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How About Pre-Natal and Birth Care for Pregnant Undocumented Women?

By Jeralyn, Section Legislation
Posted on Sun Nov 08, 2009 at 12:10:00 PM EST
Tags: undocumented residents, health care reform (all tags)
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A child born in the U.S. is an American citizen, even if his or her mother is an undocumented resident. That's a given under the Constitution. Since anti-choicers and those willing to put extra restrictions on health insurance based on gender, like those who voted for the Stupak Amendment, believe life begins at conception, how can they justify a health care bill that denies coverage, particularly pre-natal care and birth benefits, to undocumented or out-of-status pregnant women?

Ideally, the final health care bill should not prevent benefits to the undocumented at all. No human being is illegal. But, since some form of denial is present in both the House and Senate bills, at the very least, an exception should be made in the final bill for those who are pregnant. [More....]

As I understand the bills, the House bill bars the undocumented from enrolling in the public option and from receiving subsidies for health plans. The Senate Finance Committee version is even stricter. It would prevent them from enrolling in the public exchange, even to buy insurance with their own funds.

The undocumented do pay taxes. They are also less likely to use emergency rooms.

Health care for all should include all those present in this country, whether they have proper papers or not. But for the sake of consistency, since children born here are citizens, their mothers, even if here without proper documentation, should be covered for pre-natal and medical care during pregnancy.

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    How About Pre-Natal and Birth Care for Pregnant Undocumented Women? | 32 comments (32 topical)

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    Your logic is not sound ... (5.00 / 1) (#29)
    by nyrias on Mon Nov 09, 2009 at 02:03:24 PM EST
    "But for the sake of consistency, since children born here are citizens, their mothers, even if here without proper documentation, should be covered for pre-natal and medical care during pregnancy."

    A child is NOT a US citizen until he/she is born here. So before birth, even if you recognize the fetus as a human being, he/she is NOT a US citizen yet.

    Furthermore, since no one can predict the future, it is not unreasonable to say that there is a chance the mother would be deported, or leave on her own free will. Thus, the unborn child has a chance that he/she will not be a US citizen.

    Because if you push that logic, everyone in the world HAS A CHANCE to become a US citizen (since they can always apply). Do we cover them all?

    True, dat. (none / 0) (#31)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Mon Nov 09, 2009 at 03:06:08 PM EST


    Parent
    So there was a change since Friday (none / 0) (#1)
    by Cream City on Sun Nov 08, 2009 at 12:29:26 PM EST
    in the House bill?  Still awaiting, on another thread, a link to evidence of that.  As of Friday, it was reported that the 20 members of the House Hispanic Caucus were happy after meeting with Obama to express opposition to "any prohibition on the ability of illegal immigrants to use their own money to purchase health coverage in a new government-run marketplace."
    "He listened to us. We listened to him," said Rep. Nydia Velazquez, D-N.Y., head of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. "We made it very clear that 20 votes in the Hispanic caucus" depend on the language in the House bill.

    Currently, there is no prohibition in the House bill against illegal immigrants buying insurance in the exchange. . . .

    The report did say that the White House backs such a ban, and one exists in the Senate bill -- but also that the House Rules Committee Chair said that there would be no change to the House bill.  So it was changed yesterday?  When?  By whom in the House?  Which Dems went along with an amendment to exclude undocumented immigrants?

    (We know which 64 Dems went along with extra exclusions for women among undocumented immigrants -- and among all women -- of course.)

    I really would appreciate clarification on this, as it was implied here that I am a bigot because I must be for exclusion of undocumented immigrants.  Of course, I am not -- I am for the inclusion of all Americ