Sebelius Reiterates WH Preference For Harsh Immigrant Provision In Senate Health Care Bill

[t0dd]

On a conference call with reporters, US Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius reiterated the President’s support for a controversial measure in the Senate health care bill that would ban undocumented immigrants from purchasing insurance coverage on the exchanges with their own money.

Sebelius was asked if she thought undocumented workers should be allowed on the exchange, and she replied, “The President has made it clear that he feels undocumented immigrants should be able to purchase health insurance in the private market, not on the exchange.”

The language in question in the Senate bill is on page 160:

(3) ACCESS LIMITED TO LAWFUL RESIDENTS. — If an individual is not, or is not reasonably expected to be for the entire period for which enrollment is sought, a citizen or national of the United States or an alien lawfully present in the United States, the individual shall not be treated as a qualified individual and may not be covered under a qualified health plan in the individual market that is offered through an Exchange.

It’s unlikely that there will be a separate private market for individual plans after the exchange gets implemented. With the subsidies only available for the exchanges, and the millions of people eligible for them likely to take advantage of that, only a small sliver of the country would be in that private market, making it supremely cost-ineffective for insurers to keep serving it.

Back in September the White House admitted that the non-exchange private market would “shrink” because of the exchanges, though they maintained it would still exist. That would only be true if the exchanges were not working properly to lower costs and increase choice. Sebelius and the White House appears to be hoping for some kind of black market insurance to sprout up to serve the undocumented.

This continued insistence on banning immigrants from purchasing health insurance with their own money will be a flashpoint in the House if it is included in the final bill. House members in the Tri-Caucus, representing African-Americans, Hispanics and Asian/Pacific Islanders, have consistently opposed this approach and backed the House leadership down from including it in their bill. The Tri-Caucus cited public health concerns from creating a two-tiered system where the undocumented become the uninsured, as well as the fiscal irresponsibility of making emergency rooms the primary caregivers to that community. We will unquestionably hear about threats to vote against the entire bill if the harsh immigrant restrictions are included.

More here: http://news.firedoglake.com/2009/11/23/sebelius-reiterates-wh-preference-for-harsh-immigrant-provision-in-senate-health-care-bill/

I'm sure the heartlessness of this provision will satisfy the anti-immigration coalition here at DU.

[Taverner]

1. Why don't we just poke at immigrants with pointy sticks?

Jeez - its like not allowing Illegal Immigrants to have Driver's licenses. Great - so when they hit you in an accident, you want them to run. Real smart.

[David Zephyr]

3. Exactly.

This is all political theater which, sadly, even Democrats feel they must subscribe to.

It is ugly. It is xenophobia. It is insulting.

And it should not be coming from Democrats.

Like you say: why don't they just poke at them with pointy sticks? It's the same shit.

[imdjh]

8. They aren't supposed to have drivers licenses, because they aren't supposed to be here.

To give them drivers licenses, would be to accept their illegal immigration and it's not acceptable.

[ck4829]

2. Conservatives respond

"Why does Obama want to give health care to illegal immigrants?!"

[pampango]

10. Obama probably anticipates this. Besides immigration reform is likely to be pushed next year

so the number of "illegal" immigrants should be greatly reduced.

But you're right. You know that the RW loves to play the "illegal immigrant" card whenever and wherever it can.

[Taverner]

15. Yes - I do worry about that

Immigration Reform will be the 'cause celebre' next year, and Conservatives who never voted for him and never will will claim "IF YOU DON'T 'FIX' THIS YOU'RE TOAST IN 2012!!!"

And his team will buy it

[imdjh]

18. The way to fix immigration is to enforce the law, deport those in violation, and secure the borders.

[imdjh]

17. So if you steal my car, and I forgive you, then you aren't a thief?

[pampango]

19. IF you forgive me, I assume you will not then treat me as a thief. n/t

[imdjh]

20. Then why do you put "illegal" in quotes, if not to say that they aren't actually illegal?

[pampango]

21. If we forgive them and they get a path to citizenship, at that point they would not be "illegal"

anymore which was the point of that post. IF we forgive them we will not treat as "illegal" any more than you would treat me as a "thief", IF you forgave me.

[imdjh]

23. Forgiveness is not always a virtue.

[Taverner]

12. EXACTLY - If nothing we do is right, why bother doing what they want in the first place?

[imdjh]

4. It's not harsh, illegal immigrants have no business here, or buying insurance here. nt

[t0dd]

5. LOL, is that you, Mr. Dobbs? nt

[imdjh]

9. Excuse me while I laugh at your clever but stupid remark.

[optimator]

6. surprised they didn't ban them from ERs as well

I hear racist complaints every day about it.
As if being sick is somehow cheating the system.

[imdjh]

11. Do you have any idea what illegal aliens cost the American taxpayer?

[Cant trust em]

7. This is unfortunate.

[kctim]

13. Thank you Mr. President

for being a leader of the people and for realizing that including illegal aliens in a govt plan would not only help kill any plan, but would also lead to a defeat in 2010 and possibly for yourself in 2012.

[pampango]

14. I agree with the first part. It would have killed HCR, but he's bringing up immigration reform

next year, so that Rush, Glenn and Lou (wherever he turns up) will be able to yell "amnesty" again, just like in 2007, until they are blue in the face.

I think Obama wants HCR too much to let it sink under an immigration debate, especially if he is going to go after immigration reform soon anyway. If he does that in 2010, he is either brave or foolish. Either the repubs will use "amnesty" to pick up votes (which didn't work for them in 2008) or they will shoot themselves in the foot with their Tea Bagger rants on immigration.

[kctim]

16. Valid points

Immigration reform is one thing though, and having illegal aliens on taxpayer plans is another. The American taxpayers could stomach the former, but would not go for the latter.
I am sure President Obama is taking it all in account and it will work out.

[Lance_Boyle]

22. deliberately deceptive wording from FDL - they need to stop lying.

This does not impact immigrants, who have immigrated legally. This impacts illegal aliens. These are two very distinct groups and it is beyond shameful for FDL to deliberately conflate them.

[imdjh]

24. +++++++++++++++1

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

25. Just let 'em die in the streets and be carted off like road kill.....

:sarcasm:

[Cleita]

26. If they do this, I hope some charities step up to the plate to provide

health care coverage to these immigrants, many of whom are parents of American children. Maybe we need these charities to fill this gap in public health care as well as for women's health care if our own government feels they have their hands tied in these matters about abortion. I would certainly contribute what I can to such a charities if they are run right. In a way this is where the right wing argument about government coming between the patient and the doctor has some truth in it. To deny health care to any human being because the government won't cover them because they are undocumented or because of their gender seems like government interference not to mention it could be unconstitutional because of the equality factor.