Excluded: Illegal Immigrants and Health Care With the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, most Americans are concerned about their private insurance or benefits with Medicaid or CHIP. However, there is another population that has been almost completely left out of the new bill: undocumented immigrants. There is an ongoing debate over whether illegal immigrants should be entitled to the public health care benefits presented in the ACA. The two points of view are clear: provide health insurance to illegal immigrants and allow them to benefit from a public health system or not. However, the matter is not that simple. There is a large group of people whose lives will be forever affected by the decision made on the matter. Before we can delve deeper into the aspects of the issue, we need to see how the situation currently is. Under the Affordable Care Act, only documented and legalized immigrants, such as asylum seekers or refugees, are eligible for Medicaid and CHIP. Undocumented immigrants are not eligible for Medicaid, CHIP, or purchasing coverage through the Marketplace. They can purchase their own coverage without the Marketplace. However, this is typically more expensive and their job may not include it in their benefits (“Immigrants and the Affordable Care Act,” 2013). One of the main complaints many have against public health insurance for illegal immigrants is emergency Medicaid. Under the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act of 1986, hospitals must provide emergency and life-saving services to those who seek them, regardless of citizenship status or money. If the patient does not have insurance or the money to pay for medical care and meets all the requirements of Medicaid except citizenship, the government will pay for his or her health care ("Em...... middle of paper ..... .ALA is in place, and taxpayers pay for that health care. The cost of health care will decrease if illegal immigrants are given access to public health care benefits because they will likely seek care sooner to give undocumented immigrants the benefits. Public health benefits. In conclusion, the argument for insurance for illegal immigrants is valid. Taxpayers are already paying for EMTALA, so allowing immigrants to have access to CHIP or Medicaid will have less of an effect on taxpayers without immigrants. of documents are a strong presence in American society and the workforce. Their lack of insurance puts a strain on emergency clinics and safety-net clinics. Looking beyond the research and the numbers, there is a group of people who have changed their lives to be apart of this country and need healthcare.