The Impact Of Immigrants On State Medicaid Budgets

Frank Vernuccio / Townhall Finance

What is the impact of immigrants on state Medicaid budgets?

Medicaid, which is jointly funded by the states and the federal government, is the chief source of state financing to pay for the health needs of low-income residents. According to a Kaiser Family Foundation study, it represents $1 out of every $6 spent on healthcare in the US. The Pew Charitable Trust analyzed state Medicaid data. Examining budgets from 2000—2013, it found that the percentage of states’ own funds spent on Medicaid in fiscal year 2013 was higher in 49 states.

In 2014, A report by the Center for Immigration Studies analyzed government data, and found that immigrants and their children accounted for 42 percent revealed that of the growth in Medicaid enrollment from 2011 to 2013. Among the report’s findings:

• "The number of immigrants and their U.S.-born children (under 18) on Medicaid grew twice as fast as the number of natives and their children on Medicaid from 2011 to 2013 — 11 percent vs. 5 percent.
• About two-thirds of the growth in Medicaid associated with immigrants was among immigrants themselves, rather than the U.S.-born children of immigrants.
• The increase in Medicaid enrollment among immigrants and their children can be roughly estimated as costing $4.6 billion annually. By 2013, 25 percent of immigrants and their children were on Medicaid, compared to 16 percent of 

Read entire article here: https://finance.townhall.com/columnists/frankvernuccio/2018/01/31/the-impact-of-immigrants-on-state-medicaid-budgets-n2442392?utm_source=thdaily&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=nl