We appreciate the Senate’s leadership last night in taking a brave and necessary step of increasing revenues and protecting health and human services. We have one more ask of you. 28,000 Massachusetts residents are threatened with losing their health care benefits unless the Senate passes Amendment EHS 656. Senator Chang-Diaz’ amendment would strike an outside section that would kick 28,000 “special status” immigrants out of Commonwealth Care.
These residents are legal immigrants who live, work and pay taxes in Massachusetts and are enrolled in Commonwealth Care. They receive health care through private managed care plans and pay sliding scale premiums like everyone else who is enrolled. They are considered “special status” because they have not yet lived in the US for the federally required 5 year time period to qualify for full government benefits. Before MA Health Reform this group could only receive sporadic care through the Uncompensated Care Pool.
Please call your Senator and ask that they pass Amendment EHS 656! Click here to find your Senator’s name and number.
Health Care For All’s mission is to create a consumer centered health care system that provides affordable, accessible, culturally competent, high quality care and consumer education for everyone, especially the most vulnerable among us. We believe that these legal immigrants are among our most vulnerable residents, and taking away their health insurance will be disastrous for them, expensive for the state, and an enormous step backwards from the gains we have made under Health Reform.
Thank you for your help! And Thank you for your continued support of health reform in Massachusetts.
- Amy Whitcomb Slemmer
HCFA Executive Director
