WE won't pretend to be surprised that state Rep. Randy Terrill is crying wolf in saying that a plan to provide prenatal care to pregnant illegal immigrants will amount to Medicaid fraud. Terrill, R-Moore is passionate about prohibiting illegal immigrants from getting even a penny of taxpayer money. But this latest attempt is over the top.
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Mike Fogarty, chief executive officer of the Oklahoma Health Care Authority, said Terrill is wrong. The agency "has specific federal approval and encouragement to reimburse health care providers for prenatal care services to unborn children regardless of their mother's documentation status,” Fogarty said last week. Federal rules allow child health assistance beginning at conception, which means prenatal care is covered, he said.
Terrill and Rep. John Wright, R-Broken Arrow, have filed a resolution to try to stop the health care authority from using Medicaid money to pay for the prenatal care. While Terrill said he worries about a "dangerous legal precedent” confusing "personhood” and "citizenship,” we think the better focus is on helping babies come into this world as healthy as possible. That's far more important than his word game.
Aside from the reality that caring for pregnant women regardless of their citizenship status is the right and moral thing to do, it also makes financial sense. The authority must pay for emergency labor and delivery services for undocumented women and complications are more likely — not to mention more costly — for babies who aren't beneficiaries of prenatal care. Prenatal care is simply an investment in healthier outcomes for newborns.
If this resolution gets to a vote, lawmakers should turn it down. It's one thing to punish adults for their illegal actions. It's wholly unacceptable to knowingly put newborns in jeopardy.
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i see the terrorist supporters are out in force. you cannot be anything less if you support one iota of anything for the criminals who slither across our borders for one thing only and that is our money.
at least a common thief has a purpose, oh i'm sorry it is the same as the criminals who slither in unwanted, to steal from us. the only answer you morons is deport as soon as you get the criminals in sight.
The Daily Oklahoman described as "left". Wow, you must be some Grand Dragon or something to think that way. Every woman, wherever she may be at the time, deserves prenatal care. Stop the insipid comments that only propagate stupidity and hatred in Oklahoma.
the oklahoman is, as usual, completely off in left wing land. the only thing legaly required of us is to deport the criminals as soon as they pop un the radar and be done with it.this is not an immegration issue as the oklahoman and their staff writers (walker is the worst)but a rule of law issue. the next thing being supported by the demoliars will be allowing the felons on the street without paying for their wrongs. there is absolutely no difference between that and the criminals who slither accross our borders.
let the doctors and the leftwing rag pay the costs, not the taxpayers
TWO TYPES OF PEOPLE LEFT: COMMON FOLK & LAWMAKER
COMMON FOLK: PAY $4 GALLON OF GAS
LAWMAKER: CONTINUES TO LET COMMON FOLK PAY OUT W/ NO REGARD
COMMON FOLK: CALLS THE NURSE LINE BEFORE THE DREADED ER TRIP (ANOTHER BILL THAT WILL END UP W/ COLLECTORS
LAWMAKER: HAS THE LUXERY OF SHOWING AN INSURANCE CARD
COMMON FOLK: HAS MEDIA REPORTING ON RIGHTS OF OTHERS HERE IN AMERICA
LAWMAKER: HAS ABILITY TO MAKE MEDIA REPORT ON RIGHTS OF OTHERS WHILE IGNORING AMERICANS HERE 1ST
COMMON FOLK: SEE'S BUMPER STICKERS WITH KELSEE BRIGGS LATER NOTICING ANOTHER ARITICLE IN THE PAPER WITH ANOTHER CHILD DYING
LAWMAKER: SEE'S A BUMPER STICKER WITH KELSEE BRIGGS LATER NOTICING ANOTHER ARITICLE IN THE PAPER WHERE LEGISLATION COULD HAVE SAVED A CHILD
COMMON FOLK: RAN THIS COUNTRY
LEGISTLATION: RAN THIS COUNTRY INTO THE GROUND
Did the Oklahoman ask Fogarty to produce his proof the Feds approve? Doubt it and I doubt if you read the Fed opinion that he is totally out of the woods. Amazing how the Oklahoman will just take a noted liberal at his word but crucifies honest conservatives like Terrill.
Fogarty has a history of running his own agenda at OHCA which is to make OHCA the sole insurer in the state. If you want to know what is really going on at OHCA check on the salaries of management---a CFO with no prior accounting or management experience making $120,000 for example. What really makes that offensive is that there is not one performance measure in there list of hokey performance measures that actually measures whether they are making anyone healthier. All Fogarty cares about is getting as many people on the Medicaid roles as possible to push his one payer agenda (better known as mandatory health insurance liberal style).
Amazing how over 50% of our births are already paid for by Medicaid in this state. Part of that is because they encourage mothers not to marry so they don't have to count the father's income in eligibility. Fogarty and DHS conveniently look the other way on the law that requires them to collect on these deadbeat dads who let the state pay by hiding their income. Where is the Daily Oklahoman on that matter?
Is it any suprise that when Mexican illegal immigrants learned that we will pay for their anchor babies that pregnant woman joined the influx of illegals to this state (and other states too)?
Those of us who pay are bills and saved for our birthing costs are on Terrill's side in this matter.
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Thank you for joining our conversations on NewsOK.com. We encourage your discussions but ask that you stay within the bounds of our terms and conditions. Please help us by reporting comments that violate these guidelines. To review our rules of engagement, go to Commenting and posting policy.
Leave a comment. Log in below or sign up (it's free).Editor's note: It is not our intent to offer comments on crime or fatality stories.
at least a common thief has a purpose, oh i'm sorry it is the same as the criminals who slither in unwanted, to steal from us. the only answer you morons is deport as soon as you get the criminals in sight.
let the doctors and the leftwing rag pay the costs, not the taxpayers
COMMON FOLK: PAY $4 GALLON OF GAS
LAWMAKER: CONTINUES TO LET COMMON FOLK PAY OUT W/ NO REGARD
COMMON FOLK: CALLS THE NURSE LINE BEFORE THE DREADED ER TRIP (ANOTHER BILL THAT WILL END UP W/ COLLECTORS
LAWMAKER: HAS THE LUXERY OF SHOWING AN INSURANCE CARD
COMMON FOLK: HAS MEDIA REPORTING ON RIGHTS OF OTHERS HERE IN AMERICA
LAWMAKER: HAS ABILITY TO MAKE MEDIA REPORT ON RIGHTS OF OTHERS WHILE IGNORING AMERICANS HERE 1ST
COMMON FOLK: SEE'S BUMPER STICKERS WITH KELSEE BRIGGS LATER NOTICING ANOTHER ARITICLE IN THE PAPER WITH ANOTHER CHILD DYING
LAWMAKER: SEE'S A BUMPER STICKER WITH KELSEE BRIGGS LATER NOTICING ANOTHER ARITICLE IN THE PAPER WHERE LEGISLATION COULD HAVE SAVED A CHILD
COMMON FOLK: RAN THIS COUNTRY
LEGISTLATION: RAN THIS COUNTRY INTO THE GROUND
Amazing how over 50% of our births are already paid for by Medicaid in this state. Part of that is because they encourage mothers not to marry so they don't have to count the father's income in eligibility. Fogarty and DHS conveniently look the other way on the law that requires them to collect on these deadbeat dads who let the state pay by hiding their income. Where is the Daily Oklahoman on that matter?
Is it any suprise that when Mexican illegal immigrants learned that we will pay for their anchor babies that pregnant woman joined the influx of illegals to this state (and other states too)?
Those of us who pay are bills and saved for our birthing costs are on Terrill's side in this matter.