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The Colorado Democrats are now celebrating the passage of a new law that will extend free Medicaid coverage to illegal migrants who are pregnant and to migrant children and the initiative, known as Cover All Coloradans, is set to take effect on January 1. It will allow state Medicaid funding for a wide range of healthcare services, including prenatal and postpartum care, as well as physical, dental, vision, and mental health care for children. The estimated initial cost of the program is up to $51 million, which will be funded by Colorado taxpayers, according to CBS News.
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Democrat Governor Jared Polis’ administration has partnered with immigrant advocacy groups to notify migrants of their eligibility for the program. These groups are reassuring migrants that their personal information, including their immigration status, will not be shared with immigration authorities.
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Bryan Rodriguez, a program manager at Denver Health, reassured that under Colorado state laws, the privacy of applicants for Medicaid benefits will be safeguarded. Based on current Colorado state laws, they protect the privacy of the clients who are applying for these public benefits, Rodriguez said. He emphasized the importance of this protection, especially as the Trump administration prepares for potential enforcement actions in January, which could affect the privacy of applicants for public assistance.
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Despite the celebration from Democrats, the Cover All Coloradans program has faced sharp criticism from state Republicans, who are concerned about the rising costs. Many Republicans, including State Representative Soper, voted against the Medicaid expansion when the bill passed in 2022. Soper warned that Coloradans and lawmakers will have to contend with the financial burden, stressing that the actual cost of the program is expected to exceed initial estimates. He also raised concerns about citizens experiencing reductions in their benefits due to budget constraints. Soper emphasized that providing services to undocumented immigrants, which are not available to legal residents, is problematic.
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This expansion of Medicaid is part of a broader trend of escalating costs associated with providing healthcare to illegal migrants across the United States. A report from the House Committee on Homeland Security in November 2023 estimated that the annual cost of the Biden administration’s border policies could reach $451 billion, with a significant portion of that funding going toward medical care for illegal immigrants. Many of these migrants, who typically lack health insurance, are still able to access government-funded healthcare services, including Medicaid, by crossing into states like California.
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