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Citizens Who Lack Papers Lose Medicaid

Tom Uhlman for The New York Times

Rhiannon M. Noth was denied Medicaid for heart surgery for her son
Landen, 3, right, because she could not obtain the necessary documents.
http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2007/03/12/us/12medicaid-600.jpg

By ROBERT PEAR
Published: March 12, 2007

WASHINGTON, March 11 - A new federal rule intended to keep illegal
immigrants from receiving Medicaid has instead shut out tens of
thousands of United States citizens who have had difficulty complying
with requirements to show birth certificates and other documents
proving their citizenship, state officials say.

"The largest adverse effect of this policy has been on people who are
American citizens," said Kevin W. Concannon, director of the
Department of Human Services in Iowa, where the number of Medicaid
recipients dropped by 5,700 in the second half of 2006, to 92,880,
after rising for five years. "We have not turned up many undocumented
immigrants receiving Medicaid in Waterloo, Dubuque or anywhere else in
Iowa," Mr. Concannon said.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/12/us/12medicaid.html?ex=1331352000&en=19dce3c545219c5e&ei=5089&partner=rssyahoo&emc=rss

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