Under health care legislation on Capitol Hill, undocumented workerswould technically not be covered. But the reality, immigration analystssay, is that the legislation is missing any mechanism to keep them outof the system. And if they exploit that loophole, taxpayers could be onthe hook for billions to cover health care costs that employers don’t.
Health care reform could end up bailing out employers who hire illegal immigrants and skimp on their health benefits.
Underthe legislation being considered on Capitol Hill, undocumented workerswould technically not be covered. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said asmuch in an interview Sunday.
“No, illegal immigrants are not covered by this plan,” she said.
Butthe reality, immigration analysts say, is that the legislation ismissing any mechanism to keep illegals out of the system. And if theyexploit that loophole, taxpayers could be on the hook for billions tocover health care costs their employers do not.
Already, illegal immigrants account for $10.7 billion in state and federal health care spending, according to preliminary numbers from The Federation for American Immigration Reform.
Specialprojects director Jack Martin said that amount, which derives in largepart from emergency room visits and births, would only rise unless thehealth care proposals on the Hill are changed.
“The bill in its current form is in effect going to be tempting to illegal immigrants who are not yet receiving medical benefits,” Martin said. “We would expect that the cost would increase.”
Ina recent study, FAIR said that nothing in the health care package wouldprevent illegal immigrants from enrolling in a taxpayer-funded publicplan, and that no verification mechanisms exist to prevent them fromreceiving credits to help with private plans.
Theincreased burden on taxpayers means they would inevitably end upfooting the bill for employers who hire illegal immigrants.
The Center for Immigration Studies estimates that 7.25 million illegal immigrants do not have health insurance.