Minnesota to allow all undocumented residents to enroll in MinnesotaCare

[RandySF]

Undocumented residents in Minnesota will be eligible to enroll in the state’s publicly subsidized insurance program for low-income people, known as MinnesotaCare, under a budget agreement released on Friday night.

The proposal, which is expected to become law, will expand public health insurance access to the more than 40,000 undocumented people estimated to live in Minnesota and meet the program’s income requirements.

Immigrant rights advocates heralded the funding for an expanded MinnesotaCare after the health budget was released on Friday.

“Workers without status have made enormous sacrifices to our state, paying the highest toll to keep our state running during COVID-19. All people deserve access to health insurance,” said Emilia Gonzalez, executive director of Unidos Minnesota, in a statement.

The state aims to begin enrolling undocumented residents in 2025, said Rep. Tina Liebling, DFL-Rochester, a chief author of the health budget bill.

“This is huge to be able to offer them health insurance, and it will be huge for hospitals,” Liebling said. “Because when people show up at a hospital and they don’t have coverage, the hospital has to pay for it.”




https://minnesotareformer.com/2023/05/20/minnesota-to-allow-all-undocumented-residents-to-enroll-in-public-insurance/

[Wounded Bear]

1. Good idea...

if you really want to prevent pandemics, the best thing to do is to get everybody access to medical care.

[In It to Win It]

2. Ummm... I'm not sure how I feel about this

While I agree with expanding access to healthcare, I'm not sure what the political cost would be of a policy that expands insurance programs by the government to undocumented immigrants... not only in MN but nationally.

[dflprincess]

4. It's cheaper to do it this way

When hospitals have to cover the costs for uncovered patients, they have to raise their rates and eventually we all pay higher premiums.
And, when people have coverage they're more apt to seek care before it reaches the point they need the ER.

Of course, we'll never convince the MAGAts of this.

[In It to Win It]

6. Not worried about MAGAts

It's that small section of squishy non-committal voters that I'm thinking about

[BOSSHOG]

7. And, not all uncovered patients are undocumented immigrants

And all magats have ancestors who were immigrants but since they don’t give a fuck, nor do I.

But ponder the thought of why magat ancestors came to America. Oppression? Hitler? Mind boggling. The conservative brain is ripe for study. Hate people who are doing what my great grandparents did.

[dflprincess]

8. I often think that of my ancestors as well

Many of them of my mom's side came over at the time of the Irish Famine and were not welcome with open arms.

One of my cousins has gone over to the dark side and made the mistake of complaining about "illegals" in front of my aunt (his mother) she let him have it & reminded him that he would not have been welcome at one time. She said she didn't think she got through to him, but at least she shut him up.

[Skittles]

9. try to think of the human cost instead

not so hard to do

[BOSSHOG]

3. This is a good thing

And it’s happening in a blue state. May I dare say pro life? Coincidence? In red states they want to lock up librarians for putting children in danger by exposure to pornography while thumping the porn laden bible every Sunday or whatever day it is they thump stuff. AND, red states battle mass murder of children with thoughts and prayers and with no success. One may conclude that conservative thoughts and prayers are as impotent as conservative integrity.

Thanks for posting teammate.

[roamer65]

5. A respiratory infection can now get treated with a $40 dose of antibiotics.

Instead of thousands of dollars for a hospitalization for pneumonia.

Examples like this one are why this makes sense.