Expanded Medicaid program restores health coverage to some immigrants in Maine

Immigrants below 21 and people who are pregnant can now obtain well being care via the state’s Medicaid program in a transfer that partially restores advantages stripped away from New Mainers through the LePage years.

The profit growth is the results of a finances deal struck by Gov. Janet Mills and state lawmakers in 2021 that included protection via MaineCare and Kids’s Well being Insurance coverage Program (CHIP) for individuals who are pregnant and other people below 21 who can be eligible for these applications however for his or her immigration standing. These populations — which embrace undocumented individuals together with those that haven’t but filed for asylum or can’t but confirm their immigration standing — grew to become eligible for the applications on July 1.  

Whereas a major step ahead, the growth falls wanting a invoice spearheaded by progressive lawmakers and immigrant rights teams in 2021 searching for to reinstate well being protection for all immigrants. That measure, LD 718, was designed to reverse a call in 2011 by former Gov. Paul LePage — who’s operating in opposition to Mills in November’s gubernatorial election — that took away well being protection via MaineCare and CHIP for individuals with sure immigration statuses. Earlier than then, Maine particularly included immigrants in well being care applications.   

Following the partial reinstatement of protection for immigrants as a part of the 2021 finances deal, advocates once more pushed through the 2022 legislative session for the passage of LD 718, which was carried over from the earlier 12 months. Nonetheless, the measure died within the legislature, with New Mainer-led teams saying Democratic lawmakers feared the perceived political penalties of supporting a invoice targeted on well being look after immigrants prematurely of the November election. 

Nonetheless, advocates hailed the partial growth in protection that began July 1 as an vital reform that will get Maine nearer to providing well being care protection for all, no matter immigration standing. 

“It is a big win for Maine households and a part of a broader nationwide motion that acknowledges well being care as a elementary human proper,” Alex Carter, a coverage advocate for Maine Equal Justice, wrote in a weblog put up in regards to the expanded program. 

“We all know that immigrants, particularly those that are undocumented, face the best boundaries to employer-sponsored medical health insurance and have additionally shouldered a number of the biggest monetary and well being burdens of the COVID-19 pandemic,” she added. 

Nonetheless, Carter mentioned the struggle for well being care for everybody isn’t over, noting that many grownup New Mainers nonetheless want protection. 

“Many states are on their technique to offering well being care protection to ALL immigrants, no matter age, being pregnant, or immigration standing and Maine ought to be a part of them,” she mentioned.

The Maine Immigrants’ Rights Coalition (MIRC) additionally celebrated the growth in well being care advantages for some immigrants whereas reiterating that everybody needs to be eligible for protection. 

“We predict it’s going to be life-changing for lots of people,” Tobin Williamson, advocacy supervisor at MIRC, mentioned of the latest MaineCare growth.

“In the event you don’t have to fret about how one can get well being care, it’s an enormous weight off your shoulders,” he added. “So it’s going to assist individuals be more healthy.” 

Williamson mentioned increasing MaineCare protection to everybody, no matter immigration standing, stays an organizational aim and one thing MIRC hopes to advance within the subsequent legislative session. However for now, he mentioned it’s vital to have a good time the brand new profit and acknowledge that it’ll assist many individuals throughout the state. 

The growth of MaineCare to some immigrants comes as this system will now additionally lastly provide complete dental care for adults as a part of the identical 2021 finances deal. MaineCare members who’re 21 and over will routinely be enrolled within the dental profit program, the Maine Division of Well being and Human Companies (DHHS) mentioned in a latest information launch.  

With regards to the growth of MaineCare and CHIP for immigrant populations, DHHS communications director Jackie Farwell advised Beacon that the division is growing “advertising supplies for the brand new protection teams” and fascinating with neighborhood organizations to assist outreach efforts to get individuals enrolled within the profit program. 

Farwell added that “some people that the division is conscious are eligible as a result of their participation in different applications will likely be transformed routinely. In any other case, people might want to join” for MaineCare protection.

Farwell didn’t reply to a query about which applications would end in eligible immigrants being routinely signed up for MaineCare. Nonetheless, a truth sheet from Maine Equal Justice states those that have Emergency MaineCare and are below 21 or pregnant will likely be routinely enrolled within the new protection. Individuals with emergency protection who then turn into pregnant ought to notify DHHS as quickly as potential, the group mentioned.

Those that gained’t be routinely enrolled can join MaineCare on-line at My Maine Connection or can obtain the software and ship it to DHHS through mail, e-mail or by dropping it off at a DHHS workplace. Anybody who wants help with the enrollment course of can contact Shoppers for Inexpensive Healthcare at 1-800-965-7476.

Maine Equal Justice added that signing up for MaineCare protection gained’t influence immigrants’ capacity to get a inexperienced card or U.S. citizenship and that info on immigration standing won’t be shared with federal authorities. 

Picture: A household physician examines the throat of a small boy whereas visiting him at residence throughout coronavirus pandemic | Drazen Zigec, Getty Pictures