Gov. Deval Patrick has announced that state health care coverage for 31,000 legal immigrants in Massachusetts will continue despite a sharp funding cut in the new budget.
But Health and Human Service Secretary JudyAnn Bigby said Monday that new coverage won't include hospice or dental care under a new plan that will cost the state $40 million --the amount recently approved by lawmakers. That's about a third of what was needed to continue coverage for legal immigrants under the current plan that ends Monday.
In June, the state budget approved by lawmakers ended health care funding for legal immigrants enrolled in the subsidized care plan that is the core of the law, a cut that saves the state an estimated $130 million.
The new coverage will begin Oct. 1.
(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
