Arizona Immigrants Canceling Doctors’ Appointments Out Of Fear Of Proposed ‘Public Charge’ Policy Change
Advocates are worried that the policy--which would allow officials to weigh an immigrant's use of aid such as Medicaid when deciding green cards--is already discouraging legal immigrants from seeking needed health care.
Arizona Republic:
Proposed Public Charge Rule Change Could Affect 200,000 Arizonans
A Trump administration proposal is making legal immigrants in Arizona increasingly fearful of getting government help for basic needs, including health care, a statewide anti-poverty coalition says. The Department of Homeland Security's draft "public charge" rule change would allow the government to penalize immigrants who use taxpayer-funded programs such as Medicaid (in Arizona, the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System, or AHCCCS) and subsidized housing. (Innes, 11/14)
Meanwhile, a doctor talks about what it's like being a Dreamer —
Georgia Health News:
‘Dreamer’ Raised Here — Now Med Student — Feels Shut Out
Back in 2009, Belsy Garcia Manrique was studying as an undergrad at Mercer University in Macon when her younger sister called. It was about their mother. Feeling tired and looking pale, she had paid a visit to the health clinic near the family home in Calhoun. From what she heard there, she understood that her hemoglobin levels had dropped so low that she needed a transfusion — fast. The mom, who was anemic, rushed to a local hospital, only to be told that she was fine and didn’t require a transfusion. (Blau, 11/14)
