California Democrats have been applauding the recent decision to provide taxpayer-funded healthcare to undocumented immigrants in the state. Despite facing a significant budget deficit of $68 billion in the upcoming fiscal year, California has been expanding access to its Medi-Cal health insurance program for low-income residents.
In 2015, the program was extended to include undocumented children, and it was further expanded by Democrat Governor Gavin Newsom to cover undocumented adults between the ages of 19-25 and those over 50.
Starting on January 1, California will become the first state to offer free healthcare to all qualifying individuals, regardless of immigration status or age. This move has been met with enthusiasm by California Democrats, who celebrated the budget deal that allowed for the expansion of Medi-Cal and will provide full coverage to approximately 700,000 undocumented immigrants between the ages of 26-49.
“This historic investment speaks to California’s commitment to health care as a human right,” state Sen. María Elena Durazo (D-Los Angeles) said at the time.
“This is a game-changer,” said Assemblyman Miguel Santiago (D-Los Angeles).
“It’s one of the most important pieces of legislation that’s gonna go through this house because the ability to give health care means the ability to live life without pain.”
Nevertheless, there are concerns among healthcare professionals regarding the prudence of expanding the program in light of the unprecedented state revenue shortfalls.
The state is currently grappling with shortages in healthcare resources.
“The expansion was a bad idea when the state’s coffers were flush,” Sally Pipes, a healthcare policy expert and the president and CEO of the Pacific Research Institute, a California-based think tank, told The New York Post.
“Now that California is struggling to make ends meet, using taxpayer money to cover non-citizens is simply irresponsible.
“Many on Medi-Cal are already having a hard time finding doctors to treat them because of low reimbursement rates these doctors receive from the government,” Pipes added.
“If those on Medi-Cal can find a doctor, they are facing very long waits for care.”
Simon Hankinson, an immigration and border security specialist affiliated with the Heritage Foundation, expressed his anticipation on social media that the program would eventually receive financial assistance from the federal government.
“No surprise [California], despite budget deficit, will give illegal immigrants subsidized health care,” Hankinson wrote on X.
“The question is how and when they’ll get the federal taxpayer to bail them out. NY, IL, and MA want to know.”
No surprise CA, despite budget deficit, will give illegal immigrants subsidized health care. The question is how and when they’ll get the federal taxpayer to bail them out. NY, IL, and MA want to know. https://t.co/omefOpt2f5 via @foreigndesknews
— Simon Hankinson (@WatchfulWaiter1) December 28, 2023
The expansion of the health plan has faced criticism from the California Senate Republican Caucus as well.
“Medi-Cal is already strained by serving 14.6 million Californians – more than a third of the state’s population,” the caucus wrote in response to Newsom’s budget proposal last year.
“Adding 764,000 more individuals to the system will certainly exacerbate current provider access problems.”
