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California seeking to enroll illegal immigrants in Obamacare

October 5, 2016

obamaCalifornia’s state health care exchange has sent an application to the federal government seeking permission to sell insurance to illegal immigrants. The Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, prohibits illegal immigrants from buying health insurance through state exchanges.

In June, Gov. Jerry Brown signed a bill into law that directed Covered California to apply for a waiver that would allow illegal immigrants to access Obamacare. Peter Lee, the executive director of Covered California, submitted the waiver application on Sept. 30.

“If this waiver request is not granted, the decision will continue the current policy that restricts health coverage options for California’s undocumented immigrants to purchase coverage off the exchange,” the application sates. “This restriction on purchasing is a barrier for these residents who make a significant contribution to the economy, paying more than $3 billion a year in state and local taxes.”

Lee’s application goes on to state that “mixed-status families” are the ones most harmed by Obamacare’s existing ban on illegal immigrants. In mixed-status families, some members, often the children, are citizens or legal residents, while others are illegal immigrants. About 13 percent of school-aged children in California have a parent who is an undocumented immigrant, according to Covered California.

The state health exchange claims, if the waiver is granted, illegal immigrants would not be eligible for federal subsidies, and they would have to pay the full cost of coverage. A University of California Berkeley team estimates approximately 17,000 undocumented immigrants would get health coverage through the state exchange as a result of the waiver.

If the United State Department of Health and Human Services issues the waiver, California would become the first state to offer Obamacare to illegal immigrants.

Prior to the passage of Obamacare, President Barack Obama said in a 2009 address to a joint session of Congress that the legislation would not provide insurance to illegal immigrants.

“There are also those who claim that our reform effort will insure illegal immigrants,” Obama said. “This, too, is false. The reforms I’m proposing would not apply to those who are here illegally.”

Rep. Joe Wilson (R-South Carolina) then shouted, “You lie!”

Obama responded, “That’s not true.”


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My health care costs were fairly stable until “Obamacare”. Now, every year my costs have gone up about 20% each year ($2,500+ yearly). When the government gives/offers anything “someone” (us) is going to pay!


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Before Obamacare I was paying $300 a month, $1000 annual deductible and $500 total annual co-pay. Now I pay $750 a month, $2000 annual deductible and $1000 co-pay BUT they have put limits on some types of surgery and I must pay the difference. I am still waiting for my $2500 cost saving. Lying dog he is!


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OK….so if you are here illegally in California, you get free medical, free education (with special privileges), a drivers license, insurance free college,amnesty if convicted of a felony, and on and on and on….OUR TAX DOLLARS AT WORK!


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Is there any other nation that offers taxpayer-funded (I won’t call it “free”) education, housing subsidies, driver’s licenses, food EBT cards, and taxpayer-funded medical/dental benefits to residents who entered the country illegally?


The Democrats are steadily chipping away at our country’s sovereignty, once bad law at a time.


And Rep. Joe Wilson–you were right. Obama lied then and he and Hillary are still lying now.


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If those same privileges were readily available to legal citizens, I’d be less upset about all of this.


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Why not take it to its ultimate logical conclusion: California should annex Mexico and give them all free healthcare at our expense. Have the state be a sanctuary for all Mexicans. Everything should be bilingual by law. And have them vote democrat as a condition of coming here. That should alleviate all guilt about us having more than they do since we won’t have as much as we do now-they will have it instead.


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Some people just can’t pass an outstretched hand, real or imagined, without the compulsive desire to put that hand in your pocket.


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Saw this on FOX yesterday and they asked the same thing especially after Bill Clinton blew up his bomb on Obamacare. They also played Obama’s State of the Union Address where he said it was illegal for illegals to ever get Obamacare and a Senator called him a “liar: in the Chamber and all the Democrats lead by our very own Nancy Pelosi went after him and the Republicans. Now, here we are 7 years later and like everything else in this administration, it is a lie!


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Sure, free anesthesia for those willing to wake up in country of citizenship. Obamacare limits the value spent on life which should not be levied on foreign nationals, their county can decide that.


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Why would the illegals pay for healthcare? They already get free medical. The article states that the illegals would not be allowed subsidies so I ask why would they sign up to pay high rates for crappy insurance when they already get free medical? What am I missing?


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I think what you are missing is….illegals don’t get free medical. Poor people get access to low-cost or free healthcare. Some “illegals” are poor, some are not.


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No I don’t think that is it. The illegals go to the hospital when sick and get free treatment. All the illegals are poor because nothing shows up in their names because they are illegal. Must be something else.


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Because the stupid premise is that by offering healthcare they will then have to pay taxes but you are right, you can’t find them because they use fake names.


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100% pure rubbish. Governor Brown, YOU, Sir, have gone across THE line.


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As I type this there are hard working tax paying families bathing their children using a bucket to collect water, if there even is any to be had. This has been going on for many months and yet flush me down Brown and his cronies still waste money on a bullshit, I mean bullet train to nowhere. Brown crossed the line long ago my friend, and the tools backing him as well. What the hell has society become? Where has the responsibility of our government in providing basic needs to its citizens, and yet year after year were robbed of thousands of dollars in taxes.


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We are already paying for illegal children aged 19 and under why not the whole family. It;s only money that could be used for roads, education, etc. He crossed the line years ago!


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