HHS shares Medicaid enrollees' data for immigration enforcement
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The federal health department is sharing Medicaid recipients' personal data with the Homeland Security Department, HHS confirmed to Axios.
The big picture: The arrangement raises privacy and security concerns for critics — including around whether the information is being used to deport undocumented immigrants.
- HHS says the information-sharing falls within its legal authority.
What they're saying: HHS said in a statement that it's focused on ensuring Medicaid benefits aren't going to undocumented immigrants, who aren't entitled to the coverage. It blamed the Biden administration for allowing illegal immigrants to exploit the safety net program.
- "This oversight effort — supported by lawful interagency data sharing with DHS — is focused on identifying waste, fraud, and systemic abuse. We are not only protecting taxpayer dollars – we are restoring credibility to one of America's most vital programs," HHS said.
- DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement that the agency is "exploring an initiative" with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to make sure undocumented immigrants aren't receiving Medicaid benefits.
Yes, but: The Associated Press reported that a legal agreement signed between the two agencies this week allows ICE to tap Medicaid data for identity and location information for deportation purposes.
- The legal agreement reportedly allows ICE to access data during working hours until Sept. 9. ICE cannot download the information, AP reported.
What they're saying: "The results of this decision... will sink trust in government even lower" and force individuals to chose between getting care and potentially seeing their personal data handed to immigration authorities, Elizabeth Laird, a director at the Center for Democracy and Technology, said in a statement.
The agreement comes after some CMS officials challenged the Trump administration's directive to let ICE access Medicaid data, as AP reported in June.
- California Attorney General Rob Bonta led 20 states in suing the administration in July over the release of sensitive Medicaid data to DHS.
Reality check: A handful of states have used state Medicaid dollars — not federal funds — to cover adults regardless of immigration status.
- Hospitals across the country can get reimbursed by Medicaid when they give emergency care to income-eligible patients who don't have satisfactory immigration status for Medicaid coverage.
- Emergency Medicaid spending is less than 1% of total Medicaid spending, according to KFF.
States including California have pulled back some state-funded coverage to undocumented adults since the start of the Trump administration.
- Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) approved a state budget last month that prohibits new enrollment of undocumented immigrants in the state's Medicaid program, per the New York Times.
