White House to Ease Medicaid Rule on Proof of Citizenship

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/07/washington/07medicaid.html ^

[lauriehelds]

WASHINGTON, July 6 — The Bush administration said Thursday that it would exempt millions of the most vulnerable Medicaid recipients from a new law that requires them to prove they are United States citizens by showing birth certificates, passports or other documents.

The action was apparently intended to pre-empt a ruling by a federal judge who is scheduled to hold a hearing on Friday on a lawsuit challenging the new requirement, which took effect on July 1.

Dr. Mark B. McClellan, administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, said that more than 8 million of the 55 million Medicaid recipients would be "exempt from the new documentation requirement" because they had established their citizenship when they applied for Medicare or Supplemental Security Income.

Medicaid, financed jointly by the federal government and the states, provides health insurance for low-income people, including many in nursing homes. Medicare provides health insurance for people who are 65 and older or disabled. Supplemental Security Income is a cash assistance program for people with very low incomes who are elderly, blind or disabled. About six million people receive Medicare and Medicaid. In most states, people receiving Supplemental Security Income are entitled to Medicaid.

[Cinnamon]

omfg.. I'm just gonna jump off a bridge and end it... I didn't think this would happen in my lifetime.. we are being overrun by illegals and our politicians are bending over backwards and looping in some cases.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

Liberal activist judge forced the President's hand.

[Graybeard58]

"exempt from the new documentation requirement" because they had established their citizenship when they applied for Medicare or Supplemental Security Income.

[Sandy]

Liberal activist judge forced the President's hand.

Who's the judge?

[pollywog]

Is this for reals?????????

[DoughtyOne]

Seems to me like U.S. citizens are the most vulnerable these days. And I'm getting a little sick of it.

[csvset]

More fraud, more waste, more abuse.

[no-to-illegals]

buy stock in petroleum jelly :(

[pageonetoo]

Seems to me like U.S. citizens are the most vulnerable these days. And I'm getting a little sick of it.

Thank you, Jorge and company! We will soon have nothing left for OUR kids!

[no-to-illegals]

yep, our government, on our side. :(

[Savage Beast]

Bush wants to extend social secuity benefits to foreigners--just as social security is in the brink of bankruptcy??? And now he wants to extend Medicaid benefits??? Is Bush nuts???

[Diogenesis]

Pres. Bush waves goodbye to the GOP, as he awaits the next POTUS
who is the wife of his "brother".

[LoneRangerMassachusetts]

The ultimate aim of Marxism is Anarchy. The goal of American politicians is the subjugation by the State of the population using illegal aliens as a curse we must live with. With politicians like this, why don't we go straight for Anarchy. Anybody claiming to be a politician should be purged. We would be better off without masters.

[detsaoT]

"exempt from the new documentation requirement" because they had established their citizenship when they applied for Medicare or Supplemental Security Income.

You don't actually think that "establishing your citizenship" to the Social Security "This card is not a valid form of I.D." Administration actually validates your citizenship, do you? Record-keeping within the Medicare system is far worse than in SSA, so that really leaves us in quite a (predictable) situation.

Our government sold us out years ago. We're merely reaping the rewards of our inattention at this point.

[Wristpin]

It's time to face the fact the the hispanic voting block is massive and the fastest growing in the US. Both parties are vying for their votes. To not do so is political suicide.

We've been sold out on this immigration deal for 3 decades now.

[detsaoT]

And to give into the "fastest-growing voting bloc's" every whim would be cultural suicide, as the institutional corruption accepted by those of non-English cultures is incompatible with the American system of governance. Pick your poison.

[DoughtyOne]

Yep, and that is what drives my anger at some things these days. I owe my kids something of this nation that isn't just related to paying for freeloaders.

[TLI]

because they had established their citizenship when they applied for Medicare or Supplemental Security Income.

And that actual peocedure is exactly what?

[Czar]

This should clear up any confusion over whether this federal government can be trusted.

On anything.