New “Public Charge” Rule Has Major Implications for Millions of Immigrants with Medicaid
Last week the Trump administration published its proposed “public charge” rule, a move that could affect millions of legal immigrants enrolled in Medicaid. In a new post on To the Point, George Washington University’s Sara Rosenbaum explains that the proposed rule would place greater emphasis on immigrants’ receipt of public benefits in determining whether they are considered dependent on the government. This status plays a role in determining admission to the U.S. and in granting permanent green-card status.
Under the rule, now in a 60-day comment period, virtually all forms of Medicaid would amount to a public benefit. Because enrollment for more than 12 months over a three-year period could be used as evidence in a public-charge determination, the administration’s proposed policy shift would be a disincentive to anything more than short-term enrollment.
“If finalized in its current form, this public charge rule would have a dramatic impact not only on coverage, but also on access to health care and the overall stability of the health care system in thousands of communities across the nation,” Rosenbaum writes.
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