Safety net hospitals expect to see more uninsured undocumented immigrants

CT hospitals are expecting a growing burden of uncompensated care for undocumented immigrants next year, according to C-HIT. Undocumented immigrants cannot benefit from expansions of coverage under the ACA. They are not eligible for Medicaid regardless of income level and cannot purchase coverage on the insurance exchange, even without a subsidy.  The ACA also decreases federal funding (DSH) for uncompensated care next year, under the assumption that the number of uninsured state residents will drop with coverage expansions. Last year, CT hospitals provided $233.6 million in total uncompensated care; Yale-New Haven highest at $31.8 million, Sharon Hospital lowest at $1.4 million. Hospitals hope to counter the myth that the ACA covers everyone.