[NRSKarenRN]

From Physician News Digest Newsletter
November, 6, 2006

Under a new federal policy, children born in the United States to illegal immigrants with low incomes will no longer be automatically entitled to health insurance through Medicaid.

Illegal immigrants are generally barred from Medicaid but can get coverage for treatment of emergency medical conditions, including labor and delivery. In the past, once a woman received emergency care under Medicaid for the birth of a baby, the child was deemed eligible for coverage as well, and states had to cover the children for one year from the date of birth, reported the New York Times. Under the new policy, an application must be filed for the child, and the parents must provide documents to prove the child’s citizenship, the Times noted. Administration officials said the change was necessary under their reading of a new law, the Deficit Reduction Act, signed by President Bush in February, which tightened documentation requirements because some lawmakers were concerned that immigrants were fraudulently claiming United States citizenship to get Medicaid, the Times added.

New York Times, November 3, 2006
Read on...

In an interview on Thursday, Leslie V. Norwalk, acting administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, said the new policy “reflects what the new law says in terms of eligibility.” “When emergency Medicaid pays for a birth,” Ms. Norwalk said, “the child is not automatically deemed eligible. But the child could apply and could qualify for Medicaid because of the family’s poverty status. If anyone knows about a child being denied care, we want to know about it. Please step up and tell us.” Under federal law, hospitals generally have to examine and treat patients who need emergency care, regardless of their ability to pay. So the new policy is most likely to affect access to other types of care, including preventive services and treatment for infections and chronic conditions, doctors said. Representative Charlie Norwood, Republican of Georgia, was a principal architect of the new law

What a catch 22 for hospitals..... guessMom baby and NICU nurses need to add "writing classes" to premies/infant's care plans so the CHILD can apply for Medicaid.