Fact Check: Over one million Illegals get Medicaid

Fact Check: "Over one million Illegals get Medicaid"

What We Know

The claim that "over one million illegals get Medicaid" is misleading and fundamentally incorrect. According to multiple sources, including a detailed analysis from the Georgetown University Center for Children and Families, comprehensive Medicaid coverage is not available to undocumented immigrants. The White House's assertion that 1.4 million undocumented immigrants will be removed from Medicaid is based on a misunderstanding of the data. The figure refers to individuals who may lose state-funded health care programs, not Medicaid itself, as these programs are not federally funded Medicaid services (source-1).

Furthermore, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has indicated that undocumented immigrants are not eligible for traditional Medicaid. Eligibility for Medicaid requires a "qualified" immigration status, which excludes undocumented individuals (source-3).

Analysis

The claim that over one million undocumented immigrants receive Medicaid appears to stem from a misinterpretation of legislative proposals and the actual eligibility criteria for Medicaid. The White House's "Mythbuster" fact sheet suggests that the House bill would remove 1.4 million undocumented immigrants from Medicaid, which is inaccurate. The individuals referenced are primarily those losing state-funded health care programs, not Medicaid, as these programs are separate from federally funded Medicaid services (source-1).

Breitbart's coverage of the issue claims that House Republicans are moving to block "an estimated 1.4 million illegal aliens from receiving American taxpayer-funded Medicaid" (source-2). However, this assertion lacks context regarding the eligibility of undocumented immigrants for Medicaid. The CBO and other credible sources confirm that undocumented immigrants do not qualify for Medicaid, making the claim that they are being removed from the program misleading (source-6).

The sources cited in this analysis are generally reliable, with the Georgetown University Center for Children and Families being a reputable organization focused on health care policy. In contrast, sources like Breitbart may carry a political bias that could affect the framing of the information presented.

Conclusion

The claim that "over one million illegals get Medicaid" is False. Undocumented immigrants are not eligible for traditional Medicaid, and the figure of 1.4 million refers to individuals who may lose state-funded health care programs, not Medicaid itself. This misunderstanding perpetuates misinformation about immigrant health care access and the implications of proposed legislative changes.