The Trump administration is investigating the spending of medical aid on immigrants in the blue states

Sacramento, California-The Trump administration is transporting the immigration campaign to the health care safety network, where spending on medical aid is launched in at least six countries to lead democracy, which provides comprehensive health coverage for poor immigrants and disabled people who live in the United States without a permanent legal status.

Medicare & Medicaid service centers roam payments covering health care for migrants without legal status to ensure that there are no waste, fraud or ill -treatment, according to the public records obtained by KFF Health News and Association Press. While approved that countries can issue an bill for the federal government for emergency care and pregnancy to immigrants without legal status, federal officials have sent messages notifying state health agencies in California, Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota, Oregon, and Washington that they are reviewing federal and state payments for medical services such as medical drugs and personal care.

The Federal Agency for the states said it is reviewing the claims as part of its commitment to maintaining the safety of the Micaid Financial. California is the biggest goal after the self -reported federal government was reported to health care services that are delivered to immigrants without legal status, which is decided to be at least $ 500 million, which raised the case threatening.

“If CMS decides that California uses federal funds to pay or support health care for individuals who do not get a condition of a pathological migration prohibited by federal funding, including,”, according to a letter dated March 18, “CMS will follow all the enforcement strategies available to the United States.

Investigations come at a time when the White House and the Republican Congress have spent taxpayers on migratory health care. Through discounts In the law of spending and hitting President Donald Trump this summer. The administration is also Pushing Living in the United States without mandate off medical rolls. Health policy experts say that these moves can hinder care and leave the hospitals of the safety network, clinics and other service providers Financially vulnerable. Some countries that are led by democracy- California, Illinois and Minnesota – I have already had to finish or reduce their Medicaid programs for immigrants due to laughter costs. Colorado also taught discounts due to cost excesses.

At the same time, 20 states are declining to the Trump immigration campaign Through a lawsuit Management for MEDICAID data delivery Millions of registered to deportation officials must. Federal judge Temporarily Step. California Prosecutor, Rob Punta, who led this challenge, says the Trump administration launched a political attack on countries that adopt immigrants in Medicaid programs.

“The full idea is that there is a waste, fraud, and ill -treatment is fabricated,” Punta said. “It has been manufactured. It has been invented. It is the Catchalle phrase they use to justify their pre -determined agenda.”

Trump targets immigrants

Immigrants who lack the permanent legal status are not eligible to register in a comprehensive coverage of medical aid. However, state government bills on emergency care and pregnancy provided to anyone.

Fourteen states and DC, DCAnd their MEDICAID programs expanded their own money to cover low -income children without legal status. Seven of these states, in addition to Washington, DC, provided fully coverage of some adult immigrants living in the country without permission.

The Trump administration seems to be only full medical coverage of both children and adults without legal status. Utah, Massachusetts, and Contecticut, which provides Medicid coverage Only immigrant childrenNot receiving messages, for example. CMS refused to submit a full list in the states it targets.

Federal officials say this is their legal right and their responsibility to check the states to spend on the health coverage of migrants and take “decisive measures to stop this.”

“It is a matter of national concern that some states have pushed the limits of the medical aid law to provide extensive benefits to individuals who are illegally in the United States,” said Catherine Hoden, a CMS spokeswoman for investigating the selected states. She said that the supervision aims to “ensure that the federal funds are legally reserved for individuals who are legally qualified, and not for the political experiences that violate the law.”

Health and Economists researchers say that providing a civilized coverage for immigrants for preventive services and treating chronic health conditions is more expensive to care for patients on the road. It also increases the increase in the insurance premium and the amount of unequal care for hospitals and clinics.

Francisco Silva, President and CEO of the company California Primary Care AssociationThe Trump administration threatens to raise health care costs and made it difficult to reach care.

Silva said: “The effect is that the emergency rooms will become crowded that ambulances must be transferred far and people in a real state of emergency can enter the hospital, and public health threats such as outbreaks of diseases,” Silva said.

California was taken Health care for everyone Approach, providing coverage to 1.6 million immigrants without legal status. The expansion, which was launched from 2016 to 2024, is estimated at a cost of $ 12.4 billion this year. From this, $ 1.3 billion is paid by the federal government for the state of emergency and pregnancy care.

With California’s expansion of its expansion, the state has incorrectly settled the federal government for the care provided to immigrants without legal status – the details that have not been reported before and that former state officials participated with the KFF Health News and AP. The state has provided an incorrect bill to obtain services such as mental health services and addiction, prescribed medications, and dental care.

Jaci Cooper, who held the position of Midikid director in California from 2020 to 2023, said she had discovered the error and informed this to federal organizations. Cooper said the state was working to pay at least $ 500 million set by the federal government.

“Once I identified the problem, I thought it was really important to report it and we did it,” Cooper said. “We are lost, fraud, and poor treatment seriously.”

It is not clear whether this money has been paid. Medicaid in the state says it does not know how CMS calculated excess payments or “what is included in this amount, and what time it covers, and if it is collected or then.”

California has a very complex Medicaid program: it serves the largest population in the country – almost 15 million people – With a budget for nearly 200 billion dollars This fiscal year.

Matt Salo, a patriotic expert in the field of medical aid, said that these types of errors occur in the states throughout the country because the program is filled with federal rules and governmental bases. Salo and other politicians have agreed that the states have the authority to manage their Medicaid programs because they see suitable and rid the misuse of federal funds.

Michael Canon, director of health policy studies at the Kato Tahrir Institute, said that the Trump administration’s actions “are persecuting an unpopular minority with the forces that are.”

Canon said: “The Trump administration cannot maintain that this effort is related to maintaining the financial safety of the Medicaid program,” Canon said. “There are much greater threats to financial safety in Medicaid, so that this argument does not wash.”

Miguced immigrants under the attack

National Republicans targeted health spending on immigrants in various ways. The Republican Party spending law, which Trump calls “a beautiful, beautiful bill”, will reduce the payment of the countries All over the country In October 2026. In California, for example, federal payment of immigrants without legal status will reach 50 % for emergency services, a decrease of 90 % for Medicine expansion residents, according to Cava.

The Trump administration is also expanding the scope of covering the medical aid of migrants with a previously covered legal status and Announced in August It will provide the states monthly reports indicating registrants that cannot be confirmed by their legal status by the Ministry of Internal Security.

“Every mistake in every dollar is a dollar that was transferred from a qualified and at risk person in need of Medicine.” “This procedure confirms our steadfast commitment to the integrity of the program, protecting taxpayers dollars, and ensuring strict reservation of advantages for those eligible under the law.”

Countries are under review they say they follow the law.

“Spending funds on the medical benefits program approved by Congress that helps people obtain emergency treatments for cancer, dialysis, anti -refusal drugs for organ transplantation, does not calm down from waste, fraud and ill -treatment,” said Mike Fellk, Deputy Director of Communications at Washington State lawyer Nick Brown.

Records indicate that Medicaid officials in Washington have flooded questions from CMS about federal payments covering emergency and pregnancy for immigrants without legal status.

Email messages show that Illinois officials met CMS and asked for an extension to share their data. CMS denied this request and the federal organizers informed the state that its financing could be withheld.

“Thousands of Illinois residents rely on these programs to search for critical health care without fear of deportation,” said Melissa Cola, a spokeswoman for the Illinois Health Ministry of Health Care, noting that any federal pieces will be “impossible” to the state to earn.

Sharesteri mentioned from Milwoki.

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This article was produced by KFF Health NewsWhich is published California HealthyinIndependent editorial service for California Health Care Corporation.