California’s Democrat Governor Gavin Newsom has been caught charging U.S. taxpayers for the healthcare expenses of the state’s illegal alien population.
Local media reports indicate that Newsom filed for nearly $53 million in reimbursements, which the state must now return to the federal government.
NBC15 reports:
California owes the federal government $52.7 million after it “improperly” requested reimbursements for services provided to noncitizens, according to a recent inspector general report.
The Golden State claimed Medicaid reimbursements for services it provided to “noncitizens with unsatisfactory immigration status,” the report reads. The category does not include those seeking asylum or refugees. States are prohibited from claiming such federal reimbursements except in medical emergency situations, which did not apply here, according to the report.
An audit conducted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services inspector general’s office found that California used an “outdated calculation” method for claiming federal reimbursements from October 2018 to June 2019. This method did not exclude services provided to noncitizens, which should be state-funded.
The auditors recommended that California: (1) refund to the Federal Government the improperly claimed Federal reimbursement of $52.7 million for capitation payments made on behalf of noncitizens with UIS and (2) work with CMS to determine the amount of any improperly claimed Federal reimbursement for capitation payments made on behalf of noncitizens with UIS for an agreed-upon period not covered by our audit,”
California is one of several Democrat-led states that not only protect illegal aliens from deportation but also provide various benefits, including healthcare.
Last December, California became the first state in the nation to offer illegal aliens taxpayer-funded health insurance. Since its implementation, approximately 700,000 people have become eligible for Medi-Cal, the state’s version of the federal Medicaid program for low-income individuals.
“In California, we believe everyone deserves access to quality, affordable health care coverage – regardless of income or immigration status,” Newsom said at the time.
It’s extremely doubtful that all California residents agree with that statement.
