Still Missing: Undocumented Immigrants in Health Care Reform

The health care reform signed by President Obama in March 2010 mirrors the Clinton reform proposal of 1993 in that both excluded undocumented immigrants from federal insurance coverage. In both cases substantive discussion of their possible inclusion was stifled by political timidity. This paper begins with a brief descriptive overview of undocumented immigrants in the U.S. and their health care and insurance coverage. It highlights the most common moral, economic, and public health arguments made for and against the inclusion of undocumented immigrants in the 2010 health care reform. The paper then asserts that undocumented immigrants are part of the U.S. health care community and urges health care workers to become more active participants in this policy arena.