I believe the $35 billion allocated in this legislation is a fair compromise. With that money. we can still accomplish an increase of more than 3 million children newly insured under the program. I also support the inclusion of legal immigrant children and pregnant women in the program. and I was disappointed to see it was not Included in this legislation. Under current law. legal immigrants who have been in this country for less than 5 years are not eligible to participate in Medicaid or CHIP. despite the fact they pay taxes to support those programs. As a result. the preventive effects of health insurance are not being realized for them. I am concerned. as so many of us are. that we are going to end up paying much more in tbe future for health problems that could have been treated early on.
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immigrant immigrants