(TheRedAlertNews.com) – In a move that will rightfully anger millions of hardworking, taxpaying Americans, on January 1st, California will start providing taxpayer-funded health insurance to all illegal aliens.
Specifically, California, a state already confronted with a significant $68 billion budget deficit for the upcoming fiscal year, is set to initiate a groundbreaking policy on January 1st.
This policy will extend free health care to all illegal aliens who meet the eligibility criteria for the state’s Medi-Cal health insurance program, designed for low-income individuals.
This development marks a continuation of the state’s progressive enlargement of Medi-Cal accessibility, a movement that began in 2015 by allowing undocumented children to benefit from this taxpayer-funded program.
Subsequently, under the leadership of extreme liberal Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom, the program expanded further to include undocumented adults aged 19-25 and those over 50.
The impending expansion of Medi-Cal is a direct result of a budget agreement reached in May between Newsom and state legislators.
This expansion is particularly notable as it will enable approximately 700,000 undocumented immigrants aged 26-49 to gain comprehensive coverage under Medi-Cal.
State Senator María Elena Durazo (D-Los Angeles) remarked, “This historic investment speaks to California’s commitment to health care as a human right.” Similarly, Assemblyman Miguel Santiago (D-Los Angeles) emphasized the significance of this legislation, stating, “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.”
However, this expansion has raised concerns among some healthcare policy experts, particularly in light of the state’s fiscal challenges and existing healthcare shortages.
Sally Pipes, President and CEO of the Pacific Research Institute, expressed skepticism, noting, “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.”
Pipes further highlighted the difficulties Medi-Cal beneficiaries face in obtaining medical treatment, citing low government reimbursement rates for doctors and prolonged waiting times for care.
Additionally, Simon Hankinson, a border security and immigration specialist at the Heritage Foundation, speculated on social media about the potential need for federal assistance to sustain the program.
He wrote, “No surprise [California], 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.”
The California Senate Republican Caucus has also expressed disapproval of this expansion, pointing out the strain on Medi-Cal, which already serves over a third of the state’s population. The caucus argued that adding nearly 764,000 more individuals would further exacerbate existing challenges in accessing health care providers.
This latest expansion of Medi-Cal, which represents a substantial policy shift in healthcare access for undocumented immigrants, comes with an annual price tag of $2.6 billion.
