(Washington, DC, June 29, 2006) — Requiring the use of a passport or birth certificate for enrollment in the Medicaid program will become a huge barrier to access to health care in this country, said Delegate to Congress Donna M. Christensen as she joined Senator Daniel Akaka, Congressman Neil Abercrombie and other health advocacy groups at a Thursday morning press conference.

The provision, which became law as part of the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005, will go into effect on July 1 and will become “an unnecessary and egregious barrier to health care to otherwise eligible people and those who need it most,” Christensen said. “Thousands will lose coverage because of premiums and higher co-payments for services and prescription drugs. Unless we can delay it, more than 51 million Americans currently on Medicaid and newly applying for Medicaid will have to prove their citizenship by presenting a passport or birth certificate.” Christensen said that no convincing evidence has been found that immigrants falsify records to enroll in Medicaid. She said that this requirement is nothing more than “a blatant attempt to hide another facet of the contentious anti-immigrant movement under the guise of health care cost savings.”

Christensen said that as Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus Health Braintrust, that she is concerned that the provision will also hinder minorities who do not have easy access to passports or birth certificates.  “It is a well known fact that many elderly African Americans, especially those born in the South and in rural communities, were barred from hospitals due to discrimination and do not have birth certificates. In February, Christensen and Akaka introduced companion bills in the House and the Senate to address this issue. “We have also written to Secretary Leavitt and the chairs and ranking members of the relevant committees asking for the repeal of this provision. Christensen said that when it comes to health care, “we can and must do better. The health and well being of millions of hardworking Americans are at stake!”