The ongoing debate over federal spending and a potential government shutdown has been magnified by disagreements over healthcare funding for undocumented immigrants, with prominent political commentators clashing on the matter.
During a discussion on Fox News’ “The Five,” host Kennedy challenged Democratic strategist Jessica Tarlov’s assertion that Democrats were not attempting to fund healthcare for “illegal aliens.” The disagreement centered on the funding mechanisms for programs that provide medical coverage to this population, particularly in states like California.
State and Federal Funding Link Highlighted
Kennedy specifically cited California’s Medi-Cal program, which has been extended to some undocumented immigrants, arguing that the federal government indirectly contributes to this spending through its share of Medicaid funding. “The federal government does [fund that], because Medi-Cal is funded by Medicaid,” Kennedy stated.
Medicaid is a joint federal and state program. Kennedy noted that Medicaid is typically funded half by the federal government and half by the state, though this ratio can vary, particularly with the Affordable Care Act (ACA) expansion populations.
Disagreement Over Continuing Resolution
The dispute comes as Republicans criticize Democrats for including provisions that they claim fund healthcare for undocumented migrants in their proposed continuing resolution (CR), a temporary spending bill.
House Speaker Mike Johnson has repeatedly cited specific text in the Democrats’ proposed CR to support his party’s claims.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has denied that Democrats are attempting to fund healthcare for undocumented immigrants. RELATED: Medicaid Mayhem: The Immigrant Healthcare Fight That Shut Down The Government
However, Johnson urged viewers to examine Section 2141 of the Democrats’ proposed CR, which seeks to repeal a section of a previous bill (“Title VII, Section B”) that included provisions aimed at curbing Medicare and Medicaid waste, fraud, and abuse, specifically mentioning the restriction of “Alien Medicaid eligibility” in Section 71109.
Awareness of Undocumented Immigrant Enrollment
The issue of undocumented immigrants enrolling in Medicaid programs is not new. Since at least June, the Trump administration was reportedly aware of undocumented immigrants on Medicaid, providing deportation officers with data that included millions of Medicaid enrollees to assist in enforcement.
This data covered individuals in jurisdictions that allow undocumented migrants to enroll in their Medicaid programs, such as California, Washington, D.C., Illinois, and Washington state.
Kennedy’s broader critique included both political parties, asserting that the expansion of government spending increases control and leads to more problems, particularly in subsidized sectors like healthcare. “The more government you have, the more problems you have, especially in overly subsidized sectors like health care,” she concluded.
READ: Newsom Fires Back: California Universities Must Choose — Trump Deal Or State Billions
Please make a small donation to the Tampa Free Press to help sustain independent journalism. Your contribution enables us to continue delivering high-quality, local, and national news coverage.
Sign up: Subscribe to our free newsletter for a curated selection of top stories delivered straight to your inbox
