(ProsperNews.net) – The Maryland State Senate has passed legislation permitting illegal immigrants to take out health insurance. The State House approved similar legislation in February, and each chamber must approve the other’s version before Democrat Governor Wes Moore is tasked with signing it into law.
Proponents say the proposals will reduce uncompensated hospital bills and improve emergency room waiting time. If enacted, the law will require the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange to submit a federal waiver, meaning it will need to gain federal approval to sidestep restrictions on immigrants participating in the American marketplace. The waiver application must be submitted by July 2025 for the program to begin the following year.
Ninfa Amador-Hernandez of the immigrant group CASA welcomed the Senate’s 34-13 vote approval, saying the Old Line State is a “home for immigrants,” and this newest legislation represents a “step forward” and further assurance that migrants can have the best quality of life possible.
Lawmakers say that the new proposals will not cost Maryland taxpayers a dime. Still, according to the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), they are already spending millions. In a report entitled The Fiscal Burden of Illegal Immigration in Maryland, FAIR states that there are 350,000 illegal aliens residing in the Old Line State. These add 117,959 children to the state’s schools at an extra cost of $1.94 billion. Furthermore, the additional policing costs add up to $398 million, and additional expenses, including healthcare, public assistance, and general government services, brought the total cost up to $2.9 billion in 2023, or $1,132 per taxpayer.
Other states, including California, Colorado, and Washington, have passed similar legislation permitting immigrants to buy health insurance. In Washington, lawmakers secured the necessary federal waiver last year, allowing illegal aliens to purchase insurance but not entitling them to any subsidies.
California was the first state to begin allowing coverage for all immigrants, regardless of status, back in 2016. Some conservatives say such measures encourage and incentivize illegal immigration.
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