Quick Fact: Limbaugh falsely claims undocumented immigrants “are covered” under House health care bill

Written by Solange Uwimana

Published

On his November 19 radio show, Rush Limbaugh falsely claimed that undocumented immigrants “are covered” under the recently passed House health care bill. In fact, the Affordable Health Care for America Act (H.R. 3962) stipulates that those “not lawfully present” may not receive subsidies to purchase insurance.

From the November 19 broadcast of Premiere Radio Networks' The Rush Limbaugh Show:

LIMBAUGH: Now, folks, here's a key number for you -- let's use Reid's number: 848 billion. It says that that will insure 31 million people who are uninsured. But now, remember, the number used to be 47. Who are they? Well, that's the illegal immigrants, who are covered on the House side.

Fact: Those “not lawfully present” may not receive subsidies to purchase insurance

Under the Individual Affordability Credits section of the Affordable Health Care for America Act (H.R. 3962):

SEC. 342. 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) and section 346, 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. 347. 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.