I just heard a rumor about illegal immigration in MA.

[Deep13]

I was hoping someone here has heard of it and can give me the real story (assuming there is a real story to give.)

My mother told me that the State of MA is giving cellular telephones to illegal immigrants. She said she knows it's true because she read it in "the paper" which I assume she means the Worcester Telegram. Does anyone know anything about this?

Post Script:

She also says that "Romney care" is tremendously unpopular. Is there any truth to that?

[JenniferJuniper]

1. never heard that story but

I can confirm most people I know don't think much of Romney care. It's basically a system that just forces people to buy expensive private health insurance plans that don't necessarily provide good coverage.

It's expense for the state and it's expensive for the consumer. More and more people are migrating to Mass Health, the state's welfare coverage. Romney care should be the biggest advertisement going for a single payer system.

As for as giving cell phones to illegals, why would the State do that? And what good is a cell phone without cell phone service?

[Kat45]

2. I'm a person who does like "Romney care."

I've been unemployed for over two years and had a low-paying part-time job before that. I'm not eligible for Mass Health because I'm single with no kids. I've been getting very reasonable coverage through Commonwealth Care. There is no premium when I'm unemployed, and when I worked part-time, I think my premium was around $50 or $70 a month. If it wasn't for "Romney care," I'd be shit-out-of-luck regarding being able to see a doctor or get my prescriptions.

[Deep13]

4. Interesting.

I saw Gov. Patrick on the Daily Show saying you have 98% coverage in MA.

[Deep13]

3. Yeah, it seemed like a bizarre rumor to me. nt

[jdm9955]

5. +1

[lukasahero]

6. Sounds like a take off on the "Obama giving cell phones to welfare moms" fallacy

http://www.snopes.com/politics/taxes/cellphone.asp

I haven't heard anything about the illegal immigrants thing.

As for "Romney Care", I work with a bunch of conservatives and even a lot of them understand it's value. (The folks who don't like it are loud, not necessarily legion.)

[forty6]

7. Unemployed homeless people can get cell phones with limited

service...to help them get jobs.

I have a friend who is schizophrenic, homeless, (stayed with me for 3 months, I'm sorry she left, but she chose to leave, and she lives in Mass now, has a cell phone, I'm on the border with NH where she didn't get treated well by the folks in mental health and govt).

All I know, she gets some temp jobs by cell phone, mostly cleaning but money in her pocket. Oh, and she can get calls by her doctors, therapists, so she can get to appts.

She was born in Mass, so she's no illegal immigrant, just went back to Mass from NH.