Medicaid can share data with ICE. Here's how that 180-degree change spreads fear

"For decades Medicaid promised eligible immigrants they wouldn't share information with immigration authorities. It was even explicitly written on government websites. Those commitments are no longer on the Medicaid website. The promise was meant to assure eligible immigrants "to feel comfortable that they can access their care without fear of putting their immigration status into jeopardy.""

"Mann calls the change, which the Trump administration began quietly last year, a "180-degree reversal of longstanding policy." The shift has sent ripples of fear through families and communities, affecting people who depend on Medicaid for critical medical care, including those with legal immigration status who now worry about potential detention or deportation."

"All this care would cost tens of thousands of dollars without Medicaid—the joint state and federal health insurance program for more than 70 million people with low-incomes or disabilities. P. says she and her husband are allowed to work in the U.S. legally, yet they experience anxiety about accessing the healthcare their medically fragile daughter requires."

For decades, Medicaid assured eligible immigrants that their personal information would not be shared with immigration enforcement authorities. This promise was explicitly stated on government websites to encourage immigrants to access healthcare without fear. However, a December court ruling changed this policy, and the Trump administration began quietly reversing the longstanding commitment. The shift has created significant anxiety among immigrant families, including those with legal status, who depend on Medicaid for essential medical care. Families now fear that accessing health insurance could jeopardize their immigration status or lead to detention or deportation. This policy reversal represents a fundamental change in how Medicaid protects vulnerable populations.

Read at www.npr.org