Bout of Context - US Catholic Bishops & the Affordable Health Care for America Act

November 8, 2009

US Catholic Bishops & the Affordable Health Care for America Act

Regarding the below:

boutofcontext: Separately, if you read the appeal, the Bishops are at worst two for three today on advocacy. Their other positions were:

Regardless of status, immigrants living in our country need to have access to health care just as any other human being…

Because we support and advocate in favor of affordable and accessible health care for all, especially the poor and marginalized, we want legislation that expands Medicaid eligibility for adults living at 150 percent or lower of the federal poverty level…

generic1: (excerpted)…We’ve got a Democratic House, a Democratic Senate and a Democratic President … in what is arguably the most important Democratic domestic policy initiative of the past three decades, also during what is arguably the easiest point in the process for liberals—the House vote—and the bishops weren’t able to convince Democrats to even consider expanding Medicaid or even consider illegal immigrants…

Refer to Title VII, Subtitle A, §1701 of the Affordable Health Care for America Act, Eligibility For Individuals With Income Below 150 Percent of the Federal Poverty Level, the exact group Bishops advocated for.

Another section closes existing gaps for newborns, covering all otherwise-uninsured infants under Medicaid from birth; an important social justice issue, especially given the abortion funding restriction. Since these newborns are natural-born citizens under US Code Title 8, 12.III.1 §1401.a, regardless of their parents’ statuses, they won’t be affected by failure to cover illegals.

There is also some language in §1703 about reconciling (S-)CHIP with the act (including “CHIP-eligible pregnant women”) the jist of which is, minimally, States can’t make S-CHIP access more restrictive than requirements for the expanded Medicaid. States may continue providing coverage up to 300% of FPL, (~400% in NY, NJ) for pregnant women and children in high cost-of-living states earning above the expanded Medicaid threshold.

I agree that illegal immigrant advocacy was unsuccessful on its face. However, as the Conservatives lament, there remain loopholes-

“presumptive eligibility” (§1714) for services, including family planning, covering illegals prior to verification (lasting at least 120 days including review and notice periods)
maintaining undocumented declaration under S-CHIP for children/pregnant women, (again, at least 120 days, CHIPRA 2009 II.B.211)
States retain discretion to cover “unborn children” of illegal aliens, necessarily including the mother until birth
Leaving in place a lift of the five-year ban on newly-arrived immigrant coverage.

It’s undignified to make the poor/sick jump through these hoops in a nation of plenty, but, in addition to emergency room coverage under EMTALA, its something.

5:27pm | URL: http://boutofcontext.tumblr.com/post/237390859/us-catholic-bishops-the-affordable-health-care-for

(No. OF NOTES: 136)