The Truth About Costly Verification Measures, Unauthorized Immigrants and Health Care

Washington D.C. - As health care bills make their way through Congress, lawmakers are debating whether or not to include overly burdensome citizenship verification requirements to ensure that unauthorized immigrants do not have access to health insurance. However, past attempts to implement these kinds of additional measures have prevented U.S. citizens and legal immigrants from receiving health care, while uncovering very few instances of unauthorized immigrants trying to abuse the system. In fact, research shows that unauthorized immigrants do not come to the United States for health care benefits or any other public services for which they are not eligible. These additional measures threaten to ensnare far more citizens than unauthorized immigrants and add unnecessary costs to health care reform.

For more information view the fact check in its entirety:

The Truth About Costly Verification Measures, Unauthorized Immigrants and Health Care (IPC Fact Check, Sptemeber, 2009)

For other fact sheets on immigrants and health care see:

Including Legal Immigrants in Health Care Reform: Just What the Doctor Ordered (IPC Fact Check, August, 2009)

Sharing the Costs, Sharing the Benefits: Inclusion is the Best Medicine (IPC Fact Check, July, 2009)

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For more information contact Wendy Sefsaf at 202-507-7524 or wsefsaf@ailf.org

The Immigration Policy Center (IPC), established in 2003, is the policy arm of the American Immigration Law Foundation. IPC's mission is to shape a rational national conversation on immigration and immigrant integration. Through its research and analysis, IPC provides policymakers, the media, and the general public with accurate information about the role of immigrants and immigration policy on U.S. society. IPC reports and materials are widely disseminated and relied upon by press and policy makers. IPC staff regularly serves as experts to leaders on Capitol Hill, opinion-makers and the media. IPC is a non-partisan organization that neither supports nor opposes any political party or candidate for office.

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