Budget constraints are forcing a growing number of blue states to cut back on their “free” healthcare programs for illegal aliens, due to a reduction in federal subsidies and Medicaid cuts.
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Breitbart reports that a number of liberal-leaning states including California, Colorado, Illinois, New York, Oregon, Washington, and the District of Columbia are unable to replace the federal health benefits for illegals with their own state tax dollars.
According to The Washington Examiner, a total of 14 states have been spending millions on taxpayer-funded healthcare benefits for migrants, for their children, and for pregnant, non-citizen women.
However, the sweeping tax and spending bill President Donald Trump signed into law last summer has cut federal spending on Medicaid, the joint federal-state health insurance program for low-income people.
According to Stateline.org, Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” also places new eligibility restrictions on lawfully present immigrants, including refugees, who are enrolled in a variety of government-subsidized health programs, including Medicaid, CHIP, Medicare, and plans available under the Affordable Care Act.
Those cutbacks are forcing states that have been spending lavishly on healthcare programs to begin scaling back their freebies to illegals.
Medha Makhlouf, a law professor and expert on migrants’ access to healthcare in the US, told Breitbart, “The federal government shifted much more of the financial burden of providing those services to states. And so, states are taking a holistic view at their healthcare budgets and trying to figure out where they can cut.”
Stateline. Org reports that Cooper Smith, director of homeland security and immigration at the America First Policy Institute argues that when budgets tighten, policymakers should prioritize citizens.
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Smith explained, “Taxpayers pay into a system. I think it’s reasonable to expect that those who have paid into the system should be the primary beneficiaries of public benefit.”
The reality of overspending and budget shortfalls are beginning to force change on the part of state lawmakers.
According to Breitbart, California, the state with the most generous benefits for illegals, was one of the first to cut some access to migrants.
Governor Gavin Newsom preventing immigrants who are here illegally from enrolling in Medi-Cal, the state’s Medicaid program.
The state is also cancelling dental care for non-citizens and current enrollees on Medi-Cal will now have to pay a $30 monthly premium.
Illinois and Colorado, both of whom have provided heavy healthcare subsidies for illegals, have also begun scaling back their spending.
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