Maine is among 20 states that have filed suit against the federal government for allegedly sharing confidential personal data of Medicaid clients to use in immigration enforcement actions.
The complaint alleges that Medicaid records shared with the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services' Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to verify Medicaid eligibility were accessed by DOGE and given to the Dept of Homeland Security for immigration enforcement.
Immigrants qualified to receive Medicaid include green card holders, individuals granted asylum and refugees.
Federal law requires the federal government to keep state healthcare records confidential.
The Attorneys General want the court to stop Health and Human Services from sharing personally identifiable, protected health information with DOGE and Homeland Security, and to order any data the agencies have to be impounded or destroyed.
Without such action, the states say immigrant populations will refuse to enroll in Medicaid, and will suffer increased morbidity and mortality as a result.
