California is set to become the first state to offer free health care to all qualifying undocumented immigrants regardless of age or immigration status.
Facing a $68 billion deficit and unprecedented state revenue shortfalls, the expansion of the state’s Medi-Cal health insurance program has been controversial, with concerns aired over taxpayer money being used to cover non-citizens during a time of financial stress. Experts have criticized the decision to expand the program and extend it to illegal immigrants of all ages.
The state’s government-run health insurance scheme has been gradually expanded over the years to cover low-income residents, with undocumented children included in 2015. Recently, Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom extended the coverage to include undocumented adults aged 19-25 and those over the age of 50. From Jan. 1, all qualifying individuals, regardless of their age and immigration status, will have access to free health care under the scheme.
The latest expansion will see around 700,000 undocumented immigrants aged 26-49 obtain full coverage under the program. Speaking of the development, Assemblyman Miguel Santiago (D-Los Angeles) said, “This is a game-changer. 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.”
Some healthcare experts have raised eyebrows over the unilateral expansion of the scheme, noting that such a move is unwise during a time of unprecedented spending cuts.
Sally Pipes, a healthcare policy expert and the president and CEO of the Pacific Research Institute, a California-based think tank, said, “The expansion was a bad idea when the state’s coffers were flush. Now that California is struggling to make ends meet, using taxpayer money to cover non-citizens is simply irresponsible.”