Study reveals emergency Medicaid for undocumented immigrants is less than 1 percent of state budget

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Study reveals emergency Medicaid for undocumented immigrants is less than 1 percent of state budget

Emergency Medicaid for undocumented immigrants accounted for just 0.4% of total Medicaid spending in 2022, according to a recent study. Researchers from Emory University, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health analyzed fiscal year 2022 data from the Medicaid Budget and Expenditure System.

Study Findings and Key Figures

The study examined 38 states plus Washington, D.C. It found emergency Medicaid spending for undocumented immigrants averaged $9.63 per resident. The findings, published in JAMA, provide insights into state spending trends.

Budget Reconciliation and Its Implications

The 2025 Budget Reconciliation law suggests cuts to Medicaid, potentially impacting undocumented immigrants. Supporters argue these groups should not receive Medicaid benefits under current federal laws, including the Affordable Care Act. The researchers highlighted that undocumented immigrants cannot access comprehensive Medicaid, Medicare, or Marketplace options.

Understanding Emergency Medicaid

Emergency Medicaid covers urgent medical treatments for those who meet Medicaid requirements except U.S. citizenship or legal status. It primarily funds immediate care like labor and delivery. Some states extend this to dialysis and cancer treatments.

Even states with large undocumented populations spent less than 1% of their Medicaid budgets.
These states spent roughly 15 times more per person compared to those with smaller undocumented numbers.

Effects of Potential Budget Cuts

Reducing emergency Medicaid would not yield significant savings and could harm states with large undocumented immigrant populations. The cuts would impact safety-net hospitals and clinicians serving these communities. Authors of the study warned these changes would disproportionately affect immigrant healthcare providers.