OBAMACARE

Immigration Reform Could Add Millions Covered Under Obamacare

Expanding insured population would benefit hospitals, doctors, experts argue

Jan 27, 2013 by Lisa Fine

Staff Writer t

Image: AP

Millions of people will become eligible for assistance under the Affordable Care Act if immigration reform includes the anticipated pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, The Hill reports.

Under the health care law, insurance exchanges will open for business next year, and undocumented immigrants are prohibited from buying coverage through the health plan marketplaces. In most states undocumented residents are also not covered by Medicaid.

Some policy experts say that extending Obamacare's benefits to large numbers of immigrants will raise costs. Others say legalizing undocumented immigrants would yield significant tax revenue and reduce the burden on local hospitals and clinics to provide uncompensated care.

Public health officials say having improved access to health insurance would reduce overall costs and improve the health of communities through increased preventive care and better management of chronic conditions.

Via The Hill

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Jan '13

tomincali

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i thought this was pointed out when a guy called obama a lair when he said illegal aliens would not be covered.
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Jan '13

woodtick57

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you apparantly didn't read, like that incorrect, rude legislator. If they attain citizenship, they will be eligable.
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Post @woodtick57
Jan '13

PoliticalSpice

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Illegal aliens will not be covered, only people here legally will be covered. If repubs and dems legalize the status of these folks, then they will be covered. Understand now?
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Jan '13

tomincali

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@PoliticalSpice i don't even get the idea of covering legal immigrants, being if they are helping the country in any way they would have their own coverage and not cost us at all for any reason.
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Post @tomincali
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Jan '13

woodtick57

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@tomincali

where would you ever get the idea that illegal immigrants ARE covered?
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Jan '13

tomincali

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@woodtick57 from what i have been reading, every time the gov or the media mentions immigrants they are speaking of illegal aliens.
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Jan '13

NTBFW

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Obama care won't work for anyone because we can't pay for it. There isn't enough money to make it work. The idea of healthcare for everyone is a good idea. But this plan is doomed to fail simply due to lack of funds.
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Jan '13

woodtick57

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We pay for them in the most expensive way now...how would Obamacare change that?
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Jan '13

NTBFW

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@woodtick57 you didn't read what I said. It won't work for ANYONE. Because we can't pay for it. Adding millions of immigrants to it won't help it because its such a flawed plan it won't work regardless.
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Jan '13

woodtick57

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@NTBFW

and what I said is we already pay for them now in the most expensive way, at the ER room. what part of that do you not understand?
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Jan '13

NTBFW

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@woodtick57 I understood it fine. But your reply had nothing to do with what I said. Can't you understand that?
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Post @NTBFW
Jan '13

PoliticalSpice

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Good maybe we will go to a socialized medicine system if it fails, but folks who speak like you do will fight that tooth and nail, so we are stuck with this half measure. Oh, there is plenty of money: u.s. military bases in foriegn countries, the import export back loaning82% of our money to companies like boerong, pork barrel military contracts for the f-35 plane that has yet to perform as promised, and for $400.OO toilet seats...lots of money, you just have to know where to look --- military spending and corporate welfare.
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Jan '13

woodtick57

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they can just go the ER now and we pay for that...
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Jan '13

texas_cutie75

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It is amazing how much taxpayers pay for ER visits.
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Jan '13

woodtick57

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@texas_cutie75

it's amazing how few US citizens realize this....
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Jan '13

talkenhed

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Illegal becomes "quasi legal " or whatever they call transition to citizen. As part of interim status must maintain insurance. Alleviate problem?
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Post @talkenhed
Jan '13

Rocker

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@woodtick57 - That's true, those without insurance and of illegal status that are treated are doing so at the taxpayer expense (and hospital loss by padding bills to those who do and pay up). Better to get 'em some insurance and citizenship status so they can also bear the burden with money and taxation to enjoy our freedoms and way of life. When it no longer is as profitable to remain in the US, a lot will return.
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Post @Rocker
Jan '13

texas_cutie75

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@talkenhed

This happened, a Mexican national came in with 4 children to have staples removed from an emergency C-section. The youngest child was 2 weeks old. The mother hadn't done any kind of aftercare, was horribly infected. She spent 3 days on the med-surg floor, courtesy of US taxpayers. She had 3 other children, had her mother take her Lone star card to get for for her SEVEN children. Lone star card is food stamps. When one of the nurses asked her if she was proceeding with steps to become a citizen, she laughed. Tell me what you think?
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Post @texas_cutie75
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Jan '13

texas_cutie75

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I work in an ER, we have trouble getting patients to follow basic aftercare, this lands them right back in the ER. I am actually considering a career change.
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Jan '13

talkenhed

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This is a problem why? Inability to communicate? Cost? Fear of illegal status deportation? Is aftercare issue limited immigrants?
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Jan '13

woodtick57

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@talkenhed

from what I hear, no, it seems to be a problem mainly with those without insurance and those with low education/income...
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Post @woodtick57
Jan '13

texas_cutie75

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@talkenhed
Sweetheart, we have folks that speak all different languages, communication is not an issue. We can't call immigration, there is a little law called HIPPA, that prevents that from happening. I did not understand your last question, so I am not gonna touch it.
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Jan '13

SmedleyButler

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I have friends that saw this a long time ago. The big push to train nurses, lowering standards in hopes to flood the market , lowering the salaries of nurses. This health care plan was written by insurance companies for their share holders to skim off misery.
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Post @SmedleyButler
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Jan '13

talkenhed

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@texas_cutie 75. Sweetheart?(blushing). I just asked what you attributed poor aftercare follow up to. A simple question.
Second question. Think its given immigration reform will happen. If the illegals get work permits we should make them pay for ObamaCare allowing ERs to get reimbursed
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Jan '13

talkenhed

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Immigration reform remove millions from underground cash economy adds millions to tax rolls
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Jan '13

Sabio

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"Expanding insured population would benefit hospitals, doctors, experts argue" all on the back of people who work to take care of the people who refuse to!
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Jan '13

marine1

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In the world of obama, one must always remember, NOTHING is as they make it seem
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Jan '13

Sabio

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@marine1 yes, so when they say "11 million undocumented workers" they really mean more like 30 million free loading takers of the system!
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Post @Sabio
Jan '13

Russell797

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"Public health officials say having improved access to health insurance would reduce overall costs and improve the health of communities through increased preventive care and better management of chronic conditions."

That says it all right there. If that does not make logical sense then I don't know what would.
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Jan '13

PoliticalSpice

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I'm not sure it wouldn't cost more, but issue is a civilized soceity provides health care for all. Ever notice there is never too little money to fight a war? Why is that?
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Post @PoliticalSpice
Jan '13

Russell797

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@PoliticalSpice You're right, and the only wars we should be engaged in are when the U.S. is in direct danger from a foreign government. We can't afford to be the world's policemen. Health is one of if not the most important possession an individual person can have, and a more health society is a move productive one.
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Jan '13

OhWiseOne

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Biggest load of BS I have ever seen on here. If they are illegal, they deserve nothing but a one way ticket home and a warning that if they violate our laws again they will be put to death. Problem solved.
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Jan '13

PoliticalSpice

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Leaving aside your Christian attitude, the article explained their status would be legal, hence qualified for medicade and obamacare...
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Jan '13

woodtick57

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@PoliticalSpice

hatred and prejudice often blocks rational thought....
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Post @woodtick57
Jan '13

Jack-Black

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Difference is if they are illegal they will get their free health care by just going to the emegency rooms and hospitals and skip out on the bill causing paying patients to cover the cost. If Barry makes them legal they will will still get free health care on someone else's dime, but this time Barry's crew will get another voter....
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Post @Jack-Black
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Jan '13

OhWiseOne

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@Jack-Black Exactly. It's a win-win for Obama and the lefties.
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Post @OhWiseOne
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Jan '13

OhWiseOne

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@woodtick57 If securing and defending our borders is racist, then so be it. Sticks and stones.....
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Jan '13

JustTheFacts

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As if we don't have enough deadbeats abusing the system ... hell ... lets throw some border jumpers in the mix to see if we can run up more debt! I love seeing my tax dollars going to a board jumper on medicare!
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Jan '13

woodtick57

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If US citizens quit hiring them, they would quit coming here...
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Post @woodtick57
Jan '13

Thunderchicken

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Cloward and Piven anyone?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloward%E2%80%93...
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Jan '13

OhWiseOne

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That is the first thing that I thought of when I saw this. Good observation.
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Post @OhWiseOne
Jan '13

Arumizy

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It definitly will not improve anything, deporting them and closing up the border will help improve quite a bit though.
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Jan '13

MadAmerican

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This is going to further bankrupt America and the Czars will deny older people care to try to save money and cost lives. Watch and learn how bad OOOBOOOMOOO care really is.
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u
Jan '13

seedtick

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Only if you force all of them off of the welfare rolls and force all of them to purchase an insurance policy. And, that ain't gonna happen, so we real American citizens will still foot the bill. We need to look hard at Marco Rubio's plan....Barack Husssein Obama is just playing politics...trying to be the hero.
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Jan '13

Oneness3am_i

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Preventive Care saves Money..
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Jan '13

Tralee

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Of course not, in an already strained market adding millions will just add to the waiting times, rationing and the flight of the ones who can afford it, to the designer medical teams, you know, the ones we put on a monthly retainer to get the first appointment, access to medical devices and so on. Also, it will add trillions to the cost of Obamacare, who's going to pay for that?
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Jan '13

AlexMIA

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If they are made legal and given a pathway to citizenship which they should pay dearly for, they will also either be working and paying taxes or forced to pay into Obama care like everybody else.
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Jan '13

harold_lloyd

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Think it through.

Most immigrants are young and in good health. Let them subsidize the system for us old folks.
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Jan '13

justapirate

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Immigration reform- having our military in place to counter any attempt by Mexico to prevent us from shoving every single illegal we find back over the border. Gather 'em up and use heavy dozers to initiate immigration right back across that border.
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Jan '13

RoyFloyd

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Bottom line is the U.S. spends about 18% of GDP on healthcare while every other industrialized country is around 10%, with which they cover everyone and beat us on most health and quality-of-life indices. Whether it's paid for by government or business, it's an enormous drag on the economy. So, quiz kids, what's different about healthcare in the U.S. as opposed to that of every other industrialized country?
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u
Jan '13

thumper11

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This is classic " Cloward–Piven strategy", in it's pure form - designed to destroy America from within.
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Will adding millions of newly insured immigrants improve the U.S. health care system?

Will adding millions of newly insured immigrants improve the U.S. health care system?