Thanks to your sustained efforts, we're closer than ever before to eliminating the 5 year waiting period for lawful immigrants. Senator Menendez's (D-NJ) amendment to remove the 5 year waiting period for lawfully residing
immigrants is expected to be debated on the floor of the Senate as soon as today.

Sample script:

When you reach an office, ask to leave a legislative comment.

• I'm calling from __(location)_ because CA urgently needs affordable health care reform that includes our immigrant communities.

• I want Senator Feinstein to support and co-sponsor the Menendez amendment to eliminate the 5 year waiting period for lawful immigrants to access federal programs like Medicare and Medicaid. This reform brings down costs, improves our community's health, and is the right thing to do.

• Eliminating waiting periods makes financial sense for California.  California currently provides full-scope Medi-Cal to lawful immigrants.  Restoring federal financial participation for this coverage would significantly decrease costs for California by allowing individuals to treat conditions before they become more complicated and costly emergencies.

Legislative Update:

On Monday, Senator Menendez (D-NJ) filed an amendment (SA 2991) to give states the option to eliminate the five-year waiting period for legal immigrants to obtain Medicaid. Under existing law, many low-income legal immigrants must wait five years to obtain Medicaid coverage.  It is expected that the Senate may vote on this amendment as soon as today.

This is a critical moment for Senator Feinstein to stand up for immigrant inclusion to ensure that health care reform helps everyone, including our newest Californians - one third of California's workforce!

The Senate recently ended this barrier for legal immigrant children and pregnant women in the recently-enacted Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009.  The Senate must finish the job it started and ensure low-income parents and grandparents of immigrant children have access to affordable health care through the Medicaid program. 

Now is the time to call on Senator Feinstein to stand up for real, affordable health reform that saves us money, results in healthier communities, and gets us closer to the goal of universal coverage.