Legal Immigrants and Refugees Lose Medicaid Access Under New Budget Law

Legally residing refugees and certain humanitarian immigrants are losing access to Medicaid across the country starting October 1 due to changes in H.R. 1, the major budget bill passed by Republicans last summer. An estimated 280,000 people will lose coverage under these new rules, according to an analysis by KFF Health News.

Impact on Vulnerable Groups

Mustafa Rfat, a University of Nebraska at Omaha social work professor and former refugee from Iraq, has been receiving frantic phone calls from disabled refugees terrified that their children will lose necessary medication. Rfat notes that more than one-third of refugees live with at least one type of disability. Ben D'Avanzo, a senior strategist at the National Immigration Law Center, explains that those losing coverage include individuals who experienced violence, fled war, and face physical or mental health conditions while waiting for green card approval.

Alternatives and Future Costs

Drishti Pillai, director of immigrant health policy at KFF, points out that affected immigrants face very few affordable options, as full-price coverage from ACA marketplaces is often too costly and jobs in fields like construction or food service frequently lack employer-sponsored insurance. While most states have chosen to keep covering pregnant women and children, many state budgets are tight. Experts warn that cutting coverage now will lead people to delay preventative care and skip medications, resulting in much more costly and specialized health needs once they eventually receive green cards.

Context

Medicaid is a joint federal and state program in the United States that provides health coverage to eligible low-income individuals and families. Policy changes enacted through federal budget legislation can directly alter eligibility criteria for specific populations, including newly arrived legal immigrants and refugees.