Medicaid's Citizenship Documentation Requirement

Data Shows Requirement Disproportionately Harms Non-Hispanics

White and African American children are much more likely than Hispanic children to have their Medicaid coverage delayed, denied, or terminated as a result of the citizenship documentation requirement, data from three states show.  These data provide further evidence that the requirement, purportedly aimed at preventing undocumented immigrants from improperly obtaining Medicaid, is instead overwhelmingly affecting U.S. citizens who are eligible for the program.  Read More

Background

Under a federal requirement that took effect in 2006, most U.S. citizens applying for Medicaid or renewing their coverage must prove their citizenship by submitting a passport or a combination of a birth certificate and an ID.  This new requirement was intended by its sponsors to keep illegal immigrants from fraudulently enrolling in Medicaid.  Yet its main impact is likely to be to impede or delay coverage for significant numbers of eligible U.S. citizens, many of whom lack the required documents.