by Jamil Ragland
Enrollment in Medicaid coverage for undocumented children is exceeding expectations, but advocates say it still doesn’t go far enough. They are pushing for coverage of all undocumented immigrants regardless of age.
HUSKY 4 Immigrants, a coalition of 23 health care and immigrant’s rights organizations, is asking the Lamont administration to expand state insurance access in two phases. First they called for additional money to expand coverage to all children 18 years old and younger. Secondly, they asked for all immigrants to be covered, regardless of age and documentation status.
“We are moving the ball forward,” Sen. Matt Lesser, D-Middletown, said. “And I know we can move the ball forward again this year because what the Department of Social Services and Governor Lamont have shown is that this [expansion] does not break the bank.”
Access to state health insurance has expanded in recent years. As part of the budget, HUSKY, which includes Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), was expanded to include children up to the age of 15 beginning July 1, 2024. The program was also expanded to include prenatal and postpartum care for pregnant undocumented immigrants.
Even after these expansions, according to HUSKY 4 Immigrants, 58% of the roughly 110,000 undocumented immigrants in the state have no form of health insurance coverage.
An estimated 10,000 children are expected to be enrolled in the program by next December, which is more than double the budget projections.
Maritza Contreras of Make the Road CT.
Meanwhile, many immigrants face challenges. Maritza Contreras of Make the Road CT shared a story of the challenges she and her husband faced.
“Last year my husband cut his hand. It got infected and it was so painful that we had no choice but to go to the emergency room,” she said through an interpreter. “He got the treatment that he needed, but after we left we received a bill for $1,500. That is impossible for us to pay, and we still haven’t paid it.”
The cost of not being able to access health insurance is troubling.
“When you think of health inequities- and we hear those words a lot- this is at the root of health inequities,’ said Dr. Marietta Vazquez, a professor of pediatrics at Yale Medical School. “Not everyone has the same access to care. We have physicians who are incredibly committed to our children, but they are not able to treat all children because of something we can solve with dollars and cents.”
A study published by the RAND Corporation in 2022 found that the cost of expanding HUSKY coverage to all undocumented residents of the state would cost approximately $83 million, but that it would have little effect on premiums for U.S. citizens and legally present immigrants.
Additionally, the report found that the state could save between $63-$72 million from reduced spending on uncompensated care, such as unpaid emergency room visits. The state can also expect savings from fewer undocumented residents using the state’s emergency Medicaid program, which covers medical costs regardless of immigration status.
“We say today let’s put the politics aside, let’s put the partisanship aside, let’s put fretting over costs aside because the money is there,” Rev. Josh Pawlek of the Greater Hartford Interfaith Action Alliance, said.
“Healthcare is a fundamental human right and making HUSKY accessible to people regardless of immigration status is the just, moral, compassionate and faithful thing to do.”