The “Public Charge” Rule: How Will It Affect Immigrants’ Health Care and the Safety Net?
Earlier this fall, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) proposed a rule that would result in Medicaid coverage affecting an immigrant’s status as a ‘public charge.’ The new rule could negatively influence DHS’s determinations when immigrants are entering the country or applying to extend their stay, change their visa status, or secure a green card.
In a new post on To the Point, Allison Orris, April Grady, and Cindy Mann of Manatt Health report that by disrupting coverage for millions of people, the so-called public-charge rule would also reduce Medicaid support for health care providers and drive up uncompensated care costs. According to Manatt analysis, an estimated $17 billion in Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program spending on hospital payments would be at risk if the new policy takes effect.
Safety-net health care providers and providers in communities with large immigrant populations will be particularly hard-hit, the authors write, affecting not only their fiscal health but their ability to serve the broader community.
Immigrant child receives health care under Medicaid coverage_1x1 Read the post The “Public Charge” Rule: How Will It Affect Immigrants’ Health Care and the Safety Net?