On Thursday’s broadcast of NewsNation’s “Cuomo,” Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) responded to arguments that illegal immigrants get Medicaid by saying that this is referring to when illegal immigrants show up in an emergency room and the state pays for it, but the reconciliation bill “basically puts the burden all on the states, and it’s still funding it, you don’t zero it out.”
Rep. Randy Fine (R-FL) said, “The bill cuts Medicaid…for illegal immigrants. Now, if they want to say illegal immigrants should get Medicaid, they should just make that argument.”
After host Chris Cuomo cut in to say, “But they don’t get federal money.” Fine responded, “They do. 1.4 — that same analysis you referenced said 1.4 million illegal immigrants get Medicaid.”
Khanna then countered, “What we’re talking about is an undocumented person shows up in an emergency room in a hospital. The state takes care of it. Now you actually, in the bill, don’t cut it. What you take is the reimbursement goes down from 90% to 50%. I believe most people in this country believe that if someone shows up having a heart attack, the doctor should treat them. And if you believe that, your bill basically puts the burden all on the states, and it’s still funding it, you don’t zero it out.”
