_____________________________________________________
False: Illegal Immigrants Will Be Covered
One Republican congressman issued a press release claiming that "5,600,000 Illegal Aliens May Be Covered Under Obamacare," and we’ve been peppered with queries about similar claims. They’re not true. In fact, the House bill (the only bill to be formally introduced in its entirety) specifically says that no federal money would be spent on giving illegal immigrants health coverage:
H.R. 3200: Sec 246 — NO FEDERAL PAYMENT FOR UNDOCUMENTED ALIENS
Nothing in this subtitle shall allow Federal payments for affordability credits on behalf of individuals who are not lawfully present in the United States.
Also, under current law, those in the country illegally don’t qualify for federal health programs. Of interest: About half of illegal immigrants have health insurance now, according to the nonpartisan Pew Hispanic Center, which says those who lack insurance do so principally because their employers don’t offer it.
Makes it kinda hard to enforce this section, eh?
Under Treatment of Non-citizens in HR 3200, credits to participate in the Health Insurance Exchange would be subsidized (taxpayer-funded).
Problem is, is that without any enforcement mechanism within HR 3200 (and there is no enforcement mechanism to verify citizenship status) illegal aliens can get these credits to participate in the Health Insurance Exchange.
And HR 3200 says that there are no restrictions on illegal aliens participating in the Health Insurance Exchange.
Anyone with half a working brain knows why Democrats have fought tooth and nail to make sure that there is no enforcement mechanism like SAVE within HR 3200.
That is why they defeated Heller's amendment in the House Ways and Means Committee on a party line, 26-15 vote, and why they defeated another similar amendment in the House Energy and Commerce Committee.