Title: Partly false claim: Seniors must pay for Medicare and supplemental insurance while ‘illegals get it all for free’ | Reuters
Headings: Partly false claim: Seniors must pay for Medicare and supplemental insurance while ‘illegals get it all for free’
Partly false claim: Seniors must pay for Medicare and supplemental insurance while ‘illegals get it all for free’
VERDICT

Content: Six states, including California and New York, and the District of Columbia use Medicaid state-only funds to cover low-income children regardless of their immigration status ( here ). California extended its healthcare coverage in 2019 and became the first state to use Medicaid funds to also cover young undocumented immigrants from the ages 19 to 25. Laws are in place to limit the U.S. taxpayers to paying for undocumented immigrants only in “extreme circumstances” ( here ). According to the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF), these emergency costs represent 1% of the overall cost of Medicaid ( here ). Generally, undocumented immigrants face many hurdles to getting health care in the United States. These include legal restrictions, inability to afford private insurance, and not seeking other options due to fear of deportation ( here ). The KFF reports that 47% of undocumented immigrants are uninsured. The think tank Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) says the number is 60% to 70%. Undocumented immigrants are excluded from government marketplaces like Medicare and ACA. Only emergency treatment is required to be administered to people regardless of their immigration status.