Protect Medicaid Act

The Protect Medicaid Act would prevent the federal government from paying states for administrative expenses related to providing health benefits through Medicaid to noncitizens who do not qualify for Medicaid based on their immigration status. Currently, some states use their own funds to offer health coverage to ineligible immigrants, and the federal government reimburses a portion of the administrative costs associated with these programs. This bill would eliminate that federal reimbursement for administrative expenses.

If enacted, the bill would require the Department of Health and Human Services to report on which states provide health benefits to immigration-ineligible individuals and related details about these programs. The practical effect would be to increase costs for states that choose to continue offering health benefits to noncitizens, as they would no longer receive federal support for the administrative overhead of running these programs. The bill is currently in the House and has not yet been voted on by the full chamber.