Reflection: "...our health care delivery system is rapidly commercializing itself, and in the process is abandoning core values that should always be at the heart of the health care delivery." "...health care, like the family, education and social services, is special. It is fundamentally different from most other goods because it is essential to human dignity and the character of our communities. It is...one of those goods which by their nature are not and cannot be mere commodities." (Joseph Cardinal Bernadin)

Action Alert

Health Care for Recent Legal Immigrants

Call/Write:  Members of the Appropriations Committee especially Co-Chairs  Senator Toni Harp and  Representative Toni Walker (Find members of the Appropriations Committee go to www.cga.ct.gov )

Message:  Ask them to continue health benefits to recent legal immigrants and to reverse their previous action. 

Time frame: Before April 24 

 Background:

The 2009 state budget eliminated state-funded health care coverage for recent legal immigrants who are barred from Medicaid because of the requirement that they live in the U.S. for 5 years before getting federal benefits. This action affected about 3,700 low-income people - mostly parents of children in the HUSKY program but also some elderly or disabled people.  

The elimination of benefits did not take effect because Greater Hartford Legal Aid was successful at the trial court in a lawsuit challenging the state action. But the Supreme Court has just overruled that lower court decision. In order to continue these benefits, we have to return to the legislature and get them to reverse their previous action. The cost of restoring the program is about $9 million a year.  

Health Care for Recent Legal Immigrants

 Without legislative action, 3,700 low-income residents who are elderly, blind, disabled, or parents of dependent children will lose health care coverage.  

New authorizing legislation is needed to continue medical coverage for 3,700 recent legal immigrants.   

In 1996, Connecticut stepped in to provide health care coverage for recent legal immigrants when the federal government wouldn’t. The federal government prohibited states from using Medicaid funds for health care coverage to legal immigrants who had been in the country for less than 5 years. Connecticut established a state-funded program (“SMANC”) to provide that health care.  

About 3,700 people now rely on this program for their medical needs, from prescription medicine to surgery. They become eligible for Medicaid after they have lived in the U.S. for 5 years.

 A state court injunction that maintained the “SMANC” program (State Medical Assistance for Non-Citizens) since last year was recently dissolved by a decision of the state Supreme Court.  

Immigrants contribute to our society in many ways, including paying income and sales taxes at the same rates as citizens. When they fall on hard times and need medical assistance that they cannot afford, they should have access to the same public programs as other taxpayers. 

Eliminating coverage does not eliminate costs. A 2009 Connecticut Health Foundation Policy Brief reports that low-income immigrants without access to a public health care program are often uninsured. But they still need health care.  

·         People without insurance tend to seek health care from programs that the state supports, including community health centers and hospital emergency rooms.  

·         Without health insurance, people may also delay getting care while their condition worsens. This will result in higher health care costs when treatment is obtained.

  

  For more information  contact:

 Jane McNichol 

jmcnichol@larcc.org

Legal Assistance Resource Center of CT

44 Capitol Avenue, Suite 301

Hartford, CT 06106

860-278-5688 ext. 201

Find your Senator/Representative:  www.vote-smart.org 

 

                                                                                                        

                                             

Connecticut U.S. Senators and Representatives

Senator Blumenthal                                   Senator Lieberman

 (202) 224-2823                                           (202) 224-4041

(860) 334-5341                                             (860) 549-8463

(800)334-5341(toll-free in CT)                  (800)225-5605 (toll-free in CT) 

Representative Larson                            Representative Courtney

(202) 225-2265                                           (202) 225-3076

(860) 278-8888                                         (860) 886-0139 

Representative DeLauro                        Representative Himes                        Representative Murphy

(202) 225-3661                                          (202) 225-5541                                      (202) 225-4476

(203)562-3718                                           (203) 210-7711                                      (860) 223-8412

 

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