Verne Strickland Blogmaster / August 17, 2011
- 08/17/11 03:19 PM ET
Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.) on Wednesday said his infamous cry of “You lie!” at President Obama has been vindicated.
Wilson said an Obama administration decision on healthcare centers proves the president wasn’t telling the truth during a 2009 address to a joint session of Congress.
In that address, the president pledged that the healthcare reform law would not cover illegal immigrants, prompting Wilson to shout, “You lie!”
Wilson said Wednesday that a recent award of $28.8 million to 67 community healthcare centers around the country would inevitably end up benefiting illegal immigrants, contrary to Obama’s pledge.
Of that $28.8 million, $8.5 million is earmarked to target migrant and seasonal farm workers — a group that Wilson claims is comprised of illegal immigrants.
"It is clearly providing money -- that should be going to American citizens -- to illegal immigrants," Wilson said on Fox News's "America Live." "It's even worse than I thought, they won't even ask for status."
The clinics will provide discounted health services to all residents of their target areas, and are aimed at providing services to those who cannot afford other primary care.
The Department of Health and Human Services said the healthcare centers are operating as they always have.
“The Program’s authorizing statute does not affirmatively address immigration status, rather, it simply states that health centers are required to provide primary health care to all residents of the health center’s service area without regard for ability to pay," Health Resources and Services Administration spokeswoman Judy Andrews told CNSNews.com. "Health centers do not, as a matter of routine practice, ask about or collect data on citizenship or other matters not related to the treatment needs of the patients seeking health services at the center.”
Nor will the more substantive aspects of the law — including the “affordability credits” designed to allow the purchase of healthcare plans by those who cannot afford them — be open to illegal immigrants, according to HHS.
Still, Wilson believes that healthcare dollars will inevitably help people who are in the country illegally.
“This is just more doublespeak from Washington," he asserted.
Wilson said an Obama administration decision on healthcare centers proves the president wasn’t telling the truth during a 2009 address to a joint session of Congress.
Wilson said Wednesday that a recent award of $28.8 million to 67 community healthcare centers around the country would inevitably end up benefiting illegal immigrants, contrary to Obama’s pledge.
Of that $28.8 million, $8.5 million is earmarked to target migrant and seasonal farm workers — a group that Wilson claims is comprised of illegal immigrants.
"It is clearly providing money -- that should be going to American citizens -- to illegal immigrants," Wilson said on Fox News's "America Live." "It's even worse than I thought, they won't even ask for status."
The clinics will provide discounted health services to all residents of their target areas, and are aimed at providing services to those who cannot afford other primary care.
The Department of Health and Human Services said the healthcare centers are operating as they always have.
“The Program’s authorizing statute does not affirmatively address immigration status, rather, it simply states that health centers are required to provide primary health care to all residents of the health center’s service area without regard for ability to pay," Health Resources and Services Administration spokeswoman Judy Andrews told CNSNews.com. "Health centers do not, as a matter of routine practice, ask about or collect data on citizenship or other matters not related to the treatment needs of the patients seeking health services at the center.”
Nor will the more substantive aspects of the law — including the “affordability credits” designed to allow the purchase of healthcare plans by those who cannot afford them — be open to illegal immigrants, according to HHS.
Still, Wilson believes that healthcare dollars will inevitably help people who are in the country illegally.
“This is just more doublespeak from Washington," he asserted.
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