To: FReepers; everyone; All
PLEASE CONSIDER DONATING TO FREE REPUBLIC TODAY OR BECOMING A MONTHLY DONOR
CLICK ON THE IMAGE ABOVE TO DONATE
Posted on 10/24/2011 1:05:13 PM PDT by casinva
Romney’s 2004 rules allowed benefits for illegal immigrants
The Los Angeles Times is reporting Mitt Romney’s signature achievement while Governor of Massachusetts – Romneycare – includes provisions that allow illegal immigrants to receive full health benefits for free.
According to the L.A. Times, then-Gov. Romney and his administration knew about provisions in the Romneycare that would allow illegal immigrants to receive free health care. The Times reported: “…there was broad understanding when Romney signed it that at least some people who would benefit would be in the country illegally.” [1]
“Governor Romney’s government-mandated health care plan provided free care for illegal immigrants in Massachusetts, establishing just the kind of illegal immigration magnet Governor Romney claims to oppose,” said Perry spokesman Mark Miner. “Program rules established by the Romney Administration in 2004 clearly state that citizenship is not required for free health care and subsidies and health centers cannot consider citizenship before rendering that free care.”
Rules adopted by the Romney Administration on May 1, 2004, for Free Care defined eligibility as residency in Massachusetts with no requirement for citizenship. The rules also clearly state that “a Hospital or Community Health Center shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, citizenship… in its policies, or in its application of policies, concerning the acquisition and verification of financial information, pre-admission or pretreatment deposits, payment plans, deferred or rejected admissions, or eligibility for Free Care.” [2]
Romneycare, which President Obama’s health care takeover was modeled after, has already been shown to have killed 18,000 jobs in Massachusetts and resulted in $8 billion in additional cost to taxpayers. [3, 4]
“When faced with the illegal immigrant benefits this morning, the Romney campaign tried to deny indisputable facts and to cover their tracks by blaming Gov. Patrick,” Miner continued. “The truth is Gov. Romney’s plan intended to provide free health care to illegal immigrants, and the law and rules he approved were clear about providing free health care to illegal immigrants.”
Romney’s campaign is falsely claiming that provisions referenced in the Times’ story were implemented after Romney left office. [5]
However, the official Massachusetts Free Care website was updated three days after Gov. Romney signed Romneycare into law. Under “Am I eligible?” the site clearly states: “Your citizenship or immigration status does not affect your eligibility.” [6]
The Times also reported John McDonough, a former consumer advocate who worked extensively on the healthcare effort in Massachusetts, said: “There is no question that lots of different kinds of people, including undocumented immigrants, obtain medically necessary services as result of this program.” [1]
SOURCES
[1] “Gov. Romney OKd healthcare for illegal immigrants.” Los Angeles Times, 10/23/11, http://www.latimes.com/health/la-na-romney-healthcare-20111024,0,6849099.story
[2] 114.6 CMR: Division Of Health Care Finance And Policy, 5/1/04, http://www.mass.gov/Eeohhs2/docs/dhcfp/g/regs/114_6_10.pdf
[3] “The High Price of Massachusetts Health Care Reform,” The Beacon Hill Institute at Suffolk University, June 2011, http://www.beaconhill.org/BHIStudies/HCR-2011/BHIMassHealthCareReform2011-0627.pdf
[4] “The Economic Effects of Massachusetts Health Care Reform,” The Beacon Hill Institute at Suffolk University, Sept. 2011, http://www.beaconhill.org/BHIStudies/HCR-2011/BHIMassHealthCareEcon2011-0915.pdf
[5] Daily Rundown, NBC, 10/24/11, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VphzX4DumH8
[6] Free Care Overview [updated 4/15/06], www.massresources.org via Internet Wayback Machine, page available at http://www.scribd.com/doc/70097727/Illegals-Eligible-for-Massachusetts-Free-Care
Mitt Romney, you've just received a major hit there, buddy. It's gonna be "Adios", "Chao", "Kwaheri", "Auf Wiedersehen", and "Bye Bye Little Birdie" for you now!
Ping please!
Romney-and-his-illegal-aliens PING
here is a link to another estimate of all the illegals using Romneycare and their cost to the citizens of Mass.
You mean like “Bi National” health care? LOL
PLEASE CONSIDER DONATING TO FREE REPUBLIC TODAY OR BECOMING A MONTHLY DONOR
CLICK ON THE IMAGE ABOVE TO DONATE
The Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act which was signed into law in 1986 does the exact same thing.
Now you all know why I would never, ever vote for Romney! This is what he left behind in Massachusetts. And yet, I live here and my coverage stinks. I swear I’m going to start claiming I’m illegal! They seem to have better rights than a citizen!
The Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act which was signed into law in 1986 does the exact same thing.
Simply mind-boggling hypocrisy.
We probably ought to remember to reconsider that particular act as we clean up the spills on aisle 9 eh!
Romney HAD to do this.
First, Romney has a Mexican born father
and is not eligible for POTUS.
Second, see #1.
The Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act is only emergency care. If the patient is capable of basic actions, like breathing, feeding, using the toliet and communication, there is no requirement for care.
The Federal statute you are citing only provides for emergency room service if an illegal shows up needing care.
Nothing at all like RomneyCare, which makes no distinction at all between a legal and illegal resident of Mass when applying for the entire gamut of Mass. socialized medicine.
Oops! Rick's six shooter just fired into his other foot. LOL!
Thank you for that information.
I noticed this at the link you provided
http://americaswatchtower.com/2010/10/27/illegal-immigrants-cost-massachusetts-taxpayers-38-million-a-year-under-romneycare-is-this-to-be-expected-under-obamacare/
Excerpt
These illegal aliens are enrolled in a program called MassHealth Limited at taxpayer expense, this is not a case of illegal aliens receiving free healthcare because they use the emergency room as a doctor’s office for routine visits as we are told is so often the case. The costs of the emergency room visits of illegal aliens were not included in this report; emergency room visits cost the taxpayers of Massachusetts an additional $2 million.
End of excerpt
That is quite a cost to taxpayers!
____________________________________________
What I found disturbing too was the destruction of personal liberties by the hands of the State of Massachusetts, personal freedom and liberty stolen from its citizens, introduced by the insertion of RomneyCare into their lives.
From the same link you provided (above):
Excerpt
Mike Merlina is a taxpaying resident of Massachusetts who works for a small family business which cannot afford to pay its employees healthcare benefits, so Mr. Merlina received his healthcare benefits from his wife through her employer. That is up until the time that she was laid off. Now Mike Melina has no healthcare insurance and he cannot afford to buy healthcare insurance so he has gone without–not because he doesn’t want insurance, he does, and not through any fault of his own. His wife no longer has a job and he is struggling to make ends meet without the extra burden of the state telling him he must buy something that he cannot afford.
Massachusetts hit Mike Melina with a $2,000 fine for not having healthcare insurance–a fine that he cannot afford to pay either.
End of excerpt
_______________________________________
This is very dangerous when a government takes over our personal rights and freedoms!
Thank you for sharing that information with us here.
That’s going to leave a mark.
He did it too, he did it too!!!
GMAB.
He did it too, he did it too!!!
GMAB.
GOOD - now there are TWO candidates who people can automatically disqualify - Mittens AND Perry.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
