A Facebook post went viral in the U.S. for claiming that illegal immigrants are enjoying the benefits of Medicare and Medicare Supplements for free, while seniors who are legal residents continue to pay for their policies. The claim was published on the Columbian Post’s social media page on February 1, 2019 had been shared over 14,000 times and garnered almost 300 comments as at March 4. The problem was: the information is totally false. While the Columbian Post’s “About Page” says that it is a growing paper that does not report fake news, its viral post has led other fact checkers to verify the truth to its claim. So here we are, laying out the facts on who is truly eligible for Medicare and if undocumented immigrants are really enjoying benefits that documented seniors are getting. Eligibility for Medicare According to the Social Security Administration, to become entitled to Premium-Health Insurance (Premium-HI), an individual should be as follows: • 65 years old • A resident of the United States as a) citizen, or b) an alien who has been legally admitted for permanent residence and has lived in the country continuously for five years immediately before the month all other requirements are fulfilled. • Eligible for health insurance under any other provision • Have an existing Supplement Medical Insurance (SMI) coverage or eligible for SMI enrollment, and • Having filed an application for HI during a set enrollment period. There is no provision that allows undocumented immigrants to be eligible for either Social Security or Medicare. What is provided is HI for immigrants who are legally residing in the U.S. under specific conditions. This eligibility list is further supported by two government documents that both state that those who live in the country illegally are not at all eligible for healthcare benefits. 1. Program Operations Manual System for Social Security, and 2. a document from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. CMS’ document explicitly states that Medicare and Medicare Supplements are only for legal residents aged 65 years old and up, legal residents younger than 65 years but have certain qualifying disabilities, and legal residents of any age who have been diagnosed with End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD). So where does the viral Facebook post’s claim come from? It perhaps springs from misinformation and lack of understanding of U.S. government health care guidelines. Who Pays for Medicare and Who Gets It for Free? Medicare has several parts, with Part A covering inpatient care insurance and Part B covering outpatient care. Eligible individuals typically do not need to pay for Part A, but they are required to pay for Part B if they want to have it. Part B is insurance that takes care of doctor visits, medically-necessary durable medical equipment, medically-necessary drugs administered in an outpatient setting. An immigrant who is legally residing in the U.S. and who has met all conditions for health insurance is eligible for Part B. Undocumented immigrants do not have access to it. Special Enrollment Period for New U.S. Citizens If you are a new legal U.S. citizen, you are granted a Special Enrollment Period for federal health care services. New citizens are given 60 days from the day they were granted legal status to sign up. Take note that the Medicare program is only available to those who have been legally residing in the country for five years continuously. How Do Illegal Immigrants Access Health Care Services? Undocumented immigrants are allowed to get Medicaid in an EMERGENCY situation and even this covers a limited list of urgent and emergent services. Federal law, via the EMTALA provision, requires Medicare-affiliated hospitals to provide stabilization and screening services to anybody who walks into the emergency room without having to consider their residency status or insurance. There is no Medicare or Medicare Supplement program for these individuals. In 2014, even the Obama Administration said that undocumented immigrants should not be granted access into Medicare rosters, though some states have created their own programs that would cater to illegal immigrants, particularly children and/or pregnant women. These include California, New York and Oregon. What Health Care Assistance Is Available to the Undocumented? If the undocumented immigrant is low-income and is unable to pay for Medicare services, some states offer short-term health insurance programs that are specific to their needs and capacity to pay. While this comes with an out-of-pocket expense, it is far better than not being insured at all. These short-term policies are not provided through the health insurance exchanges, so the usual requirement of a proof of legal status does not apply. The coverage is less comprehensive and will likely not consider pre-existing health conditions. However, it will be of great help to those who are healthy. Because they are not sold through exchanges, it is best to read the fine print per policy first before signing up. States offer different levels of special coverage for the undocumented so it’s best to check what are being provided and what are not included in the area where one lives. These short-term programs are also not regulated by federal law, except that their term should have a maximum of 364 days, with the total length of coverage limited to 36 months including renewals. Some states offer a three-month limit, while others allow the maximum number of days with a limit of three renewals. Other states do not provide this at all. Number of Illegal Immigrants in the United States Accord to Kaiser Family Foundation, there are around 3.6 million illegal immigrants among the population of uninsured people in the country as of December 2017. The number of undocumented immigrants who are uninsured is significantly higher than U.S. citizens with no insurance. Correcting The False Claim Outside of these, according to the New York Times, certain illegal immigrants were able to receive benefits due to a glitch in the process and Medicare’s failure to carry out limitations that Congress had mandated. There have been several holes in the system that were abused thereafter, but those were errors that did not mean undocumented immigrants are already being given privileges exclusive to those who are in the country legally. For that reason and all the supporting evidence stated earlier, the Facebook post that went viral is certified false and should be corrected.

Fact Check: Medicare Is Not Free For Undocumented Immigrants

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A Facebook post went viral in the U.S. for claiming that illegal immigrants are enjoying the benefits of Medicare and Medicare Supplements for free, while seniors who are legal residents continue to pay for their policies. The claim was published on the Columbian Post’s social media page on February 1, 2019 had been shared over 14,000 times and garnered almost 300 comments as at March 4.

The problem was: the information is totally false. While the Columbian Post’s “About Page” says that it is a growing paper that does not report fake news, its viral post has led other fact checkers to verify the truth to its claim. So here we are, laying out the facts on who is truly eligible for Medicare and if undocumented immigrants are really enjoying benefits that documented seniors are getting.

Eligibility for Medicare

According to the Social Security Administration, to become entitled to Premium-Health Insurance (Premium-HI), an individual should be as follows:

  • 65 years old
  • A resident of the United States as a) citizen, or b) an alien who has been legally admitted for permanent residence and has lived in the country continuously for five years immediately before the month all other requirements are fulfilled.
  • Eligible for health insurance under any other provision
  • Have an existing Supplement Medical Insurance (SMI) coverage or eligible for SMI enrollment, and
  • Having filed an application for HI during a set enrollment period.

There is no provision that allows undocumented immigrants to be eligible for either Social Security or Medicare. What is provided is HI for immigrants who are legally residing in the U.S. under specific conditions.

This eligibility list is further supported by two government documents that both state that those who live in the country illegally are not at all eligible for healthcare benefits.

1. Program Operations Manual System for Social Security, and

2. a document from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

CMS’ document explicitly states that Medicare and Medicare Supplements are only for legal residents aged 65 years old and up, legal residents younger than 65 years but have certain qualifying disabilities, and legal residents of any age who have been diagnosed with End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD).

So where does the viral Facebook post’s claim come from? It perhaps springs from misinformation and lack of understanding of U.S. government health care guidelines.

Who Pays for Medicare and Who Gets It for Free?

Medicare has several parts, with Part A covering inpatient care insurance and Part B covering outpatient care. Eligible individuals typically do not need to pay for Part A, but they are required to pay for Part B if they want to have it.

Part B is insurance that takes care of doctor visits, medically-necessary durable medical equipment, medically-necessary drugs administered in an outpatient setting. An immigrant who is legally residing in the U.S. and who has met all conditions for health insurance is eligible for Part B. Undocumented immigrants do not have access to it.

Special Enrollment Period for New U.S. Citizens

If you are a new legal U.S. citizen, you are granted a Special Enrollment Period for federal health care services. New citizens are given 60 days from the day they were granted legal status to sign up. Take note that the Medicare program is only available to those who have been legally residing in the country for five years continuously.

How Do Illegal Immigrants Access Health Care Services?

Undocumented immigrants are allowed to get Medicaid in an EMERGENCY situation and even this covers a limited list of urgent and emergent services. Federal law, via the EMTALA provision, requires Medicare-affiliated hospitals to provide stabilization and screening services to anybody who walks into the emergency room without having to consider their residency status or insurance. There is no Medicare or Medicare Supplement program for these individuals.

In 2014, even the Obama Administration said that undocumented immigrants should not be granted access into Medicare rosters, though some states have created their own programs that would cater to illegal immigrants, particularly children and/or pregnant women. These include California, New York and Oregon.

What Health Care Assistance Is Available to the Undocumented?

If the undocumented immigrant is low-income and is unable to pay for Medicare services, some states offer short-term health insurance programs that are specific to their needs and capacity to pay. While this comes with an out-of-pocket expense, it is far better than not being insured at all. These short-term policies are not provided through the health insurance exchanges, so the usual requirement of a proof of legal status does not apply. The coverage is less comprehensive and will likely not consider pre-existing health conditions. However, it will be of great help to those who are healthy. Because they are not sold through exchanges, it is best to read the fine print per policy first before signing up.

States offer different levels of special coverage for the undocumented so it’s best to check what are being provided and what are not included in the area where one lives. These short-term programs are also not regulated by federal law, except that their term should have a maximum of 364 days, with the total length of coverage limited to 36 months including renewals. Some states offer a three-month limit, while others allow the maximum number of days with a limit of three renewals. Other states do not provide this at all.

Number of Illegal Immigrants in the United States

Accord to Kaiser Family Foundation, there are around 3.6 million illegal immigrants among the population of uninsured people in the country as of December 2017. The number of undocumented immigrants who are uninsured is significantly higher than U.S. citizens with no insurance.

Correcting The False Claim

Outside of these, according to the New York Times, certain illegal immigrants were able to receive benefits due to a glitch in the process and Medicare’s failure to carry out limitations that Congress had mandated.

There have been several holes in the system that were abused thereafter, but those were errors that did not mean undocumented immigrants are already being given privileges exclusive to those who are in the country legally. For that reason and all the supporting evidence stated earlier, the Facebook post that went viral is certified false and should be corrected.