Title: Is Medical Help for Illegal Immigrants Covered Under Obamacare?
Headings: Is Medical Help for Illegal Immigrants Covered Under Obamacare?
Is Medical Help for Illegal Immigrants Covered Under Obamacare?
How the Affordable Care Act Treats Undocumented Immigrants
Individual Mandate and Undocumented Immigrants
Controversial Claims
Obama Refutes Claims
Continued Criticism

Content: The Congressional Budget Office has estimated illegal immigrants make up one-quarter of the 30 million uninsured people in the country. Undocumented immigrants are not subject to the health care reform law’s individual mandate, the controversial clause upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court in June 2012 requiring most Americans to purchase health insurance. Because illegal immigrants are not subject to the individual mandate, they are not penalized for being uninsured. According to the Congressional Research Service: " Unauthorized (illegal) immigrants are expressly exempted from the mandate to have health insurance and, as a result, cannot be penalized for noncompliance." Illegal immigrants can still get emergency medical care under federal law. Controversial Claims
The question of whether Obama’s health care reform legislation provides coverage for illegal immigrants has been the subject of some debate over the years, largely because of their ability to still get treatment in emergency rooms and other facilities at the local level. U.S. Rep. Steve King, a Republican from Iowa, claimed in a 2009 written statement that Obama's health care reform law would provide coverage to 5.6 million illegal aliens because the government would not verify the citizenship or immigration status of those receiving taxpayer-funded health benefits. "Taxpaying families already weighed down by bailouts and massive spending bills, cannot afford to pay for health insurance for millions of illegal aliens. Hard and smart working Iowans should not be forced to pay for illegal aliens to obtain health benefits under any health care reform plan," King said.