Citizens Who Lack Papers Lose Medicaid

WASHINGTON, March 11 — A new federal rule intended to keep illegal immigrants from receiving Medicaid has instead shut out tens of thousands of United States citizens who have had difficulty complying with requirements to show birth certificates and other documents proving their citizenship, state officials say.

Florida, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Ohio and Virginia have all reported declines in enrollment and traced them to the new federal requirement, which comes just as state officials around the country are striving to expand coverage through Medicaid and other means.

Under a 2006 federal law, the Deficit Reduction Act, most people who say they are United States citizens and want Medicaid must provide “satisfactory documentary evidence of citizenship,” which could include a passport or the combination of a birth certificate and a driver’s license.

Some state officials say the Bush administration went beyond the law in some ways, for example, by requiring people to submit original documents or copies certified by the issuing agency.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/12/us/12medicaid.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin

it is an obvious minor mistake, but you should hear the attitudes like she is trying to overthrow the government with doctored documents

birth certificates anyway. How do you get though life without one anymore? I don't believe it should or would be a hardship, sounds like a bunch of hooey to me. Just more of a push to let the illegals get things they're not entitled to.

to benfit all those that come in contact with you too.

????
Did I wander into the wrong website??

aka the looking glass...

there are illiterate people that have been living on the fringes for a long time and now things are changing.. they are suffering the change.

My Father was born in 1909...

i was adopted & unless I knew that I had to request a birth certificate that was "sealed" I would not have one....

hooey... don't misplace that document

:sarcasm:
You do realize you are on a progressive board don't you?
Your statement reeks
"Just more of a push to let the illegals get things they're not entitled to"

Now THAT sounds like hooey to me.

requires information lost in time and Katrina and the rub of poverty.. i am autistic, functionally illiterate and i just cant keep stuff together, i have lived on the fringes all my life, im 58. i have all kinds of problems with paper

NEW REQUIREMENT FOR BIRTH CERTIFICATES OR PASSPORTS COULD THREATEN MEDICAID COVERAGE FOR VULNERABLE BENEFICIARIES:
A STATE-BY-STATE ANALYSIS

The Deficit Reduction Act, which was signed by the President on February 8th, contains a provision that would require all citizens applying for Medicaid or renewing their coverage to produce a passport or birth certificate to prove they are U.S. citizens. There would be no exceptions for any Medicaid applicants or beneficiaries, not even individuals with severe physical or mental impairments such as Alzheimer’s disease.

This new requirement, which a recent study by the Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services shows to be unnecessary, would almost certainly create significant enrollment barriers for millions of low-income citizens who meet all Medicaid eligibility requirements. It also would increase Medicaid administrative costs. (For a discussion of these issues, see Leighton Ku and Donna Cohen Ross, “New Medicaid Requirement Is Unnecessary and Could Impede Citizens’ Coverage and Policy Priorities,” revised January 4, 2006.)

This analysis provides estimates of the number of Medicaid beneficiaries in each state who would be required to submit a passport or birth certificate between July 2006 (when the new requirement would take effect) and June 2007, and who would be cut off Medicaid if they are unable to do so.

Analyses of Census data and Medicaid administrative data indicate that about ­­­49 million native-born U.S. citizens and two million naturalized citizens were enrolled in Medicaid over the course of the year in 2003. (Fewer than 4 million legal immigrants also participated.) Thus, about 49 million people would be required to submit birth certificates or passports or lose their Medicaid coverage. (The two million beneficiaries who are naturalized citizens would be allowed to submit naturalization documents.)

<snip>

Large numbers of eligible people could lose coverage because they do not have a birth certificate or passport available at the time they apply or reapply for Medicaid. Low-income individuals on Medicaid usually do not travel abroad and often lack passports. Birth certificates may have been lost over the years in which people move from one home to another; in some cases, as explained below, individuals may have been born outside a hospital and no birth certificate may have been issued. Those who may be harmed include:

* People who have a sudden emergency and need Medicaid coverage immediately but cannot get these documents quickly (some states take a month or longer to provide a duplicate birth certificate when one is requested);

* Those who are homeless, mentally ill, or suffering from senility or a disease such as Alzheimer’s, and who may not be able to secure a birth certificate (or even to recall where they were born);

* People who are in nursing homes or are severely disabled, and would have difficulty getting access to their birth certificates; and

* Those affected by disasters like Hurricanes Katrina or Wilma who have lost most of their possessions and records.



http://www.cbpp.org/1-5-06health.htm

a free (or greatly reduced price passport).

voila' no more voting hassles, no more "who's yer daddy, sho me yer papers", and since it's good for 15 years, it's actually a bargain.

Unless you need expedited handling, you can just apply at the post office and you are good to go for ALL ID purposes.. and if a free trip comes along, you have yout passport.

or greatly reduced price ? :hi: