Tennessee AG joins lawsuit to block Affordable Care Act benefits to undocumented people

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti has joined a lawsuit with 14 other state attorneys general to halt the Biden administration from extending Affordable Care Act (ACA) benefits to people who are in the country without documentation.

The final rule, scheduled to go into effect November 1, would grant health plans to over 200,000 people, including thousands of people in Tennessee.

The lawsuit argues that the proposed rule directly contradicts the plain language of the ACA, which restricts eligibility for participation in a qualified health plan through a subsidized health exchange to U.S. citizens, nationals, and individuals who are "lawfully present" in the United States.

Additionally, the complaint claims that the proposed rule violates a federal law that prohibits the provision of public benefits to aliens.

States joining Tennessee include Kansas, Alabama, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Ohio, South Carolina, South Dakota, and Virginia.