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Maryland Plans Medicaid Benefits Reduction for Pregnant Legal Immigrants, ChildrenFrom: R. Daniel Braun (dean@thehuffpeople.net)Wed Jun 22 22:15:59 2005
.. Maryland Plans Medicaid Benefits Reduction for Pregnant Legal Immigrants, Children; Legislature Proposes Maintaining Coverage Access this story and related links online: http://www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?DR_ID=30917 Beginning July 1, Maryland no longer will provide Medicaid benefits for pregnant women and children who have been classified as permanent legal residents for fewer than five years, the Washington Post reports. To bring Maryland law in line with federal law, Gov. Robert Ehrlich (R) in January proposed cutting the $7 million state Medicaid program that provides health care coverage -- including prenatal care -- for about 4,000 legal immigrants in the state. Since 1996, when the federal government changed its rules for welfare, it has not provided any Medicaid funding for individuals who have been classified as permanent legal residents for fewer than five years (Wagner, Washington Post, 6/22). Earlier this year, state lawmakers, in an attempt to restore some funding for the pregnant women who will lose coverage, earmarked $1.5 million in the state's budget to be used to pay for prenatal care services for permanent legal residents. However, Ehrlich spokesperson Henry Fawell on Tuesday said the administration had not decided whether to approve the budget as written. Under Maryland's constitution, the state Assembly has the power to cut funding from the governor's budget proposal but cannot add or transfer money from one program to another, according to the Baltimore Sun (Green, Baltimore Sun, 6/22). According to Fawell, permanent legal residents who are pregnant but will lose Medicaid coverage for prenatal care under Ehrlich's plan still will be covered under Medicaid for emergency department care and labor and delivery. Letter Montgomery County, Md., Executive Douglas Duncan (D) and County Council members Tom Perez (D) and George Leventhal (D) on Tuesday sent Ehrlich a letter saying that 300 pregnant women and 1,300 children in the county stand to lose their health coverage under the plan (Washington Post, 6/22). "It is unconscionable that you would even consider ending state support for pregnant women and children," the letter said, adding, "In a state as prosperous as ours, surely your administration can find the resources to help those who need help the most." Duncan is an "all-but-declared" candidate for governor in 2006, according to the Sun (Baltimore Sun, 6/22). Dean Huffman
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