WICS Live: Around the States

Massachusetts: Governor Announces State to Provide Health Coverage for Legal Immigrants: Governor Duval Patrick (D) announced August 31st that the state will continue to provide health care coverage for the state’s estimated 31,000 legal immigrants through a new state-funded program that will provide slightly scaled-back coverage. . Earlier in the year, state lawmakers voted to end coverage as part of an effort to address the state’s budget shortfall. Legal immigrants have had access to health insurance since 2006 under Commonwealth Care, the state’s mandatory health insurance law. The program's implementation will be staggered over a three-month period. Patrick's office said it is expected that a significant number of members will be enrolled in October and all members of the new plan will be enrolled by December 1st.