Trump’s New Immigration Rule Could Hurt Obamacare Markets
There are already scattered reports of immigrants, afraid of jeopardizing their shot at permanent residency, choosing not to use health benefits for which they -- or their children -- qualify. If a significant number of legal immigrants forgo health insurance, that could have negative ripple effects on so-called Obamacare premiums and on the health-care system as a whole.
"If there's a real reduction in enrollment, then in those geographic areas with a higher immigrant population, it could really impact the marketplace," says
The marketplace has struggled to attract younger, healthier populations, which has contributed to rising premiums. If more legal immigrants go uninsured, they could exacerbate that issue.
"We do know that Hispanic people tend to use less medical care, so to the extend that we're pulling heathlier people out of the pool -- or at least people who are less likely to use a lot of care -- it hurts the market that remains. But how much of an impact it will have on premiums is hard to say because we just don't have the data," says
People are asked about their immigration status when they enroll in health plans, but those numbers are not made public. According to a report released this month by the
"If there's more uninsured people, that not only effects them, but it impacts the financing of medical care," says Blumberg. "If things get desperate and you show up at an emergency room, that puts pressure on providers with increases in uncompensated care -- and that in turn puts pressure on state and local government budgets."
Health care is already one of the government's biggest spending areas, reaching more than
While it's unlikely that the rule would be finalized in time for this fall's open enrollment period, experts say that the Trump administration's harsh immigration policies are already having an impact on health care in communities across the country.
Marielena Hincapié, executive director of the
"Our biggest concern is that kids are going to go hungry and they're going to be losing access to basic health care,"
The Trump administration is expected to release the rule this month or next, opening it up to a public comment period that would likely be met with resistance from immigration, health care and social services advocates. Even if the rule isn't enacted, experts say it has instilled fear in many communities -- and that could be enough to rattle the health-care system.
"The direct effect will depend on how large of a population that's impacted," says Blumberg. "But the chilling effects could make those impacts even larger."
This appears in the Health newsletter. Subscribe for free.
___
(c)2018 Governing
Visit Governing at www.governing.com
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Compare Car Insurance Rates Online – Find Out How
Four Key Takeaways From The Tax Reform Act
Advisor News
Annuity News
Health/Employee Benefits News
Life Insurance News