CommCare AWSS Benefits Partially Restored -- Much work needed

Late last night the Massachusetts Legislature passed a supplemental appropriation budget for FY 2010 which partially restores the cut to immigrants with special status in the CommCare program.  See Health Care For All's Blog for the details by clicking here. The basic deal was that $40 million has been set aside to create a program with some degree of coverage to 28,000 immigrants with special status who were slated to have their benefits terminated. The ACT!! Coalition will continue to work with the administration to develop the best possible plan providing as much benefit as possible to these legal immigrants. In the event that no plan can be devised to adequately cover this population within the CommCare program, the supplemental budget authorizes the administration to release the $40 million to the health safety net to help offset the likely impact of immigrants needing to see care through that program. Advocates still remain hopeful that a more comprehensive approach would be to undertaken by the administration which will produce at least some degree of additional coverage beyond the health safety net for the AWSS population. Although the $40 million figure is less than a third of what the program costs in its current form, and is still $30 million less than the $70 million proposed by the administration in its compromise position, $40 million does represent a continued commitment by the Massachusetts legislature to cover all Massachusetts lawful residents in its health care program.  We now need the federal government to step up and guarantee reimbursement to the states through federal health reform for all lawfully present residents. Please call your congressman as well as Sen. Kerry's office urging them to insist that all lawful immigrants be included in federal health reform. As it stands now, full Commonwealth care benefits will continue for all immigrant households through the month of August. As soon as we know what the program for benefits will look like in September, we will let you know.