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U.S. to Ease Illegal Immigrants' Children's Access to Medicaid |
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From washingtonpost.com : In response to concerns that some babies may be missing out on essential health care, the Bush administration will issue a rule making it easier for the infants of noncitizens to gain access to services covered through Medicaid. Typically, newborns of Medicaid beneficiaries are deemed automatically eligible for the health-care program during their first year as long as the mother remains eligible. Last year, Medicaid officials said this automatic status would not extend to infants whose delivery was covered through emergency Medicaid. Such emergency care covers the labor and delivery expenses for many uninsured couples, including illegal immigrants. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services stated last year that the parents of babies whose care was covered through emergency Medicaid would have to abide by their state's requirements concerning proof of citizenship and identity. The problem, health officials said, is that generating such documentation is time- consuming. Officials with the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities said they heard complaints from pediatricians that some babies released from the hospital had problems accessing follow-up care.
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