Governor Newsom Signs Into Law First-in-the-Nation Expansion of Medi-Cal to Undocumented Californians Age 50 and Over. (Office of Gavin Newsom)
In 1994, California voters flocked to the polls in record numbers to approve the controversial Proposition 187, which denied social services to undocumented immigrants. The state could never enact the measure, which got tangled in legal battles and was ultimately declared unconstitutional under the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment, which protects any individual regardless of citizenship status.
Forty years later, and after a long battle from immigrant advocates, California expanded one of those social services to most of the undocumented immigrants in the state.
Since January 1, most of them qualify for Medi-Cal, the state’s health insurance program for extremely low-income people, making California the first and only state to fund comprehensive health care for undocumented immigrants.
“This is life changing,” said Sarah Dar, Policy Director for the California Immigrant Policy Center, a statewide immigrant rights organization that advocates for policies that protect and advance the rights of immigrants and their families throughout California.
The group estimates that 700,000 undocumented immigrants could enroll in the Medi-Cal program this year thanks to this expansion, and “millions of people in the future.”
“These are people who have gone entire lifetimes without any kind of consistent healthcare check ups, medications, tests to see what ails them and have been relying on home remedies,” Dar explains. “In some cases if they get really sick, they might go to the Emergency Room, but for some it’s too little too late.”
“These are people who have gone entire lifetimes without any kind of consistent healthcare check ups, medications, tests to see what ails them and have been relying on home remedies” -Sarah Dar, Policy Director for the California Immigrant Policy Center.
A STEADY EXPANSION
California has been steadily expanding the Medi-Cal program to undocumented immigrants since 2015, when it offered it to those under 18 years of age. In 2019, the program was expanded for those between 19 and 26 years of age. In 2023, it expanded once more to those over 50.
Medi-Cal is free or low-cost health coverage for children and families with lower incomes. It provides preventive medical care and treatments including vision, dental and mental health.
The latest expansion is expected to cost the state $2.6 billion annually, but it’s an investment well worth it, according to California State Senator Maria Elena Durazo.
“This historic investment speaks to California’s commitment to health care as a human right,” she said in May of 2023 when Gov. Gavin Newsom struck a deal with the legislature expanding the coverage.
In 2013, the California Immigrant Policy Center and Health Access California formed the Health4All Coalition to advocate for the state to end these unjust and discriminatory exclusions based solely on immigration status.
A BENEFIT FOR ALL
Despite criticism from anti-immigrant groups and the California Senate Republican Caucus, Dar notes that expanding healthcare coverage to most undocumented immigrants not only benefits this population, but everyone in the state.
“We know that people who regularly see the doctor and get access to medication prevents them from having complications and we know they are more likely to miss fewer days of work, and that’s good for the economy, productivity and the workforce,” Dar said.
Most importantly, she said, undocumented immigrants will finally “be able to feel like they are truly included and have rights.”
“We’re very proud that we reached this milestone,” she added.
Immigration and health care advocates, who spent more than a decade fighting for the changes, have said the expanded coverage will close a gap in health care access and save the state money in the long run. Those who live in the state illegally often delay or avoid care because they aren’t eligible for most coverage, making it more expensive to treat them when they end up in emergency rooms.
“It’s a win-win, because it allows us to provide comprehensive care and we believe this will help keep our communities healthier,” said Dr. Efrain Talamantes, chief operating officer at AltaMed in Los Angeles, the largest federally qualified health center in California, to the news agency AP.
It also supports the state economy.
“There’s a misunderstanding that there are people who don’t deserve services. These people are Californians,” Dar said.
“We know there’s a lot of fear, especially after the Trump Administration threats against immigrants,” Dar said. “We are trying our best to get the word out that this is safe.”
People overlook the fact that we have a broken immigration system and that Congress keeps failing to pass immigration reform because of gridlock, she said, leading to states taking the lead in the matter.
No one can deny, she added, that undocumented immigrants “contribute to the economy with the labor they provide and the taxes they pay.”
For instance, she noted that during the Covid pandemic, undocumented immigrants were overrepresented among essential workers.
According to the Public Policy Institute of California, there are about 1.75 million undocumented immigrants (nearly one in ten) in California’s labor force, comprising large portions of those in agriculture, construction and manufacturing.
Dar says the challenge now is to get undocumented immigrants to sign up for the program.
“We know there’s a lot of fear, especially after the Trump Administration threats against immigrants,” she said. “We are trying our best to get the word out that this is safe. The information you provide is private and can not be shared with law enforcement or immigration enforcement and the concern about public charge is no longer an issue.
“There shouldn’t be anything for people to be worried about,” she noted.
APPLY TO MEDI-CAL
You can apply to Medi-Cal by mail, in person or online. For more information, click here
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