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Hannity falsely claims health bill doesn't have "any restrictions" on undocumented immigrants

August 27, 2009 2:07 pm ET — 23 Comments

Purporting to quote from a Congressional Research Service (CRS) report, Sean Hannity falsely claimed that the health care reform bill "does not contain any restrictions on non-citizens whether legally or illegally present" and that there is "proof that illegal immigrants could very well be covered by the Democrats' health care plan." In fact, Hannity distorted the CRS quote; and the bills under consideration do prohibit undocumented immigrants from receiving subsidies to purchase health insurance.

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Hannity cites "proof that illegal immigrants could very well be covered by the Democrats' health care plan"

From the August 26 edition of Fox News' Hannity:

HANNITY: Now, "Hannity's America" continues in 90 seconds with proof that illegal immigrants could very well be covered by the Democrats' health care plan. That's straight ahead.

[...]

HANNITY: And finally in "Hannity's America": The president has repeatedly accused his opponents of peddling falsehoods in the health care debate. Now, one of them, he says, is that illegal immigrants will be covered by the bill. Now the Washington Examiner notes that, according to the Congressional Research Service, the critics are right. The bill, quote, "does not contain any restrictions on non-citizens whether legally or illegally present."

Hey, Mr. President, maybe you should stop peddling falsehoods. More Hannity straight ahead.

Bills bar illegal immigrants from receiving subsidies

The House bill states that those "not lawfully present" may not receive subsidies to purchase insurance. Media Matters for America has debunked the myth that the health care reform bills under consideration would cover undocumented immigrants. From the "Individual Affordability Credits" section of the America's Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009:

SEC. 242. AFFORDABLE CREDIT ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUAL.

(a) DEFINITION. --

(1) IN GENERAL. -- For purposes of this division, the term ''affordable credit eligible individual'' means, subject to subsection (b), an individual who is lawfully present in a State in the United States (other than as a nonimmigrant described in a subparagraph (excluding subparagraphs (K), (T), (U), and (V)) of section 101(a)(15) of the Immigration and Nationality Act) --

[...]

SEC. 246. NO FEDERAL PAYMENT FOR UNDOCUMENTED ALIENS.

Nothing in this subtitle shall allow Federal payments for affordability credits on behalf of individuals who are not lawfully present in the United States.

Senate HELP bill excludes those "not lawfully present" from federal funding. From the "Making Coverage Affordable" section of the Affordable Health Choices Act:

(h) NO FEDERAL FUNDING. -- Nothing in this Act shall allow Federal payments for individuals who are not lawfully present in the United States.

Hannity distorts CRS quote to make his case

Hannity truncated CRS quote to distort its meaning. In claiming that, according to CRS, the bill "does not contain any restrictions on non-citizens whether legally or illegally present," Hannity distorted the meaning of the CRS quote to make it appear as though the bill places no restrictions at all on illegal immigrants. In fact, the CRS report found that America's Affordable Health Choices Act "does not contain any restrictions on noncitzens [sic] -- whether legally or illegally present, or in the United States temporarily or permanently -- participating in the Exchange" [emphasis added] -- a reference to the Health Insurance Exchange set up by the bill, which "would provide eligible individuals and small businesses with access to insurers' plans, including the public option, in a comparable way."

From the CRS report, "Treatment of Noncitizens in H.R. 3200":

Under H.R. 3200, a "Health Insurance Exchange" would begin operation in 2013 and would offer private plans alongside a public option. The Exchange would not be an insurer; it would provide eligible individuals and small businesses with access to insurers' plans, including the public option, in a comparable way. Individuals would only be eligible to enroll in an Exchange plan if they were not enrolled in other acceptable coverage (for example, from an employer, Medicare and generally Medicaid). H.R. 3200 does not contain any restrictions on noncitzens -- whether legally or illegally present, or in the United States temporarily or permanently -- participating in the Exchange. However, as discussed above, H.R. 3200 would only mandate that resident aliens would be required to have health insurance. [Page 4]

Hannity cited Examiner.com report that falsely attributed quote to CRS. As Media Matters Deputy Research Director Simon Maloy noted, the Examiner.com article Hannity cited misattributed quotes from Rep. Lamar Smith's (R-TX) August 25 press release to CRS. In one instance, Examiner.com reporter Kimberly Dvorak altered a quote from President Obama to change its meaning, wrongly sourced it to the CRS, and falsely claimed it refuted Obama's August 22 radio address.

Hannity previously advanced myth that health care bills will cover undocumented immigrants

Dick Morris on Hannity: "[R]ationing will take place when they tell you, no, you can't have the surgery because we have to give it to a 40-year-old illegal immigrant." On August 17, Fox News contributor Dick Morris said on Hannity, "[W]hether they fund the grief counselor or the end-of-life counselor or not, the rationing will take place when they tell you, no, you can't have the surgery because we have to give it to a 40-year-old illegal immigrant instead." [Hannity, 8/17/09]

Morris on Hannity: "[T]hey're going to cover illegal immigrants." On August 3 on Hannity, Morris claimed that under the Democrats' health reform bills, "they're going to cover illegal immigrants," without noting that the legislation prohibits federal payments for undocumented immigrants. [Hannity, 8/03/09]

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    • Author by eweston8542983 (August 27, 2009 2:55 pm ET)
      9 1
      Somehow undocumented aliens being sick is someone elses problem. Comunicable diseases don't care if your a legal resident or not.
      Bubonic plague? Sorry your not a legal resident. Back on the street with you.
      And no emergency room service is not the answer.
      Report Abuse
      • Author by congero6189599 (August 27, 2009 3:38 pm ET)
        3 1
        I agree with you whole heartedly.
        Report Abuse
      • Author by southerngal (August 27, 2009 5:18 pm ET)
        1 1
        So you advocate that we pay for health care for illegal immigrants?
        Report Abuse
        • Author by worrierking (August 27, 2009 5:25 pm ET)
          3 1
          How thick are you anyway?

          Ewe clearly stated a case for treating anyone who has an infectious disease.

          You are aware that the illegals are also human and quite capable of infecting your regular, gun totin', batschidt crazy 'merican, right?

          If someone is infected by a highly communicable disease, it's a public health hazard and not an immigration issue.
          Report Abuse
          • Author by southerngal (August 27, 2009 5:34 pm ET)
            1 4
            Grow up. Read his post again, he just says back on the streets and emergency rooms are not the answer. And his, and yours, is some ridiculous bubonic plague defense that is idiotic. We are not talking about rampant public plagues, anyone who argues from that standpoint has no argument.
            Report Abuse
            • Author by eweston8542983 (August 27, 2009 8:14 pm ET)
                1
              Infectious diseases don't care what you think of them. A disease doesn't have to have the overal impact of the plague to cause medical concerns and public health concerns. Prove that this is not a good argument. How much medical damage are you willing to accept to keep medical care away from people you feel threatened by because of their mere presence.
              As another senario. A business plays fast and loose with a toxic substance. It employs illegal imigrants who are fearful of bringing attention to themselves. They become contaminated and cross contaminate legal residents. They both suffer. If the illegal was able to get our health care without a threat the damage can be reduced.
              Report Abuse
              • Author by 1234567890 (August 27, 2009 9:19 pm ET)
                   
                The Exchange would not be an insurer; it would provide eligible individuals and small businesses with ACCESS to insurers' plans, including the public option, in a comparable way. Individuals would only be eligible to enroll in an Exchange plan if they were not enrolled in other acceptable coverage (for example, from an employer, Medicare and generally Medicaid). H.R. 3200 does not contain any restrictions on noncitzens -- whether legally or illegally present, or in the United States temporarily or permanently -- participating in the Exchange. However, as discussed above, H.R. 3200 would only mandate that resident aliens would be required to have health insurance.
                They would not be subsidized for their health insurance, but there would still be a mandate for them to always have the insurance. I don't know what would happen if illegal immigrants showed up at a hospital extremely sick without health insurance. I don't think they would be denied care, and in that case I just don't see how the mandate would work. Are you going to treat them, then fine them or put them in jail for not having insurance? Either way I think we would end up footing the bill in that scenario.
                Report Abuse
              • Author by MDin2012UIC (August 28, 2009 11:18 am ET)
                   
                Let's use a more apt example. Outside of the US TB is very prevalent (# affected per X amount of people if the term is unfamiliar to anyone). Any influx of immigration from any country, save possibly Canada, France, Germany, and England, is bound to introduce new TB cases in the US. Note, I refer to any immigration. TB is treatable, but left untreated is very deadly, leading to cavitation of the lung (literally large holes within the lung). It is not a pretty way to die, and it can be transmitted (admittedly not easily). If we aggressively treat new cases, regardless of residency status, we would be protecting our own health simultaneously. I don't see the problem there.
                Report Abuse
            • Author by my4cents (August 27, 2009 9:57 pm ET)
                1
              Don't we attend to EVERYONE in emergency room already?
              Report Abuse
              • Author by eweston8542983 (August 27, 2009 10:20 pm ET)
                1 1
                Well when will they go to the emergency room? When they first become sick and mitgation and the spread of infection is small and easier to deal with, or when their close to death or major physiological damage. and the spread of infection is larger? What is an undocumented person likely to do today in an era of fear and hatred towards his or her population?
                Which is cheaper? financially, medicaly, and disrupts the population less?
                Report Abuse
                • Author by my4cents (August 27, 2009 10:23 pm ET)
                    1
                  I agree with you, 99%.
                  However, my question was to right ON.
                  Report Abuse
                • Author by MDin2012UIC (August 28, 2009 11:19 am ET)
                     
                  Correct, an emergency room is required to stabilize any seriously ill or injured patient.
                  Report Abuse
            • Author by my4cents (August 27, 2009 10:36 pm ET)
                1
              If there is an illegal immigrant next door to you with bubonic plague (or some other communicable disease), do you want him treated or not?
              Keep in mind, if he is not treated, you may get it too.
              Yes or No?
              Report Abuse
              • Author by southerngal (August 28, 2009 12:48 pm ET)
                  2
                When was the last case of bubonic plaque in this country? Answer that and you will see the complete idiocy of your question.
                Report Abuse
                • Author by foghornleghorn (August 28, 2009 5:24 pm ET)
                     
                  I guess you skipped over the statement in paretheses. Selective reading again, Tommy?
                  Report Abuse
                • Author by my4cents (August 28, 2009 11:09 pm ET)
                     
                  My question was 'complete idiocy'?
                  Yes or No?
                  Report Abuse
        • Author by MDin2012UIC (August 28, 2009 11:12 am ET)
             
          Actually sir or madam, if you look at statistics, Immigrants tend to under-utilize the health care system. The thought is that they do not want to get caught, so they wait until they can't wait anymore. How do you think those bills are paid when they can't be collected? The hospitals turn around and charge the insurance industry and that is borne by the rest of us with higher premiums. We're already paying for their health care, its just much more expensive.
          Report Abuse
    • Author by archae (August 27, 2009 3:11 pm ET)
      5 1
      Hannity is totally incapable of sayig the truth.

      He even lied about his good buddy Hal Turner.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by mmcgowan1 (August 27, 2009 5:50 pm ET)
      1 1
      CNN is claiming something similar. One of today's CNN top US stories is "Health Care Bill has Illegal Immigrants Covered":

      http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/08/27/health.care.immigrants/index.html

      The essence of the article is that although the legislation excludes illegal immigrants, there is no provision for verifying that someone is a citizen and therefore illegal immigrants will be covered through fraud. "Critics say the system is open to abuse," according to the authors.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by rebopine (August 27, 2009 7:00 pm ET)
      1 1
      Okay, I understand it's a cable channel, but don't they have some responsibility to tell the truth if they are going to pass it off as news?

      Can I really start my own cable network and say whatever I want and call it news?

      They deceive people on a daily basis, and they can continue doing it as long as there are people out there who believe it.
      Report Abuse
      • Author by Don Hussein Fabuloso (August 27, 2009 8:14 pm ET)
        1 1
        This is the angle that a few wingnuts have already tried here, that even though the bill clearly says who will be covered, there are possible "loopholes", or opportunities for breaking the law.

        Which is true of every law ever passed in history, of course, but don't tell them that. They're already lining up the rest of the Star Spangled Christians to kneecap Mexicans at the hospital entrance.
        Report Abuse
    • Author by panola60 (August 28, 2009 8:31 am ET)
         
      Illegal aliens can be covered because democrats refuse to ask for "citizenship" when applying for health care.

      Democrats recently defeated the Heller amendment in the House Bill that would have enforced a citizenship requirement for health care benefits.

      Saying that illegal immigrants cannot benefit while at the same time blocking verification is akin to passing a law that sets the legal drinking age at 21 years and then preventing bars from checking a patron's identification.

      The reason we have 12 - 20 million illegal aliens here is because they refused to enforce our immigration laws and now they are attempting to make it even worse.

      Also, Obama keeps repeating over and over again the need to provide insurance to the 46 million uninsured even though he also admits that the 46 million number includes illegal aliens. One of the two is a lie, which is it Mr. President.

      Just more Obama lies, trickery and deceit.

      The Heller amendment:
      http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS145827+22-Jul-2009+PRN20090722
      Report Abuse
      • Author by my4cents (August 28, 2009 11:17 pm ET)
           
        "The reason we have 12 - 20 million illegal aliens here is because they refused to enforce our immigration laws and now they are attempting to make it even worse."
        Who is they?
        Obama (D) has been President for six months. How many illegals came between 2000-2oo8?
        Report Abuse

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