House Votes to Restore Health Care for Immigrants

Last night, the House voted to fund the Commonwealth Care Bridge program (see previous post for details) at $25 million for at least six months of FY2012, with further funding down the road.

MIRA is grateful for its allies at the ACT Coalition, MLRI and others, and thanks the Governor Patrick's commitment since 2009 when the legal immigrant population was excluded. We are also thankful for Rep. Antonio Cabral (D-New Bedford) for his leadership on the floor year after year, for Rep. Tim Toomey (D-Cambridge)'s amendment effort, and for the House leadership.

After the 150-4 vote at 10:00PM, which also included funding for Adult Day health services, Patrick said in a statement: "I am grateful that Speaker DeLeo and his colleagues in the House have recognized the vital importance of restoring funding that provides health care for legal, taxpaying immigrants here in Massachusetts. All of the Commonwealth's residents deserve access to quality and affordable health care, and by protecting this program we can continue to do just that.”

Protect Health Care Coverage!

On April 15, Massachusetts’ House Ways & Means Committee eliminated the Commonwealth Care Bridge Program, threatening health care coverage for thousands of immigrants.

CommCare Bridge is a temporary, affordable and basic health care program that covers approximately 25,000 low- to moderate- income legal permanent residents, still under the 5-year residency waiting period for federally-funded coverage, like MassHealth.

MIRA, MLRI, ACT Coalition, and other allies are working closely with the Governor's Office and several State Representatives to amend the current House Budget to continue to fund the program at $50 million for FY 2012.

Two amendments are filed to restore the program: #715 (submitted by Rep. Cabral) and #750 (submitted by Rep. Toomey).

Without this coverage, these individuals can only rely on the over-burdened Health Safety Net program, adding cost prohibitive expenses to underfunded hospitals and health centers.

Cost issues aside, MIRA feels it is fundamentally wrong to disadvantage a sub-section of society based on their immigrant status.

Background on the Bridge program:

The Commonwealth Care Bridge Program is a state-subsidized health insurance program for “special status” legal immigrants who lost their Commonwealth Care coverage on August 31, 2009 because of changes in state law. The Bridge Program was created by the Massachusetts State Legislature to provide coverage for the individuals left uninsured by these changes. Bridge offers most of the benefits of Commonwealth Care, but does not include dental, vision, hospice or skilled nursing care.

Call your Representatives now (617-722-2000), and ask them to:

Support budget amendments #715 and #750 to continue the Commonwealth Care Bridge program at $50 million for fiscal year 2012.

House votes to restore health care for immigrants

Last night, the House voted to fund the Commonwealth Care Bridge program (see previous post for details) at $25 for at least six months of FY2012, with further funding down the road.

MIRA is grateful for its allies at the ACT Coalition, MLRI and others, and thanks the Governor Patrick's commitment since 2009 when the legal immigrant population was excluded. We are also thankful for Rep. Antonio Cabral (D-New Bedford) for his leadership on the floor year after year, for Rep. Tim Toomey (D-Cambridge)'s amendment effort, and for the House leadership.

After the 150-4 vote last night, which also included funding for Adult Day health services, Patrick said in a statement: "I am grateful that Speaker DeLeo and his colleagues in the House have recognized the vital importance of restoring funding that provides health care for legal, taxpaying immigrants here in Massachusetts. All of the Commonwealth's residents deserve access to quality and affordable health care, and by protecting this program we can continue to do just that.”

Health care coverage for immigrants to be funded through June 2011 (FY2011)

MIRA welcomes the new year with great news — Just as it was about to run out at the end of January, the Commonwealth Care Bridge program has been funded until the end of this fiscal year, June 30, 2011!

Governor Patrick submitted and the legislature passed the supplemental budget approving these funds shortly after a productive late December meeting with Secretary of Administration and Finance Jay Gonzalez and Connector Executive Director Glen Shor. Hosted by Healthcare for All, the meeting was attended by MIRA, SEIU 1199, Mass Law Reform Institute, the American Cancer Society, Greater Boston Interfaith Organization and the MA Hospital Association.

Thanks to our members, partner advocates, and the administration for not forgetting the the group of over 20,000 tax-paying permanent residents, or AWSS (aliens with special status). The program (run by CeltiCare) was completely cut by the legislature last Spring during the FY2011 budget process, with the possibility of funding it via federal FMAP funding (Federal Medical Assistance Percentages). Although FMAP funding was appropriated for Massachusetts, the program eventually went unfunded, and was temporarily extended through the Commonwealth Trust Fund.

This latest decision to fully extend funding is significant relief for thousands of families, but comes with a caveat: it does not allow new enrollees. MIRA will continue to keep you posted on the program.

In addition, we are excited to share that the supplemental budget also included promised funding for the Department of Public Health line item which covers the RISE programs (Refugee Immigrant Safety & Empowerment), making good on the legislative promise that this line would not receive cuts if federal funding was granted.

Health care for immigrants extends to January 31

Thousands of families were bracing for the worst this holiday season in their health care coverage, but there is a bit more breathing room. The Patrick administration recently confirmed that the Commonwealth Care Bridge program (run by CeltiCare) will be extended until January 31. This temporary program is the only affordable health insurance plan that covers a group of 27,000 tax-paying permanent residents, or AWSS (aliens with special status). It was completely cut by the legislature last Spring during the FY2011 budget process, with the possibility of funding it via federal FMAP funding (Federal Medical Assistance Percentages). Although FMAP funding was appropriated for Massachusetts, the program eventually went unfunded.

Although a December 2010 report by the Commonwealth's Division of Health Care Finance and Policy boasts health insurance coverage rate of 98.1%, 120,000 Massachusetts residents are still uninsured. If the Commonwealth Care Bridge program goes unfunded after January 2011, it would increase the uninsured rates by almost 25%, leaving thousands of families vulnerable, disrupting critical medical procedures and relationships with providers, and further strain the state's Health Safety Net program.

The administration indicates a commitment to find other means to fund the program through the end of the fiscal year (June 2011) in the absence of legislative action. Health care and immigrant advocates hope that the FY2012 budget, which begins deliberation in January, will continue to fund this vital program.

PRESS STATEMENT: Patrick Tries to Resuscitate Immigrant Health Care

With State House approval plan would save "Bridge" for 6 months

BOSTON -- This afternoon Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick held a press conference to discuss his signature of the Massachusetts state budget for fiscal 2011, which begins tomorrow. Barring the increasingly unlikely approval of FMAP funding, this budget would eliminate health care funding for nearly 30,000 legal, tax-paying Massachusetts immigrants at the end of August. In response, Governor Patrick also announced he was filing an amendment letter with the legislature, asking for their permission to allow Bridge to continue operating if funds can be found. Through some creative cost savings and the allocation of excess cigarette tax revenues, the governor then calculates that the program could continue for at least six months, or until the end of December. "We at MIRA join all the other groups in the ACT Coalition to commend Governor Patrick for his speedy and creative response to this crisis," said Nicole Tambouret, State Policy Director at the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition (MIRA)."The governor has come up with the plan and the funds; now the legislature needs to act quickly to pass the proposed bill, which will give tens of thousands of hard-working, tax paying immigrants a chance to breathe easier as we all work to craft a permanent solution to this crisis." The Bridge program was created last year as a temporary, low-cost solution to the plight of these 30,000 Massachusetts immigrants, comprised largely of those who've received their Permanent Legal Residency status ("green cards") less than five years ago. Last June, the State House barred this class of immigrants from the Commonwealth Care program, citing federal law which prohibits the group from receiving reimbursement for Medicaid funding. The crisis led the governor to work with the legislature to devise Commonwealth Care Bridge, which began enrolling immigrants at the end of last summer.  "The governor and his administration seem to agree with immigrants and their allies that the Bridge program is not a permanent solution to the plight of these immigrants," Tambouret continued."But we all need the legislature to approve his plan to continue the program through the summer and fall. Not only will it provide six extra months of essential coverage, it also allows us all time to find a way to extend the program until that day when every Massachusetts resident can receive the quality, affordable health care they deserve, no matter where they're from."

Commonwealth Care Bridge Resources

Today marks the second day of Commonwealth Care Bridge in the Greater Boston area. To keep up to date on developments in the program, please check MIRA's state health care website frequently.

Below are some resources that are currently available:

• List of community health center's currently in the CommCare Bridge Greater Boston network and a spanish-language version of CeltiCare Explanation of Coverage for new members.

• Contact information for CeltiCare, including a number exclusively for transition in care issues.

• Frequently asked questions about the CommCare Bridge program, including a schedule of benefits and co-pays.

MIRA will continue to provide updates on its website and blog as we learn more. For a recent press statement from MIRA on the CommCare Bridge program, please click here.

PRESS STATEMENT: "CommCare Bridge" Shaky on Eve of Opening

BOSTON-- The new plan to provide health coverage for 31,000 immigrants rolls out in the Greater Boston area tomorrow. After cutting recent green-card recipients and other legal immigrants from Commonwealth Care coverage in the FY2010 budget, the state legislature compromised with the Patrick Administration and allocated $40 million -- less than one-third the cost of full CommCare coverage -- for a new managed-care plan, run by CeltiCare. On the eve of the roll out of the new plan, dubbed "CommCare Bridge," numerous questions and concerns remain about the bridge's security.

"We appreciate the efforts and commitment of the administration and CeltiCare to make the best of a bad situation," said Eva A. Millona, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Immigrant & Refugee Advocacy Coalition (MIRA). "But it remains a bad situation.We are concerned about access to affordable and comprehensive health care for these hard-working, tax-paying Massachusetts residents who were singled out for the cuts. In particular, we worry about the adequacy of CommCare Bridge's network of providers, as well as the plan's increased out-of-pocket expenses and its cap on future enrollment."

Currently, all but a small percentage of Boston's 11,500 CommCare Bridge members will need to find new health care providers, since the program's network does not currently include many institutions that have historically served this population, such as Boston Medical Center and Cambridge Health Alliance. Furthermore, with premium costs equal to those in full Commonwealth Care and some higher co-pays, the CommCare Bridge recipients will pay more for less.

"Until we see full restoration of Commonwealth Care coverage for these Massachusetts taxpayers," Millona continued, "we cannot expect them to receive adequate health care. We look forward to working with the Governor and the legislature to restore these important funds."

The plan is scheduled to roll out in Northern and Southern Massachusetts on November 1, and in Central and Western MA on December 1 (see list of service areas and rollout dates). A recent Boston Globe poll found that 43% of MA residents support full restoration of coverage in Commonwealth Care for the population, compared to 28% who felt coverage should remain as it is and 19% who felt coverage should be eliminated entirely.