On Monday, California became the first U.S. state to offer full health insurance to all undocumented immigrants, a historic move. Upwards of 700,000 people in the state will reap the benefits of this monumental change.
Medi-Cal, the state’s Medicaid program, will be expanded to encompass individuals of all ages and immigration statuses in 2022, as agreed upon by Governor Gavin Newsom and state lawmakers. Conservatives and Republican leaders have been quite critical of the timing of this decision, which comes as California faces a historic fiscal deficit. They worry that the state’s healthcare system would become even more overwhelmed as a result of this growth.
This extension will incur significant costs. Estimates put the first six months at roughly $1.2 billion, with yearly costs rising to around $3.1 billion. The fact that this expansion covers undocumented immigrants between the ages of 26 and 49 makes it stand out, and it’s a big step towards the Democrats’ aim of making healthcare universal in California.
This program is the biggest insurance expansion in the state since Obamacare, which enabled states to expand Medicaid to people with incomes below 138% of the federal poverty level, was put into place. Coverage for illegal children in California was expanded in 2015, and for undocumented individuals over the age of 50 in 2019. Previously, the state program could only provide undocumented adults with access to emergency treatment and services connected to pregnancy. The recent expansion broadens coverage to include the whole age group.
The extension has received widespread support from Democrats and immigration supporters, who see it as a progressive step toward healthier communities and the promotion of preventative care over more expensive emergency or other forms of healthcare.
Everyone in California, regardless of their financial situation or immigration status, deserves access to cheap, high-quality healthcare, according to Governor Gavin Newsom’s office, which spoke with ABC News. Families and communities all around California will be healthier, stronger, and more accessible to care as a result of this expansion.
The expansion has been criticized, nevertheless, due to the financial consequences it will have. According to the Republican Caucus in the California Senate’s study of Newsom’s budget plan for 2022–2023, this will make healthcare provider availability even more of a problem. In an interview with the Associated Press, Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee vice-chair and Republican Senator Roger Niello of California voiced his worry that the expansion would increase the state’s debt and questioned the fiscal responsibility of the move in light of the current economic climate.