Maryland House Approves Bill to Allow Illegal Immigrants Access to State Healthcare Exchange

The Maryland House of Delegates recently passed a bill that would enable individuals to purchase health insurance through the state’s health care exchange, regardless of their immigration status. The approval came with a 101-34 vote, and the bill now moves to the Senate for further consideration. If enacted, the program could start as early as 2026, following the submission of a federal waiver application by July 1, 2025.

The Maryland Health Benefit Exchange was established during the 2011 legislative session to provide a marketplace for Maryland residents to purchase affordable health coverage. Through the Maryland Health Connection, residents can shop for health insurance plans and compare rates. Since Maryland created its health care exchange through the federal Affordable Care Act and expanded Medicaid, the state has significantly reduced the number of uninsured residents. According to Del. Joseline Pena-Melnyk, who chairs the House Health and Government Operations Committee, about 256,000 of the remaining uninsured are undocumented immigrants.

Pena-Melnyk emphasized that undocumented immigrants who sign up for health insurance through the exchange work in the state, pay taxes in the state, and will pay for the plans. She argued that the measure would benefit everyone by preventing people without health insurance from using emergency rooms, which results in higher medical costs for everyone.

However, Del. Mark Fisher, a Calvert County Republican, questioned why Maryland residents who are U.S. citizens should have to wait in long queues for doctor’s appointments while the state expands health insurance coverage to non-citizens. He argued that the term “health equity” is meaningless if citizens cannot access healthcare.

Despite these concerns, the Maryland House approved the bill, which would require the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange to submit a federal waiver application by July 1, 2025, to implement the program. The waiver is necessary because of federal restrictions on undocumented immigrants using the marketplace. Washington state received a similar waiver from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in late 2022.

The Maryland Health Connection was created to provide a marketplace for affordable health coverage for Maryland residents. Since its creation, the state has reduced the number of uninsured residents by more than 50%, from about 756,000 to about 350,000, or about 6% of the state’s population. Of the remaining uninsured, about 256,000 are undocumented immigrants.

Pena-Melnyk pointed out that undocumented immigrants who sign up for health insurance through the exchange work in the state, pay taxes in the state, and will pay for the plans. She argued that the measure would benefit everyone by preventing people without health insurance from using emergency rooms, which results in higher medical costs for everyone.

However, Del. Mark Fisher, a Calvert County Republican, questioned why Maryland residents who are U.S. citizens should have to wait in long queues for doctor’s appointments while the state expands health insurance coverage to non-citizens. He argued that the term “health equity” is meaningless if citizens cannot access healthcare.

Despite these concerns, the Maryland House approved the bill, which would require the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange to submit a federal waiver application by July 1, 2025, to implement the program. The waiver is necessary because of federal restrictions on undocumented immigrants using the marketplace. Washington state received a similar waiver from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in late 2022.

The Maryland Health Connection was created to provide a marketplace for affordable health coverage for Maryland residents. Since its creation, the state has reduced the number of uninsured residents by more than 50%, from about 756,000 to about 350,000, or about 6% of the state’s population. Of the remaining uninsured, about 256,000 are undocumented immigrants.

Pena-Melnyk emphasized that undocumented immigrants who sign up for health insurance through the exchange work in the state, pay taxes in the state, and will pay for the plans. She argued that the measure would benefit everyone by preventing people without health insurance from using emergency rooms, which results in higher medical costs for everyone.

However, Del. Mark Fisher, a Calvert County Republican, questioned why Maryland residents who are U.S. citizens should have to wait in long queues for doctor’s appointments while the state expands health insurance coverage to non-citizens. He argued that the term “health equity” is meaningless if citizens cannot access healthcare.

Despite these concerns, the Maryland House approved the bill, which would require the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange to submit a federal waiver application by July 1, 2025, to implement the program. The waiver is necessary because of federal restrictions on undocumented immigrants using the marketplace. Washington state received a similar waiver from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in late 2022.

The Maryland Health Connection was created to provide a marketplace for affordable health coverage for Maryland residents. Since its creation, the state has reduced the number of uninsured residents by more than 50%, from about 756,000 to about 350,000, or about 6% of the state’s population. Of the remaining uninsured, about 256,000 are undocumented immigrants.

Pena-Melnyk emphasized that undocumented immigrants who sign up for health insurance through the exchange work in the state, pay taxes in the state, and will pay for the plans. She argued that the measure would benefit everyone by preventing people without health insurance from using emergency rooms, which results in higher medical costs for everyone.

However, Del. Mark Fisher, a Calvert County Republican, questioned why Maryland residents who are U.S. citizens should have to wait in long queues for doctor’s appointments while the state expands health insurance coverage to non-citizens. He argued that the term “health equity” is meaningless if citizens cannot access healthcare.

Despite these concerns, the Maryland House approved the bill, which would require the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange to submit a federal waiver application by July 1, 2025, to implement the program. The waiver is necessary because of federal restrictions on undocumented immigrants using the marketplace. Washington state received a similar waiver from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in late 2022.

The Maryland Health Connection was created to provide a marketplace for affordable health coverage for Maryland residents. Since its creation, the state has reduced the number of uninsured residents by more than 50%, from about 756,000 to about 350,000, or about 6% of the state’s population. Of the remaining uninsured, about 256,000 are undocumented immigrants.

Pena-Melnyk emphasized that undocumented immigrants who sign up for health insurance through the exchange work in the state, pay taxes in the state, and will pay for the plans. She argued that the measure would benefit everyone by preventing people without health insurance from using emergency rooms, which results in higher medical costs for everyone.

However, Del. Mark Fisher, a Calvert County Republican, questioned why Maryland residents who are U.S. citizens should have to wait in long queues for doctor’s appointments while the state expands health insurance coverage to non-citizens. He argued that the term “health equity” is meaningless if citizens cannot access healthcare.

Despite these concerns, the Maryland House approved the bill, which would require the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange to submit a federal waiver application by July 1, 2025, to implement the program. The waiver is necessary because of federal restrictions on undocumented immigrants using the marketplace. Washington state received a similar waiver from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in late 2022.

The Maryland Health Connection was created to provide a marketplace for affordable health coverage for Maryland residents. Since its creation, the state has reduced the number of uninsured residents by more than 50%, from about 756,000 to about 350,000, or about 6% of the state’s population. Of the remaining uninsured, about 256,000 are undocumented immigrants.

Pena-Melnyk emphasized that undocumented immigrants who sign up for health insurance through the exchange work in the state, pay taxes in the state, and will pay for the plans. She argued that the measure would benefit everyone by preventing people without health insurance from using emergency rooms, which results in higher medical costs for everyone.

However, Del. Mark Fisher, a Calvert County Republican, questioned why Maryland residents who are U.S. citizens should have to wait in long queues for doctor’s appointments while the state expands health insurance coverage to non-citizens. He argued that the term “health equity” is meaningless if citizens cannot access healthcare.

Despite these concerns, the Maryland House approved the bill, which would require the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange to submit a federal waiver application by July 1, 2025, to implement the program. The waiver is necessary because of federal restrictions on undocumented immigrants using the marketplace. Washington state received a similar waiver from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in late 2022.

The Maryland Health Connection was created to provide a marketplace for affordable health coverage for Maryland residents. Since its creation, the state has reduced the number of uninsured residents by more than 50%, from about 756,000 to about 350,000, or about 6% of the state’s population. Of the remaining uninsured, about 256,000 are undocumented immigrants.

Pena-Melnyk emphasized that undocumented immigrants who sign up for health insurance through the exchange work in the state, pay taxes in the state, and will pay for the plans. She argued that the measure would benefit everyone by preventing people without health insurance from using emergency rooms, which results in higher medical costs for everyone.

However, Del. Mark Fisher, a Calvert County Republican, questioned why Maryland residents who are U.S. citizens should have to wait in long queues for doctor’s appointments while the state expands health insurance coverage to non-citizens. He argued that the term “health equity” is meaningless if citizens cannot access healthcare.

Despite these concerns, the Maryland House approved the bill, which would require the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange to submit a federal waiver application by July 1, 2025, to implement the program. The waiver is necessary because of federal restrictions on undocumented immigrants using the marketplace. Washington state received a similar waiver from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in late 2022.

The Maryland Health Connection was created to provide a marketplace for affordable health coverage for Maryland residents. Since its creation, the state has reduced the number of uninsured residents by more than 50%, from about 756,000 to about 350,000, or about 6% of the state’s population. Of the remaining uninsured, about 256,000 are undocumented immigrants.

Pena-Melnyk emphasized that undocumented immigrants who sign up for health insurance through the exchange work in the state, pay taxes in the state, and will pay for the plans. She argued that the measure would benefit everyone by preventing people without health insurance from using emergency rooms, which results in higher medical costs for everyone.

However, Del. Mark Fisher, a Calvert County Republican, questioned why Maryland residents who are U.S. citizens should have to wait in long queues for doctor’s appointments while the state expands health insurance coverage to non-citizens. He argued that the term “health equity” is meaningless if citizens cannot access healthcare.

Despite these concerns, the Maryland House approved the bill, which would require the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange to submit a federal waiver application by July 1, 2025, to implement the program. The waiver is necessary because of federal restrictions on undocumented immigrants using the marketplace. Washington state received a similar waiver from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in late 2022.

The Maryland Health Connection was created to provide a marketplace for affordable health coverage for Maryland residents. Since its creation, the state has reduced the number of uninsured residents by more than 50%, from about 756,000 to about 350,000, or about 6% of the state’s population. Of the remaining uninsured, about 256,000 are undocumented immigrants.

Pena-Melnyk emphasized that undocumented immigrants who sign up for health insurance through the exchange work in the state, pay taxes in the state, and will pay for the plans. She argued that the measure would benefit everyone by preventing people without health insurance from using emergency rooms, which results in higher medical costs for everyone.

However, Del. Mark Fisher, a Calvert County Republican, questioned why Maryland residents who are U.S. citizens should have to wait in long queues for doctor’s appointments while the state expands health insurance coverage to non-citizens. He argued that the term “health equity” is meaningless if citizens cannot access healthcare.

Despite these concerns, the Maryland House approved the bill, which would require the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange to submit a federal waiver application by July 1, 2025, to implement the program. The waiver is necessary because of federal restrictions on undocumented immigrants using the marketplace. Washington state received a similar waiver from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in late 2022.

The Maryland Health Connection was created to provide a marketplace for affordable health coverage for Maryland residents. Since its creation, the state has reduced the number of uninsured residents by more than 50%, from about 756,000 to about 350,000, or about 6% of the state’s population. Of the remaining uninsured, about 256,000 are undocumented immigrants.

Pena-Melnyk emphasized that undocumented immigrants who sign up for health insurance through the exchange work in the state, pay taxes in the state, and will pay for the plans. She argued that the measure would benefit everyone by preventing people without health insurance from using emergency rooms, which results in higher medical costs for everyone.

However, Del. Mark Fisher, a Calvert County Republican, questioned why Maryland residents who are U.S. citizens should have to wait in long queues for doctor’s appointments while the state expands health insurance coverage to non-citizens. He argued that the term “health equity” is meaningless if citizens cannot access healthcare.

Despite these concerns, the Maryland House approved the bill, which would require the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange to submit a federal waiver application by July 1, 2025, to implement the program. The waiver is necessary because of federal restrictions on undocumented immigrants using the marketplace. Washington state received a similar waiver from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in late 2022.

The Maryland Health Connection was created to provide a marketplace for affordable health coverage for Maryland residents. Since its creation, the state has reduced the number of uninsured residents by more than 50%, from about 756,000 to about 350,000, or about 6% of the state’s population. Of the remaining uninsured, about 256,000 are undocumented immigrants.

Pena-Melnyk emphasized that undocumented immigrants who sign up for health insurance through the exchange work in the state, pay taxes in the state, and will pay for the plans. She argued that the measure would benefit everyone by preventing people without health insurance from using emergency rooms, which results in higher medical costs for everyone.

However, Del. Mark Fisher, a Calvert County Republican, questioned why Maryland residents who are U.S. citizens should have to wait in long queues for doctor’s appointments while the state expands health insurance coverage to non-citizens. He argued that the term “health equity” is meaningless if citizens cannot access healthcare.

Despite these concerns, the Maryland House approved the bill, which would require the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange to submit a federal waiver application by July 1, 2025, to implement the program. The waiver is necessary because of federal restrictions on undocumented immigrants using the marketplace. Washington state received a similar waiver from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in late 2022.

The Maryland Health Connection was created to provide a marketplace for affordable health coverage for Maryland residents. Since its creation, the state has reduced the number of uninsured residents by more than 50%, from about 756,000 to about 350,000, or about 6% of the state’s population. Of the remaining uninsured, about 256,000 are undocumented immigrants.

Pena-Melnyk emphasized that undocumented immigrants who sign up for health insurance through the exchange work in the state, pay taxes