I have to disagree with the writer on this one. There are at least 1.5 MILLION illegal aliens on Medicaid, and over 13 MILLION able-bodied on Medicaid that have overrun Medicaid. Half of working-age adults (age 19-64) on Medicaid worked 20 hours or fewer per week in 2024. Even among ablebodied adults on Medicaid without children, 44 percent worked less than 20 hours per week in 2024, with 88
percent of this group not working at all.
• Federal taxpayers spent $56.1 billion on Medicaid for childless, working-age, able-bodied adults
working 20 hours a week or less in 2024 alone, amounting to 11 percent of total federal Medicaid spending. In 10 years (by 2034) that amount being saved will amount to well over $500 BILLION.
• This spending was concentrated among a few states, with California and New York costing federal taxpayers $13.5 billion and $6.4 billion in 2024 alone, respectively, accounting for over one third of the total nationwide.
As for SNAP and foodstamps, between 1.5 MILLION and 2 MILLION illegal aliens unlawfully receive these benefits each year. On February 25, 2025, Secretary Rollins directed USDA-FNS to review the administration of SNAP benefits to make necessary changes to align with Executive Order 14128. As discussed in a recent Government Accountability Office (GAO) report, a staggering $10.5 billion in improper SNAP payments were made in FY 2023 alone—about 12% of total SNAP payments that year. The inadequate verification of an applicant’s identity and citizenship by states is specifically highlighted as contributing to the improper payments of SNAP funds.
It is estimated that there is over $105 BILLION in Medicare and Medicaid Fraud each year, with over $50 BILLION in Medicare Fraud and waste.
Illegal aliens cost the United States taxpayers over $200 BILLION DOLLARS per year in fraudulent use of welfare, free health care, free housing, free legal services, free food stamps, free cash, etc. And most Illegals don't pay taxes. Illegal immigrants do pay some taxes. It is estimated that illegal immigrants in 2019 paid roughly $5.9 billion in federal income tax, $16.2 billion in Social Security tax and $3.8 billion in Medicaid taxes. However, as the net fiscal drain of $68,000 per person cited above indicates, these taxes are not nearly enough to cover the cost of the services they receive.
• Illegal immigrants do add perhaps $321 billion to the nation’s GDP, but this is not a
measure of their tax contributions or the benefits they create for the U.S.-born. Almost all
the increase in economic activity goes to the illegal immigrants themselves in the form of
wages. Most of the money illegals make is sent back to their home countries via electronic money sending services like Western Union, Wells Fargo and others.
Illegal immigrants make extensive use of welfare. Based on government data, we
estimate that 59 percent of households headed by illegal immigrants use one or more
major welfare programs, compared to 39 percent of households headed by the U.S.-born.
• Based on their use rate of major welfare programs, we estimate that illegal immigrants
receive $42 billion in benefits, or about 4 percent of the total cost of the cash, Medicaid,
food and housing programs examined in our study. However, this is only a rough
approximation due to limitations in the data.
• Illegal immigrants can receive welfare on behalf of U.S.-born children. Also, illegal
immigrant children can receive school lunch/breakfast and WIC directly. A number of
states provide Medicaid to some illegal immigrants, and a few provide SNAP. Several
million illegal immigrants also have work authorization (e.g. DACA, TPS and some
asylum applicants), allowing receipt of the EITC.
• The high welfare use of illegal immigrant households is not explained by an
unwillingness to work. In fact, 94 percent of illegal immigrant households have at least
one worker, compared to only 73 percent of U.S.-born households. But the nation’s
welfare system is design to help low-wage workers with children, which describes a very
large share of illegal immigrant households.
• In addition to consuming welfare, illegal immigration makes significant use of public
education. Based on average costs per student, the estimated 4 million children of illegal
immigrants in public schools created $68.1 billion in costs in 2019. The vast majority of
these children are U.S.-born.
• Use of emergency medical services is another area in which illegal immigrants create
significant fiscal costs. Prior research indicates that there are 5.8 million uninsured illegal
immigrants in the country in 2019, accounting for a little over one-fifth of the total
population without health insurance. The costs of providing care to them likely totals
some $7 billion annually.
Under the bill, for the first time in the history of the Medicaid program, beneficiaries would need to prove they are working or in school at least 80 hours a month to keep their health insurance. The Senate version extends the requirement to low-income parents of children older than 14, in addition to childless adults without disabilities. The work requirements are projected to save about $325 billion over a decade. Wealthy "BLUE STATES", specifically California, New York, Illinois, Washington, Oregon, Maryland, Massachusetts, etc. are gaming the Medicaid system through a "bait and switch" tax scam. Most of the Medicaid fraud and waste is caused when States impose taxes on providers to boost their federal Medicaid contributions, which they then redirect to hospitals in the form of higher reimbursements. The recent influx of Illegal aliens, due to the China Joe Biden Administration's "Open Border" policies, even though they said it was the "most secure border" at the time, into the system have caused this problem to increase significantly.
In addition, clean energy rollbacks are unsubstantial. Green energy accounts for less than 20% of the energy network. Climate change issues has been uncovered as a major scam, with leading rational climate experts saying that climate change is NOT the result of man, but is a multi-million year change to due the Sun, volcanic activity and polar adjustments. Even the former head of the Sierra Club, one of the largest radical environmentalist groups, came out and said there is NO climate change. He said climate change is driven by radicals with a political and financial agenda. It has turned into a multi-BILLION dollar industry. Green energy jobs will be around for a long time, but won't be supported as much as the main drivers of the economy, the people and the world--the 3 major fossil fuels of oil, coal and natural gas; along with nuclear power having a comeback.
There will be plenty of work for green energy small contractors, engineers and manufacturers. They will just shift their job patterns to the energy economies of scale. These people weren't around 20 years ago. They were either in construction or some other engineering industry. They made money without financial aid from the government. Green energy cannot make it on its own without government stipends, whereas, oil, coal, gas and nuclear can.
Your argument that GREEN ENERGY small businesses, contractors, engineers and manufacturers will be put out of work, is belied by your own statement that the new OBBB will allow for greater economic flexibility for small businesses
As for the DEBT PROBLEM, the faster and larger the economy increases and tariffs, the lower the national debt will go, because there will be substantially more money coming into the economy from outside investors, American investors (including those coming back from overseas investing because American corporate taxes were significantly lowered along with income taxes and other taxes). More people will be put to work, make money and have health insurance.
The short term "clutching of pearls" by those crying "Wolf" will evolve into long term prosperity like the 25 year period we had under President Reagan's economic boom. I wouldn't put much stock into those crying that everyone is going to "die", children and grandmothers are going to die, and all that other left-wing Democrat Communist propaganda. This has been the Communist mantra here by the Democrat Party since President Reagan.
It has come to pass that the Democrat-Communists are the party that has caused much death and destruction in this country for the past 50 years. Just look at the COVID pandemic debacle where Democrat-Communist governors put sick people in senior housing and killed tens of thousands as a result, mandated COVID shots that are now being found out to be deadlier than the virus, failed economic and environmental systems, failed infrastructure repair (see, East Palestine, Ohio train wreck and subsequent chemical disaster), riots that burned billions of dollars in cities and murdered people, and last but not least, promoting abortions that have so far murdered 55 MILLION humans in their wombs.
Thanks for the thoughtful and passionate response, Bruce — there's no denying the numbers you brought up are staggering, and they raise valid concerns that deserve serious debate. You're absolutely right that fraud, abuse, and poor oversight have plagued Medicaid, SNAP, and other safety net programs for years, especially in blue states that’ve exploited loopholes in the federal match system. And yes, illegal immigration does impose real fiscal burdens—many Americans feel the effects directly, especially working-class taxpayers and parents stuck paying into systems that seem rigged against them.
That said, where I’d offer a slightly different take is this: while we absolutely need strong border enforcement, welfare reform, and an end to the shell games some states play, we also need to be careful not to punish struggling American citizens in the process. Many of us—especially those wrecked by family court, false accusations, or disability—have been forced to rely on Medicaid and SNAP just to survive, not to game the system. Work requirements may sound good on paper, but in a system already stacked against honest people, they can easily become another barrier to recovery.
So I’m not against cutting waste or ending fraud—we need to—but let’s make sure we’re not throwing the wounded under the bus while trying to fix the ambulance. Clean up the programs, yes. Hold states and illegal claimants accountable, absolutely. But don’t assume every able-bodied person on Medicaid is lazy—some are just broken by a system that refuses to see their humanity.
Appreciate the challenge. These are the tough conversations we need to have on the right if we want real solutions.
I have to disagree with the writer on this one. There are at least 1.5 MILLION illegal aliens on Medicaid, and over 13 MILLION able-bodied on Medicaid that have overrun Medicaid. Half of working-age adults (age 19-64) on Medicaid worked 20 hours or fewer per week in 2024. Even among ablebodied adults on Medicaid without children, 44 percent worked less than 20 hours per week in 2024, with 88
percent of this group not working at all.
• Federal taxpayers spent $56.1 billion on Medicaid for childless, working-age, able-bodied adults
working 20 hours a week or less in 2024 alone, amounting to 11 percent of total federal Medicaid spending. In 10 years (by 2034) that amount being saved will amount to well over $500 BILLION.
• This spending was concentrated among a few states, with California and New York costing federal taxpayers $13.5 billion and $6.4 billion in 2024 alone, respectively, accounting for over one third of the total nationwide.
As for SNAP and foodstamps, between 1.5 MILLION and 2 MILLION illegal aliens unlawfully receive these benefits each year. On February 25, 2025, Secretary Rollins directed USDA-FNS to review the administration of SNAP benefits to make necessary changes to align with Executive Order 14128. As discussed in a recent Government Accountability Office (GAO) report, a staggering $10.5 billion in improper SNAP payments were made in FY 2023 alone—about 12% of total SNAP payments that year. The inadequate verification of an applicant’s identity and citizenship by states is specifically highlighted as contributing to the improper payments of SNAP funds.
It is estimated that there is over $105 BILLION in Medicare and Medicaid Fraud each year, with over $50 BILLION in Medicare Fraud and waste.
Illegal aliens cost the United States taxpayers over $200 BILLION DOLLARS per year in fraudulent use of welfare, free health care, free housing, free legal services, free food stamps, free cash, etc. And most Illegals don't pay taxes. Illegal immigrants do pay some taxes. It is estimated that illegal immigrants in 2019 paid roughly $5.9 billion in federal income tax, $16.2 billion in Social Security tax and $3.8 billion in Medicaid taxes. However, as the net fiscal drain of $68,000 per person cited above indicates, these taxes are not nearly enough to cover the cost of the services they receive.
• Illegal immigrants do add perhaps $321 billion to the nation’s GDP, but this is not a
measure of their tax contributions or the benefits they create for the U.S.-born. Almost all
the increase in economic activity goes to the illegal immigrants themselves in the form of
wages. Most of the money illegals make is sent back to their home countries via electronic money sending services like Western Union, Wells Fargo and others.
Illegal immigrants make extensive use of welfare. Based on government data, we
estimate that 59 percent of households headed by illegal immigrants use one or more
major welfare programs, compared to 39 percent of households headed by the U.S.-born.
• Based on their use rate of major welfare programs, we estimate that illegal immigrants
receive $42 billion in benefits, or about 4 percent of the total cost of the cash, Medicaid,
food and housing programs examined in our study. However, this is only a rough
approximation due to limitations in the data.
• Illegal immigrants can receive welfare on behalf of U.S.-born children. Also, illegal
immigrant children can receive school lunch/breakfast and WIC directly. A number of
states provide Medicaid to some illegal immigrants, and a few provide SNAP. Several
million illegal immigrants also have work authorization (e.g. DACA, TPS and some
asylum applicants), allowing receipt of the EITC.
• The high welfare use of illegal immigrant households is not explained by an
unwillingness to work. In fact, 94 percent of illegal immigrant households have at least
one worker, compared to only 73 percent of U.S.-born households. But the nation’s
welfare system is design to help low-wage workers with children, which describes a very
large share of illegal immigrant households.
• In addition to consuming welfare, illegal immigration makes significant use of public
education. Based on average costs per student, the estimated 4 million children of illegal
immigrants in public schools created $68.1 billion in costs in 2019. The vast majority of
these children are U.S.-born.
• Use of emergency medical services is another area in which illegal immigrants create
significant fiscal costs. Prior research indicates that there are 5.8 million uninsured illegal
immigrants in the country in 2019, accounting for a little over one-fifth of the total
population without health insurance. The costs of providing care to them likely totals
some $7 billion annually.
Under the bill, for the first time in the history of the Medicaid program, beneficiaries would need to prove they are working or in school at least 80 hours a month to keep their health insurance. The Senate version extends the requirement to low-income parents of children older than 14, in addition to childless adults without disabilities. The work requirements are projected to save about $325 billion over a decade. Wealthy "BLUE STATES", specifically California, New York, Illinois, Washington, Oregon, Maryland, Massachusetts, etc. are gaming the Medicaid system through a "bait and switch" tax scam. Most of the Medicaid fraud and waste is caused when States impose taxes on providers to boost their federal Medicaid contributions, which they then redirect to hospitals in the form of higher reimbursements. The recent influx of Illegal aliens, due to the China Joe Biden Administration's "Open Border" policies, even though they said it was the "most secure border" at the time, into the system have caused this problem to increase significantly.
In addition, clean energy rollbacks are unsubstantial. Green energy accounts for less than 20% of the energy network. Climate change issues has been uncovered as a major scam, with leading rational climate experts saying that climate change is NOT the result of man, but is a multi-million year change to due the Sun, volcanic activity and polar adjustments. Even the former head of the Sierra Club, one of the largest radical environmentalist groups, came out and said there is NO climate change. He said climate change is driven by radicals with a political and financial agenda. It has turned into a multi-BILLION dollar industry. Green energy jobs will be around for a long time, but won't be supported as much as the main drivers of the economy, the people and the world--the 3 major fossil fuels of oil, coal and natural gas; along with nuclear power having a comeback.
There will be plenty of work for green energy small contractors, engineers and manufacturers. They will just shift their job patterns to the energy economies of scale. These people weren't around 20 years ago. They were either in construction or some other engineering industry. They made money without financial aid from the government. Green energy cannot make it on its own without government stipends, whereas, oil, coal, gas and nuclear can.
Your argument that GREEN ENERGY small businesses, contractors, engineers and manufacturers will be put out of work, is belied by your own statement that the new OBBB will allow for greater economic flexibility for small businesses
As for the DEBT PROBLEM, the faster and larger the economy increases and tariffs, the lower the national debt will go, because there will be substantially more money coming into the economy from outside investors, American investors (including those coming back from overseas investing because American corporate taxes were significantly lowered along with income taxes and other taxes). More people will be put to work, make money and have health insurance.
The short term "clutching of pearls" by those crying "Wolf" will evolve into long term prosperity like the 25 year period we had under President Reagan's economic boom. I wouldn't put much stock into those crying that everyone is going to "die", children and grandmothers are going to die, and all that other left-wing Democrat Communist propaganda. This has been the Communist mantra here by the Democrat Party since President Reagan.
It has come to pass that the Democrat-Communists are the party that has caused much death and destruction in this country for the past 50 years. Just look at the COVID pandemic debacle where Democrat-Communist governors put sick people in senior housing and killed tens of thousands as a result, mandated COVID shots that are now being found out to be deadlier than the virus, failed economic and environmental systems, failed infrastructure repair (see, East Palestine, Ohio train wreck and subsequent chemical disaster), riots that burned billions of dollars in cities and murdered people, and last but not least, promoting abortions that have so far murdered 55 MILLION humans in their wombs.
Thanks for the thoughtful and passionate response, Bruce — there's no denying the numbers you brought up are staggering, and they raise valid concerns that deserve serious debate. You're absolutely right that fraud, abuse, and poor oversight have plagued Medicaid, SNAP, and other safety net programs for years, especially in blue states that’ve exploited loopholes in the federal match system. And yes, illegal immigration does impose real fiscal burdens—many Americans feel the effects directly, especially working-class taxpayers and parents stuck paying into systems that seem rigged against them.
That said, where I’d offer a slightly different take is this: while we absolutely need strong border enforcement, welfare reform, and an end to the shell games some states play, we also need to be careful not to punish struggling American citizens in the process. Many of us—especially those wrecked by family court, false accusations, or disability—have been forced to rely on Medicaid and SNAP just to survive, not to game the system. Work requirements may sound good on paper, but in a system already stacked against honest people, they can easily become another barrier to recovery.
So I’m not against cutting waste or ending fraud—we need to—but let’s make sure we’re not throwing the wounded under the bus while trying to fix the ambulance. Clean up the programs, yes. Hold states and illegal claimants accountable, absolutely. But don’t assume every able-bodied person on Medicaid is lazy—some are just broken by a system that refuses to see their humanity.
Appreciate the challenge. These are the tough conversations we need to have on the right if we want real solutions.