Partial Success for #Health4All
California took a momentous step in advancing health care coverage for all when Governor Jerry Brown signed a budget that allocates state funds to cover low-income undocumented children under Medi-Cal. The estimated cost this budget year is $40 million, with an an eventual cost of $132 million when fully implemented and 170,000 undocumented low-income children are covered.
This expansion of coverage to all children regardless of immigration status would make California's children healthier, our health system stronger, and our families and communities more financially secure.
The #Health4All fight continues legislatively with Senator Lara's bills SB4 and SB10.
SB 4 requests a waiver to allow undocumented people to buy coverage through Covered California, and makes technical changes to simplify enrollment of undocumented kids in Medi-Cal.
SB 10, now on hold until 2016, would expand Medi-Cal to low-income undocumented adults.
|