Speech #990214348

These expenses will be incurred. of course. because Federal Medicaid payments are matched by Statesand localities in 12 States. I have made some rough calculations. I cannot speak to it with the authority of the Human Resources Administration of New York City. for example. but the numbers are roughly that in. 1980. there were 234.000 illegal aliens in New York State. Just under a quarter of a million. At the same time. in 1980. of the 17.5 million residents of our State. 1.3 million. or 7 percent. received Medicaid payments at an annual costs of $1.486 per adult. If we assume that the percentage of illegal aliens who would qualify for Medicaid that is. the sick and indigentis the same 7 percent as for the population as a wholeand the percentage is probably a good deal higherthen 16.380 illegal aliens in New York State would qualify for Medicaid. And if they received the same average payment. then total Medicaid payments would increase $24.3 million. half of which would have to be paid by the State and its localities. Mr. President. it is altogether unfair that State governments and local governments should have to assume a large share of the cost of dealing with illegal aliens. whose presence is a manifest evidence of a failure by the Federal Government to enforce its laws. Were the Immigration and Naturalization Service able to police our borders and regulate their movement. as they are required to do under law. if the Federal Government did what it says it must do. there would be no illegal aliens or. if there were. there would be an insignificant number. Clearly stated. the Federal Government being responsible for the presence of illegal alien.4. it ought to be responsible for their medical care. My amendment will provide that the Federal Government will pay for all of these Medicaid corts. that is. the Federal medical assistance percentage under the Medicaid program will be 100 percent of the medical care costs for illegal aliens. I hope this legislation will be received favorably. I can imagine that today in this Senate there are not that many persons aware of this matter.