ST. PAUL – State Rep. Shane Mekeland, R-Clear Lake, said he strongly opposed providing free health care to illegal aliens from the start.
Now, he is raising even more concern after new data reveals enrollment in MinnesotaCare for illegal aliens has more than doubled initial estimates, sending program costs skyrocketing well beyond projections.
The expansion, passed by Democrats in 2023, was originally projected to cost $196 million over four years. With current enrollment, that cost has ballooned to an estimated $550 million and continues to grow. The Minnesota Department of Health indicates 17,396 undocumented individuals are now enrolled in the state-funded health insurance program, more than twice the original forecast of 7,700. Mekeland said the data was not made publicly available and only came to light after persistent inquiries by House Republicans.
“These numbers are staggering and deeply concerning on a number of levels,” Mekeland said. “For starters, Minnesota families are struggling with rising costs but, instead of focusing on core services, Minnesota is spending more than half a billion dollars on a program that was completely misrepresented to the public in terms of what it would cost hardworking taxpayers.”
Unlike traditional MinnesotaCare recipients, Mekeland said illegal aliens are not eligible for federal funding support. Typically, the federal government covers 90 percent of program costs, with the state responsible for the remaining 10 percent. Because this population is ineligible for federal matching funds, Minnesota taxpayers are covering the full cost of their coverage.
At the same time, Minnesota faces a projected $6 billion budget deficit. Mekeland warned that continued funding for healthcare expansion could jeopardize other critical services such as ambulance operations, rural hospitals, and emergency care.
“How we handle this will say a lot about our priorities,” Mekeland said. “We need to ensure our limited taxpayer dollars are being used to support services for Minnesotans who depend on them every day instead of being funneled to illegal aliens.”
Republicans have introduced legislation to repeal the MinnesotaCare expansion for illegal aliens, citing the need to control costs and protect essential services. A full repeal would save taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars over the next four years and reduce incentives for illegal immigration to the state, Mekeland said.
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