Congressional Research Service: Illegal Aliens Can Receive Benefits Under House Health...

Congressional Research Service: Illegal Aliens Can Receive Benefits Under
House Health Care Bill

WASHINGTON, Aug. 26 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Tuesday, the Congressional
Research Service (CRS), the "research arm" for the United States Congress,
issued a report validating an analysis by the Federation for American
Immigration Reform (FAIR), that illegal aliens would be able to receive
benefits under the House health care reform bill, America's Affordable Health
Care Act of 2009 (H.R. 3200).

The report, Treatment of Noncitizens in H.R. 3200, states definitively, "H.R.
3200 does not contain any restrictions on noncitizens - whether legally or
illegally present, or in the United States temporarily or permanently -
participating in the Exchange." H.R. 3200 establishes a Health Insurance
Exchange which would provide individuals and small businesses with access to
health care plans, including the "public option" to be managed by the
government.

CRS also confirms FAIR's assessment that the House bill does not include a
mechanism to prevent illegal aliens from receiving "affordability credits"
that would subsidize the purchase of private health insurance. CRS
specifically noted the absence "of a provision in the bill specifying the
verification procedure." Because the language is ambiguous, all CRS could
reasonably conclude is that any eligibility determination would be the
responsibility of the Health Choices Commissioner.

The CRS analysis comes after weeks of denials by Members of Congress that
illegal aliens could receive benefits under the House bill. These denials were
echoed by countless media and health care "experts" who dismissed public
concerns as myths, or as politically orchestrated attacks.

"Case closed. Illegal aliens will be eligible to participate in the health
care program offered by the House bill unless Congress acts to amend the
bill," stated Dan Stein, president of FAIR. "The loopholes and omissions in
the House bill are not there by accident," continued Stein. "These loopholes
were intended to extend benefits to illegal aliens while allowing Members of
Congress to deny those facts to the American people."

The House Ways & Means Committee had the opportunity to include language that
would have barred illegal aliens from enrolling in the proposed public option
or receiving the affordability credits, but chose not to. An amendment offered
by Rep. Dean Heller (R-Nev.) would have applied the same eligibility
verification procedures for coverage under H.R. 3200 that have been used for
years to prove eligibility for Medicaid. That amendment was rejected by a
party-line vote.

Based on its own findings and those of CRS, FAIR is calling on Congress to:
-- Adopt clear language that makes illegal aliens (and nonimmigrants)
ineligible for enrollment in publicly funded or subsidized health
insurance programs.
-- Require electronic eligibility verification for any health care reform
proposal through the existing Systematic Alien Verification for
Entitlements (SAVE) system.

-- Maintain a five-year eligibility waiting period for legal immigrants
to
ensure that individuals don't come to the U.S. and immediately tap
the system.

"For the past month, irate citizens, concerned that their tax dollars will be
used to fund health care for illegal aliens, have been unfairly portrayed as
uninformed rabble by their elected representatives and a host of media
organizations," said Stein. "It is time for the politicians to close the
loopholes, and for the media establishment to acknowledge that they got it
wrong."

About FAIR
Founded in 1979, FAIR is the country's largest immigration reform group. With
over 250,000 members nationwide, FAIR fights for immigration policies that
serve national interests, not special interests. FAIR believes that
immigration reform must enhance national security, improve the economy,
protect jobs, preserve our environment, and establish a rule of law that is
recognized and enforced.

SOURCE FAIR

Ira Mehlman of FAIR, +1-206-420-7733