Guess what: Obama administration is conceding that Congressman Joe Wilson was right

As was obvious to most people, illegal aliens would have gotten help unless there was some documentation required for getting the benefits. Today for the first time the administration has come out in favor of some type of documentation.

The White House tonight is providing the below clarification on what the president's health-care proposals would mean when it comes to the issue of illegal immigrants.

The question, as we all know, arises from the Wilson "You lie" outburst, and the core claim that notwithstanding specific bill language barring illegal immigrants from participating in the "exchange," as a practical matter, there is no way of verifying the citizenship of applicants -- which is the current state of play. Republicans say that then means illegal immigrants would end up being enrolled in plans -- bill language or no bill language.

Today, for the first time as far as we know, the administration is backing a provision that would require proof of citizenship before someone could enroll in a plan selected on the exchange. . . .

Strangely the Obama administration keeps on pushing the 46.3 million claimed uninsured that they want to cover even though that number has lots of problems including the fact that it includes 10 million illegal aliens.

Obama and Democrats in Congress are trying to extend coverage to the 46.3 million uninsured Americans and curb health-care costs that account for about 18 percent of the U.S. economy. . . .

Why say that they want to cover 46.3 million when 10 million of that number are illegal aliens?

It is useful to also mention how much money is already being spent by state governments on health care.

Obama insisted that the legislation would not give government subsidies to the nation's millions of undocumented residents. But if immigrant-rich California is any indication, considerable numbers of undocumented immigrants participate in taxpayer-supported health plans.
Although most federal benefit programs bar those who cannot prove their citizenship, California has been more generous than other states. Its taxpayers contribute more than $1 billion annually to cover the health care costs of illegal residents.
The state Department of Health Care Services estimates 768,400 undocumented immigrants will receive coverage this fiscal year through Medi-Cal, the health program funded by state and federal tax money. The cost: $1.2 billion.
Although people without documentation are ineligible for the comprehensive health care other low-income residents receive, the state pays the costs of those who seek emergency room care for life-threatening circumstances and childbirth, based on the presumption that the child will be a citizen. . . .