Family Access to Medical Insurance Security Plan; coverage for certain children and pregnant women. (HB782)

Introduced By

Del. Alfonso Lopez (D-Arlington)

Progress

Introduced
Passed Committee
Passed House
Passed Senate
Signed by Governor
Became Law

Description

Medical assistance; coverage for certain children and pregnant women.  Provides that the Board of Medical Assistance Services shall include a provision in the state plan for medical assistance services for medical assistance for otherwise eligible pregnant women during the first five years of lawful residence in the United States. The bill also requires the Department of Medical Assistance Services to provide coverage under the Family Access to Medical Insurance Security (FAMIS) Plan for otherwise eligible children and pregnant women during the first five years of lawful residence in the United States. Read the Bill »

Outcome

Bill Has Failed

History

DateAction
01/11/2012Committee
01/11/2012Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/11/12 12101804D
01/11/2012Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice
01/16/2012Assigned Courts sub: #3 Immigration
01/19/2012Impact statement from DPB (HB782)
01/23/2012Referred from Courts of Justice
01/23/2012Referred to Committee on Health, Welfare and Institutions
01/26/2012Tabled in Health, Welfare and Institutions

Duplicate Bills

The following bills are identical to this one: HB183 and SB568.

Comments

Danielle B writes:

So for the first five years they can get preganant and be helped finacialy with medical assistant? i think this is going to lead to too many people purposly getting pregnant for this reason.. there needs to be more of a restriction.

VACOLAO, tracking this bill in Photosynthesis, notes:

VACOLAO supports this legislation that extends Medicaid eligibility to pregnant immigrant women and their children who have been lawfully present in the United States for less than five years.

Marisa V writes:

Are you suggesting that people will purposely get pregnant, a condition that has it's own attendant health risks and leads to financial and emotional commitments for the rest of a person's life, just to get a physical? Because I seriously doubt that will be much of a problem.

And if there are people driven to such desperate measures for medical care, it says more about our healthcare system than it does about this bill.

Magan writes:

I'm social worker, and yes, I have clients who routinely get pregnant to receive financial assistance. This is very sad, but commonplace, unfortunately.

Allesia Hamilton writes:

But we aren't able to provide free medical care to U.S. citizens now (not that I am for that), and this bill is giving special rights and free medical treatment only to immigrants and only to women and the child? How is that fair? No wonder this bill is dead, the Rep. shouldn't have even bothered introducing it.

Allesia Hamilton writes:

How could this group (VACOLAO - whose site has been quite helpful, thank you) support this? It gives incentive to ONLY immigrant women to just come here and breed more babies, whether they can support them or not.
Although I am against Obama-care, if you are going to go the socialized medicine route, then this bill would not cover men who might be legal long term citizens, or any other citizens other than pregnant immigrants.

Allesia Hamilton writes:

Do the words "Snowballs Chance" mean anything to you?

Melissa writes:

This bill isn't giving incentive or priority to immigrant women to go out and get pregnant, this enabling them to get the healthcare coverage they need and deserve. Read the bill before you go on making assumptions. Medicaid is medical insurance for American citizens who meet the income requirements (are low-income), and was created to cover healthcare for pregnant women, children, and disabled folks. If one has gone about the legal process to become a legal American citizen then they should have every right, just as every other American citizen to receive prenatal and postpartum care. The delivery and labor costs are already be covered if people have Medicaid or FAMIS, and they should have access to prenatal care (for check ups and preventative care), and checkups after the child is born. I realize that many of these comments are xenophobic, and presumptuous, but check your facts these folks may not be "American born" but they are citizens, and should have the same rights as other citizens.