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On January 1, California will become the first state to expand its state health care program to all undocumented immigrants, a move that has drawn criticism from former President Donald Trump, other lawmakers and experts. There is.
important facts
~Undocumented adults of the following ages: 26 and 49 Starting Monday, California residents can qualify for health insurance under the state's Medi-Cal program if they meet the program's eligibility requirements for low-income residents.
The move expands state health insurance coverage to include all undocumented immigrants. Before Only undocumented children, those between the ages of 19 and 25 and those over 50 were eligible.
The expansion, approved in a bill in May, would make about 700,000 more illegal aliens eligible for health insurance. according to California State Senator Maria Elena Durazo.
California Department of Health and Human Services $835.6 million From 2023 to 2024, it would provide $2.6 billion annually in funding to expand Medi-Cal to residents regardless of immigration status.
but, qualification Requirements such as income limits based on household size still apply. according to According to a release from the California Department of Health Services.
Participation in the program does not adversely affect a person's immigration status because the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services do not consider receipt of health, food, or housing benefits as part of determining utility rates. says the release.
main critic
Some experts and lawmakers have criticized the country's decision.California Republican Caucus Said Medi-Cal is already “burdened” with 14.6 million Americans, and “adding another 764,000 people to the system would certainly worsen current provider access problems.” Sho”. Simon Hankinson, a senior fellow at the Center on Border Security and Immigration at the conservative Heritage Foundation, said: Tweet“I'm not surprised.” [California]plans to provide subsidized health care to illegal immigrants despite its budget deficit. The question is when and how to get federal taxpayers to bail them out. ” Former President Trump said in his 2020 State of the Union address. Said California would “bankrupt the nation by providing free, taxpayer-funded health care to millions of illegal aliens.” “At a time when California is struggling to make ends meet, it would be completely irresponsible to use taxpayer money to cover non-citizens,” said health policy expert and author of the California-based think tank Pacific・Sally Pipes, President and CEO of the Research Institute, said: Said New York Post.
Main background
California was the first state to extend health insurance to all illegal immigrants, although some states offer coverage to specific groups. new jersey It provides insurance to pregnant women and those under 19 years of age, and undocumented children are also eligible for health insurance. texas. illinois passed a law that provides insurance to children up to age 18 and expands it to people 42 and older starting Monday, but a new law in 2023 will cap people between 42 and 64 who can get insurance. is limited to 16,500 people. A 2018 study found that illegal immigrants have less access to health care resources than non-immigrants in the United States. study Published in an international medical journal. Studies suggest that medical costs for immigrants are one-half to one-third of those for non-immigrants. Immigrants make up 12% of the U.S. population, but only account for 8.6% of the country's health spending, according to the study. According to KFF, a health policy research nonprofit, half of undocumented immigrants and about 18% of legally present immigrants report having no insurance, compared with less than 10% of nonimmigrants. report. This is largely because immigrants are more likely to work in jobs where employers do not offer health insurance, although other barriers such as language, fear of deportation, and confusion still exist.
big number
66%. More Californians supported expanding access to health insurance for all undocumented immigrants in 2021, according to a survey. report By the Public Policy Institute of California. This number is a 12% increase since 2015.
References
Full transcript: President Trump's 2020 State of the Union Address (New York Times)
