Democrats' open border policies have created a financial burden on American taxpayers, with states like California and New York diverting resources from their own citizens to provide universal healthcare and other benefits to illegal immigrants. This misuse of funds has led to long wait times for medical care for Americans and a shortage of healthcare providers willing to accept Medicaid patients.
The consequences of Democrats' open border policies are being felt across the nation, with states like California and New York diverting resources from their own citizens to provide universal healthcare and other benefits to illegal immigrants. This has created a financial burden on American taxpayers and a shortage of healthcare providers willing to accept Medicaid patients.
In California, the state's Medicaid program, Medi-Cal, is the largest in the country, with a proposed budget of $156.6 billion in 2024. However, California spends nearly three federal dollars for every one state dollar, meaning that federal taxpayer dollars are being used to fund the program.
The True Cost: How Democrats Prioritize Illegal Immigrants over American Patients and Taxpayers
The Biden-Harris administration approved a legal loophole to get the federal government to spend more on the California Medicaid program with the expressed purpose of avoiding using the state's dollars on the program. This has led to a decrease in payments to healthcare providers, making it harder for the disabled or truly needy to see a provider and leading to dangerously long wait times.
In New York, the state also uses Medicaid dollars to provide health coverage to illegal immigrants, under a similar funding scheme. The Biden-Harris administration also granted both Washington and Colorado waivers to use the federal Obamacare program for illegal immigrants, despite the law clearly prohibiting their participation.
The True Cost: How Democrats Prioritize Illegal Immigrants over American Patients and Taxpayers
Other federal agencies, like the Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA), manage the Health Center Program, which provides funding to community health centers that provide low-income Americans with access to medical care. However, the border crisis has put a financial strain on these providers, increasing the need for federal funding and risking their ability to serve American patients.
Republican governors are fighting back against these policies. In Virginia, Governor Glenn Youngkin vetoed a healthcare bill for not including reporting on the usage of programs to provide care to illegal immigrants. In Florida, Governor Ron DeSantis passed a law to require hospitals that participate in the state Medicaid program to include a question on a patient's immigration status upon emergency room intake. This has been reported to have decreased these Medicaid expenditures by 54%.
The True Cost: How Democrats Prioritize Illegal Immigrants over American Patients and Taxpayers
The consequences of Democrats' open borders policies should not be borne by the American taxpayer, especially the most vulnerable American patients. It is time for Democrats to prioritize the needs of their own citizens and stop diverting resources to illegal immigrants.
By Hannah I. Anderson, director of the Center for a Healthy America at the America First Policy Institute.
