Letter in opposition to the elimination of MinnesotaCare access for undocumented immigrants in HF10/SF 690

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Dear Senator Rasmusson and Representative Schultz:

We write to express our opposition to the elimination of MinnesotaCare access for undocumented immigrants in HF10/SF 690. CHA-MN is a statewide network of Catholic hospitals, regional medical centers and long-term care providers. We work to protect the mission of Catholic healthcare, as well as ensure all people have access to quality, affordable care.

We are called to be stewards of the gift of life, and access to healthcare via health insurance is necessary to properly steward the life that God so generously gives us. It is essential for the protection of basic human dignity and flourishing.

Unless pregnant, undocumented immigrants are ineligible for Medicaid and cannot access the ACA’s insurance marketplace. So, unless an undocumented immigrant has the means for very expensive commercial insurance, MinnesotaCare is really the only option for him or her. Because immigrants have a right to treatment, they can access emergency services, which ends up being extremely costly and raising the cost of healthcare for everyone. It is for those reasons that many healthcare provider organizations supported the Immigrant Inclusion Act in 2023.

Refusing to provide access to health insurance simply because of one’s legal status is a simplistic and blunt approach to a more complex problem. Our immigration system is broken and needs to be fixed at the federal level. Until then, as Minnesotans we can take steps to ensure the basic dignity and needs of our immigrant brothers and sisters, such as offering the opportunity to purchase health insurance.

Rather than excluding a whole class of people from the program, we invite you to think creatively about other options such as the creating of a different premium structure that allows immigrants to purchase MinnesotaCare, or the elimination of coverage for services that do not constitute authentic healthcare, such as elective abortions.

At the very least, we should preserve MinnesotaCare access for undocumented children, as it is not their fault that they are in the United States and should not be punished by being denied access to care when needed.

We recognize that long-term budget numbers are cloudy, but we also encourage you to prioritize basic human needs over other amenities.

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely yours,

Matt Hughes
Legislative and Member Liaison
Catholic Health Association of Minnesota