On Wednesday’s broadcast of NewsNation’s “On Balance,” Rep. Jimmy Panetta (D-CA) said there is “a certain very small percentage” of money that goes to people in the country illegally that is at issue in the government shutdown.
Host Leland Vittert asked, “Republicans claim that Democrats are holding all this up so illegal aliens get health care. … So, let me just ask, is it a small portion of money that goes to health care for illegal aliens or no money?”
Panetta answered, “Under the ACA, illegal immigrants are not allowed to have health care — government-sponsored health care. That’s in the law. Under Medicaid, individuals, adults are not allowed to have Medicare who are here in an undocumented status. However, there are certain state programs, like California, that, if you’re undocumented and you go into the emergency room and you don’t have insurance, the emergency room, the hospital gets reimbursed through Medi-Cal. If you’re a child and you don’t have health insurance and you need to go and see a doctor, you can use Medicaid, and if you’re a pregnant mother, you can use Medicaid as well.”
Vittert then cut in to ask, “So, should Democrats, just in the interest of telling the truth, admit that, yes, they are trying to make it so that there is federal money that will go to people who are here illegally?”
Panetta responded, “No. Well, in regards to a certain very small percentage.”
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