Transcript Active conservative groups - National Women's Law Center

Immigrants and Reproductive
Justice
Lillian M. Hewko
Law Students for Reproductive
Justice Fellow, NHWN
• 30 Regional Coordinators (RC’s) in 26
states and District of Columbia
• National policy analysis, regulatory
comments and advocacy, develop and share
model state marketplace policies.
• We will cover:
– Intros
• Reproductive (In)justice (activity)
– Immigrants and Health Coverage
– Barriers to Immigrant Women’s Health
– RJ Responses
Intro
Question: Where are your
ancestors from?
Intro Activity
Values Activity-3 min
Pair share-2 minutes each
Immigration Values Activity
Values Activity-3 min: Strongly Agree (SA), Agree (A),
Disagree (D), Strongly Disagree (SD)
1. People should be able to move across borders in order to live or work
without limitations.
2. The government should provide public benefits, such as basic health care
coverage to all people within its borders who do not have the ability to pay
for such coverage, regardless of citizenship or residency.
3. Criminalizing individuals will help deter them from coming to the United
States.
4. Immigrants come to the US because they would rather live in the United
States.
5. The U.S. should be able to rely on immigrants to sustain the labor needs of
our nation’s economy.
Immigrants in the U.S.
• 40.3 million foreign born
(13% of total population)
– 18.1 are naturalized
citizens (45% of
immigrants)
– comprise about 17% of
labor force
• 24.3% of children and 30.5%
of low-income children have
an immigrant parent
• 87% of children of
immigrants are US Citizens
Immigrants & Health Care Needs
• More Likely to Be Uninsured
– 46% of non-citizens are
uninsured, compared to 15% or
U.S. Born citizens
– 45-55% of low-income immigrant
children in the US are uninsured
(but citizens make up bulk of the
uninsured)
• Use Less Health Care
– Immigrants use less health care
– Per capita, immigrant use of
health services costs less than
half the cost for average citizen
Who’s Eligible for Care?
Naturalized Citizens and
“Qualified Immigrants”
– Includes LPRs, refugees, asylees,
parolees, Cuban/Haitian entrants,
certain domestic violence and
trafficking survivors
– If entered after 1996, must have held
“qualified” status for 5 years +
Additional Coverage for Immigrant
Women & Children
• 30+ states provide health
coverage to additional
immigrants through federal
option (CHIPRA) to cover
– Lawfully residing children and
pregnant women regardless
of entry, or
– prenatal care to women
regardless of status using
CHIP funds
• 15 states use state money
to cover gaps for lawfully
residing immigrants
Health Coverage for Immigrant Children | January 2014
ME
WA
Alaska
MI
ND
MT
OR
NY
MN
WI
SD
ID
IA
IL
NV
UT
CO
KS
IN
WV
VA
KY
MO
NC
TN
OK
AZ
SC
AR
NM
AL
GA
MS
TX
LA
FL
Hawaii
KEY
Medicaid/CHIP for lawfully residing children, regardless of date of entry
Medical coverage for children, regardless of immigration status
Medical coverage for lawfully residing children (statewide), and for children regardless
of immigration status in some counties
MA
R
C I
T
NJ
DE
MD DC
OH
NE
CA
MI
PA
WY
CA
V
T NH
Health Coverage for Pregnant Women
• 14 states provide
Medicaid for pregnant
lawfully residing
immigrants regardless of
entry
• 18 provide prenatal care
to women regardless of
status using chip funds
• Only 5 provide for
children regardless of
immigration status
Health Coverage for Pregnant Women | February 2014
ME
WA
Alaska
MI
ND
MT
OR
NY
MN
WI
SD
ID
IA
IL
NV
UT
CO
KS
IN
WV
VA
KY
MO
NC
TN
OK
AZ
SC
AR
NM
AL
GA
MS
TX
LA
FL
Hawaii
KEY
Medicaid for lawfully residing pregnant women, regardless of date of entry
CHIP or other medical coverage for pregnant women, regardless of immigration status
MA
R
C I
T
NJ
DE
MD DC
OH
NE
CA
MI
PA
WY
CA
V
T NH
Barriers to Immigrant Women’s Health
Care
Locked Out: No Access
• Undocumented
Immigrants, temporary
visa holders, DACA
youth are:
– Restricted from buying health
insurance on the marketplace
– Not eligible for tax subsidies
– Few exceptions for
emergencies (e.g. pregnancy)
Fenced In & Locked Out: Restrictions on
Low-Income Lawfully Present Immigrants
• 5 year Bar: lawfully present
immigrants who entered the US
after 1995 must have held
“qualified” status for at least 5
years before they can receive
Medicaid and CHIP
• Limited Federal
Coverage: can purchase via
Exchange, eligible for tax
credits & cost-sharing subsidies
Contradiction: Keep Out but Help
Wanted
• Immigrants work hard, pay
taxes and contribute to our
communities and the U.S.
economy
• Historical Shifts
– 1993 Border Security
– 1994 North American Free Trade
Agreement
Immigrant Women & 1996 Welfare
“Reform”
Immigrants and U.S. Economy
Reproductive Injustice
• Separation of families
• Lack of access to
sexual, reproductive
and maternal services
• Exposure and lack of
resources for physical
and sexual violence
Perfect Recipe for Reproductive
Injustice: Crystal’s Story
No Public Funding for Abortion
Services
Abortion Access
• Some states allow Medicaid
eligible women access to
state dollars for to obtain
abortion services
• Citizenship requirements
means no state abortion
funding for undocumented
or individual under 5 year
bar
Repro Justice Legislative Responses
Federal Responses
Health Equity & Access under the Law (HEAL) for Immigrant
Women & Families Act of 2014 (H.R. 4240)
Sponsored by Representative Lujan
Grisham (NM-01)
Seeks to remove harmful restrictions
for lawfully present immigrants
Restores access to coverage and allows
lawfully present immigrants to receive
health care
HEAL Act Section by Section
Unique Repro Rights and
Immigration Bill
•
Section 3—Removes Barriers to Health
Coverage for Lawfully Present individuals
– Removes outdated and restrictive list of “qualified
immigrants”
– These individuals would be able to access coverage
through Medicaid or CHIP
•
Section 4—Removes Barriers to Health
Coverage for Individuals Granted Deferred
Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program
– These individuals would be able to access coverage
through Medicaid or CHIP
– Can also purchase on their own coverage the
exchange, and get tax subsidy and cost-sharing
benefits
State Responses to Attacks on
Immigrant Health Coverage
Lifting Restrictions on ALL Immigrant
Access to Health Care
• CA Health Care for All Act (SB 1005)
– Will expand health coverage to
individuals who are currently excluded
through Medi-Cal if meet income
requirements
– Can also purchase on Exchange
program
Take Action
Contact Your Legislator and Ask them to CoSponsor!
Thank You!
Contact Info:
Lillian Hewko
[email protected]