would see it as a huge plus," Rep. Grijalva said in the report. "The bottom line is, these people would be contributing toward their own healthcare and not being dependent. They'd be paying taxes. I'd see that as a plus rather than a negative."
Under President Barack Obama's healthcare reform law, illegal immigrants cannot purchase health coverage through health insurance marketplaces, which will go live Jan. 1, 2014. In most instances, illegal aliens cannot receive Medicaid either, meaning the two big health coverage expansions of the law will keep a large swath of potential patients as uninsured.
Many Congress members are fighting to make undocumented immigrants eligible for coverage within the law's health exchanges if they do not receive health benefits through their employer.
Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.), a member of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, told The Hill that giving illegal immigrants an easier pathway to citizenship and health benefits will immediately help offset the growing expenses of uncompensated care.
"I think hospitals and healthcare providers would see it as a huge plus," Rep. Grijalva said in the report. "The bottom line is, these people would be contributing toward their own healthcare and not being dependent. They'd be paying taxes. I'd see that as a plus rather than a negative."
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The U.S. Health Disadvantage: A Crisis that We Must Address Together Today