Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition
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Call Senators Baucus and Snowe Today!

8/ 6/2009 1:55 pm - Members of the Senate Finance Committee are negotiating their committee's version of the health care bill right now and they may be considering two options that would negatively impact immigrant access to health coverage: (1) A mandatory five-year waiting period on subsidies in the exchange for lawfully present immigrants (2) Perhaps a sponsor requirement to purchase health care coverage for immigrants (at full-cost, without access to subsidies) or pay a tax penalty as well as potential other sponsor related barriers. We need to weigh in with Sen. Baucus and Sen. Snowe of the committee to OPPOSE these barriers(contact info below): Click link above for messaging and contact information.

Messages:


1) We OPPOSE any waiting periods or sponsor requirements for health care.  The majority of the American public also opposes waiting periods for immigrants.

2) These barriers to care will only risk people's lives and it will NOT stop the anti-immigrant attacks.

3) Americans including immigrants need access to affordable health care NOW - you need to focus on eliminating not adding barriers to affordable health care.

Other suggested TP's:
1) Sponsors, who are citizens, right now cannot afford health care for their own family.  Adding any sponsor related barriers will leave sponsors unfairly facing tax penalties during this difficult economic downturn.

2) These barriers will leave legal immigrants, who work and pay taxes, uninsured since they won't' have access to affordable coverage.  The cost of care for these immigrants will not disappear - it will simply be shifted to the state and localities and they will not appreciate the cost shift.

3) If employers and everyone was required to pay their fair share without barriers, immigrants could also pay their fair share for affordable coverage, just like everyone else.


Senator Baucus:
(202) 224-2651
Email: http://baucus.senate.gov/contact/emailForm.cfm?subj=issue

Senator Snowe
DC office: (202) 224-5344 or toll free #:  (800) 432-1599
Email: http://snowe.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=ContactSenatorSnowe.Email

Senate Finance Committee:
202-224-4515

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