What We're Reading: Immigrant Status Health Ramifications; House Opioid Bill; Mich. Work Requirements

Deportation Fears Cause US Children to Lose Health Benefits

Twenty five percent of Texas children—who are citizens—have at least 1 US parent who is not, and the fear of being discovered by immigration officials is causing families to drop out of Medicaid and other assistance programs, like food stamps, for which they are eligible, Kaiser Health News reported. Health advocates are worried about the effect on children’s health as parents make difficult choices out of fear of being deported or separated from their children.

House Passes Opioid Bill

The House of Representatives passed bipartisan opioid legislation, 396-14, aimed at developing alternative pain treatments and stopping illicit drugs from coming into the United States, Politico reported. The package includes allowing nurse practitioners and physician assistants to have permanent authority to prescribe buprenorphine, a form of medication-assisted treatment. The White House endorsed the bill, which now goes to the Senate.

Michigan Governor Approves Medicaid Work Requirements

Michigan Governor Rick Snyder signed a bill imposing work requirements on those receiving Medicaid, according to The Hill. Assuming it is approved by the Trump administration, the state would become the fifth to add work mandates to Medicaid. The bill the Republican governor signed did not include a controversial proposal that would have exempted people in counties with high unemployment rates from the work requirements. Critics argued the effect would have been to exclude many white people in rural areas from the work requirements while imposing them on minorities in urban areas.