AP: Judge Dismisses Medicaid Law Challenge

[Eugene]

Judge Dismisses Medicaid Law Challenge

By KEVIN FREKING, Associated Press Writer

Tuesday, September 19, 2006

(09-19) 17:06 PDT WASHINGTON (AP) --

A federal judge has dismissed a challenge to a law that requires millions
of Medicaid beneficiaries to prove their citizenship before obtaining health
benefits.

Congress passed legislation earlier this year designed to ensure that only
citizens or qualified legal immigrants gain access to Medicaid, which is the
state-federal health insurance program for the poor. More than 50 million
people get health care through the program.

Several beneficiaries contended in a lawsuit that the new documentation
requirements would endanger their health care benefits. However, that contention
was nothing more than conjecture, said U.S. District Judge Ronald A. Guzman
of the Northern District of Illinois.

Guzman's 21-page ruling was made public Tuesday. He did not rule on the validity
of the law. Instead, he said that the plaintiffs made clear in their complaint
that they were challenging the regulations that the Department of Health and
Human Services issued concerning implementation of the law.

-snip-

Full article: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2006/09/19/national/w153637D65.DTL

[wellstone dem]

1. OH this is such crap

Shit, shit, shit!!!

This is the most stupid law. Now we will spend tons of money to verify people's citizenship to avoid paying money to sick people who need some help to get well. What shit!!!!!!!!!

[aquart]

2. That sums it up.

[xchrom]

4. plus people's medicaid is getting fucked up

because of the republick party's new rules.

the republick party will do anything to screw government operations up except bombing the shit out of poor people.

[Judi Lynn]

3. I have to hope when Democrats get back where they belong, they can do

something about this.

I'm certain there are many old people who have lost track of papers they would need to prove citizenship, and are too old and feeble to know what to do to get help getting it straightened out.

There are many people without children who are acquainted with their personal affairs, who could help. Are they just screwed?

Hateful, spiteful Republicans. Hope they all will burn in hell.