Why a Medicaid Penalty Would Prove Costly

Wall Street Journal

5 hours ago

The Senate's reconciliation bill, which would reduce the federal Medicaid match for states that cover certain healthcare services for immigrants living in the U.S. unlawfully, may sound like a way to cut federal spending. In reality, it would increase healthcare costs, strain emergency rooms and make healthcare worse for all ('Blue States Reverse Course on Insuring Undocumented,' U.S. News, June 20).
Consider that outpatient dialysis costs about $90,000 a year, while emergency inpatient dialysis can exceed $300,000 annually. That extra cost falls on hospitals, state budgets and, ultimately, the taxpayer. That's why 20 states, both Democratic- and Republican-led, have chosen to provide outpatient dialysis through Medicaid. It isn't about immigration policy or a gesture of generosity; it is fiscally responsible. Patients with kidney failure need dialysis three times a week to survive. Immigrants here unlawfully typically can't access private insurance or Medicaid. That doesn't mean they go without care; it means they show up in emergency rooms when their condition is life-threatening. Under federal law, hospitals must treat anyone in an emergency, regardless of immigration or insurance status.