12 Million Americans Removed From Medicaid — And Most Were Not Immigrants

UNITED STATES — A viral image is stirring debate over the consequences of Medicaid disenrollments that have surged since pandemic-era protections ended. The post reads:

“Those 12,000,000 people getting kicked off Medicaid don’t include a SINGLE IMMIGRANT, because NO immigrants were on Medicaid. Y’all just shafted your own friends and families.”

Though exaggerated in its phrasing, the post reflects a real trend: the vast majority of the 12 million people who have recently lost Medicaid coverage in the U.S. were citizens or legal residents — not undocumented immigrants.

Why Are Millions Losing Coverage?

The root of this crisis lies in the expiration of COVID-era continuous Medicaid enrollment rules, which had protected recipients from being removed from the rolls during the public health emergency.

Once the rule ended in early 2023, states resumed eligibility checks. As a result, over 12 million people have been dropped from Medicaid, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation.

The main reasons include:

• Administrative errors (e.g., missed paperwork or outdated addresses)
• Income changes post-pandemic
• State-level policy decisions to aggressively purge rolls

Who Was Affected — And Who Wasn’t?

While some online posts suggest no immigrants were on Medicaid, the reality is more nuanced:

• Undocumented immigrants are largely barred from full Medicaid access, except in emergency cases.
• Lawfully present immigrants (like green card holders or refugees) can qualify — but many are subject to a 5-year waiting period.
• The overwhelming majority of those removed from Medicaid were U.S.-born citizens, including children, low-income adults, seniors, and people with disabilities.

A KFF report confirms that most disenrollments occurred in Southern and Midwestern states where conservative legislatures accelerated redeterminations without ensuring people were notified or offered alternatives.

The Political Narrative vs. the Reality

The meme’s central point — that these cuts harmed “your own friends and families” — speaks to a long-standing tension in U.S. politics: some voters support policies that, in effect, harm their own communities under the assumption that such policies primarily target “others.”

But with immigrants largely excluded from full Medicaid, the disenrollments have mostly affected American citizens, especially:

• Rural families in states like Texas, Georgia, and Arkansas
• Children and low-income parents in non-expansion states
• People transitioning off temporary pandemic aid programs

Long-Term Implications

Experts warn that Medicaid disenrollments may trigger:

• Increases in uncompensated hospital care
• Higher out-of-pocket medical debt
• More pressure on community health clinics and emergency rooms

“The narrative that social programs mainly benefit immigrants is simply false,” said a public health policy analyst. “The people losing access right now are mostly born and raised in the U.S.”

Do you believe Medicaid policies are being shaped more by politics than by public health needs? Tell us what you think in the comments at SaludaStandard-Sentinel.com.