Undocumented Immigrants Not Covered By Governor’s Health Proposal

SANTA FE, N.M.(AP) – Governor Richardson’s proposal for universal health care won’t cover immigrants living in New Mexico illegally.

Undocumented immigrants and some recently arrived legal immigrants won’t be eligible for the publicly financed health programs. The plans would be for low- and middle-income households without medical insurance.

As governor, Richardson has advocated immigrant friendly policies. But his universal health care proposal makes no provision for using state money to offer publicly funded insurance coverage options to undocumented immigrants.

Richardson will ask the 2008 Legislature to approve his proposal. It would use a mix of taxpayer-financed programs, such as Medicaid, to offer health care at no cost or a subsidized price.

(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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Edited and posted to KVIA.com by Miguel Martinez