The Borders of the U.S. Health Care System

non-citizen include 13.5% of the total US population is not treated equally when it comes to healthcare.

Legislative history make clear Non-citizens have long been subject to unequal access to health care.under immigration and nationality lawfederal authorities may exclude or deport noncitizens if they are likely to become dependent on government interests or become noncitizens. Public expenseThe U.S. Congress has Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act In 1996, it restricted noncitizens from receiving public benefits through Medicare or Medicaid, except for medical emergencies.

To reduce As legal immigration to the United States has increased, the Trump administration has weakened humanitarian protections for noncitizens and tightened crackdowns at the U.S.-Mexico border.These policies sparked controversy, but noncitizens had no access to healthcare until the COVID-19 pandemic hit Obtained serious attention.Pandemic Disproportionately affected It exposes deficiencies in legal protections at the federal and state levels.

Not only the Biden administration, inverted It passed many Trump-era rules that restricted the rights of noncitizens, as well as new laws and regulations to facilitate health care for noncitizens.of Heal Laws for Immigrant FamiliesFor example, we removed the five-year waiting period for legal current immigrants to access Medicaid. Children’s health insurance systemMore recently, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security final rule Make clear that noncitizens receiving health care or other benefits to which they are entitled will not suffer negative consequences for immigrants, such as being denied entry into the United States because they are “public expense.”

Countries are also taking initiatives Expand Health coverage for non-citizens. Washington joined seven other states in December when the Biden administration took office. approved its request to waive the requirements set by Law for Adjustment of Medical Expenses Expand access to health insurance for all residents, regardless of immigration status.

It still does disproportionate damage hold up today. Not only are noncitizens more likely to get sick, that is They are also less likely to gain access to care than citizens.Even when noncitizens have legal access to health care, they often send off Because I’m afraid of the reaction. Although in some states Expansion Undocumented immigration compensation, most do not.

In this week’s Saturday seminar, scholars will examine the barriers noncitizens face in accessing health care and examine regulatory reforms at both the federal and state levels that can improve access to health care.

• and report issued by Congressional Research Service, Abigail F. Colker and Elaine J. Heisler Four members of the Congressional Research Service will assess the immigrant population’s eligibility criteria for federal health care programs, including Medicare and Medicaid.colker and heisler explanation the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act Established comprehensive immigration eligibility requirements for most federal public benefits and restricted access to federal health care programs for noncitizens. Immigrant eligibility for health care programs is inconsistent across programs, but the interaction of laws, regulations, and guidance documents governing individual programs fight Colker and Heisler. Not only does the eligibility of eligible immigrants vary by program, Elaborate By immigration status category, as well as by Kolker and Heisler.
• Arguing that in immigration reform, Congress must recognize the interrelationship between health policy and immigration Medha D. Maklouf of Pennsylvania Dickinson Act and Patrick J. Glenn of Georgetown University Law Center and article Published in Saint Louis University Journal of Health Law & PolicyDeportation laws discourage immigrants from enrolling in federal health care benefit programs, and eligibility restrictions for such benefits exacerbate health inequities. fight Mahlouf and Glenn. Therefore, regulatory reform efforts designed to give immigrants certain rights to enroll in federal public benefits have fallen short. quarrel Makhlouf and Glen are also paired separately in their efforts to eliminate the adverse effects on immigrants of trying to access such programs.
• Claims immigration status should be considered Protected Health Information (PHI) Scott J. Schweickert of American Medical Association and article Published in AMA Ethics Journal.Health care professionals struggle To navigate the complex legal framework that governs whether a patient’s immigration status must be reported to government authorities. ever since Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) aims to protect the privacy of medical information to promote quality of care and public health, Schweikart claim Immigration status can have a direct impact on health effects and should constitute PHI. If the patient’s immigration status was protected by her HIPAA, I will explain Schweikart could not release it for any purpose other than payment, treatment or hospital operations. Even under HIPAA exceptions, Conclusion According to Schweikart, doctors will be barred from reporting their immigration status to federal authorities.
• and article Published in North Carolina Journal of Law and Technology, Ashys BasinPolicy Fellow Boston University, argues that improved accessibility to telemedicine services has not yet reached non-citizen communities.Basin identify The four main hurdles non-citizen communities face when trying to access telemedicine access are affordability and health insurance coverage, privacy and surveillance concerns, technical skills, and language barriers.To alleviate these discrepancies in telemedicine availability, Bhasin Recommendation Extend the Affordable Care Act to apply to undocumented noncitizens.Moreover, Bhasin impulse Lawmakers need more funding for community health care organizations that serve noncitizens directly. According to Bhasin, lawmakers also Prioritize Digital Equity and Language Interpretation Program improvement Telemedicine accessibility.
• and article Published in New York University Law Review, Medha D. Maklouf of Pennsylvania Dickinson Act It advocates centralized policy-making to address access to health care for noncitizens. Medicaid provides health insurance for low-income households, claim According to Makhlouf, its federal structure gives states discretion to determine the status of noncitizens.According to Mahlouf, this structure is Breed Both geographic variation and exclusion policies in access to affordable health insurance for noncitizens. Federal reform to Medicaid promotes transparency, uniformity, and fairness in noncitizenship. Conclusion
• and paper issued by public health law watch, Wendy E. Palmett of Northeastern University Law School Discuss how hostile policies against noncitizens exacerbate public health problems.Palmetto claim Immigration status constitutes a social determinant of health. This is because it creates structural barriers to both access to health care and employment opportunities.As an example, palmetto point to restrictive policies during COVID-19 that prevented non-citizens from qualifying for certain pandemic relief programs. Until regulators enact comprehensive reforms of the existing immigration system, Parmet Note Non-citizens continue to suffer disproportionately from public health crises.