Study: Citizenship check is costly -"Given the findings we have, it isn't worth it,"

[The Straight Story]

Study: Citizenship check is costly

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 22 (UPI) -- A federal requirement to verify citizenship of applicants to Medi-Cal has placed a burden on California counties while detecting no fraud, a study found.

The study by the California Endowment and the California Healthcare Foundation determined the requirement makes it more difficult for the homeless, mentally ill, people born outside California and children over age 16 to gain access to public healthcare, the Los Angeles Times reported Thursday. Those groups have more trouble than others locating birth certificates, passports, driver's licenses and other documents needed to prove U.S. citizenship and identity.

Robert Phillips, the California Endowment's director of health and human services, told the Times the requirements are complicating a process California has been trying to make simpler.

"Given the findings we have, it isn't worth it," he said.

In Los Angeles County, less than 1 percent of the 331,020 new applicants for Medi-Cal were unable to prove citizenship, and were enrolled for restricted benefits, the report found. However, officials said many applicants were subsequently able to verify their eligibility and were given full coverage.

http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2009/10/22/Study-Citizenship-check-is-costly/UPI-66111256192236/

[sinkingfeeling]

1. But the GOP is willing to spend hundreds of millions to 'catch' that 1% and demands it

be a part of federal health care reform.