In the face of an impending $68 billion deficit, California is ringing in 2024 by providing free healthcare to over 700,000 illegal immigrants residing in the Golden State.
About 700,000 undocumented immigrants in the state between the ages of 26 and 49 would be able to get health insurance via the program, which Governor Gavin Newsom announced in May. Illegal immigrants under the age of 26 in California are eligible for free health care as of 2019. More undocumented immigrants will be able to get Medi-Cal coverage under the program when it launches on January 1, 2024.
Not long ago, when he first put the plan forth, Newsom hailed the expansion as "a transformative step towards strengthening the healthcare system for all Californians."
Dr. Mark Ghaly, secretary of health and human services of California, touted the measure as a "national model" for "expanding access, reducing costs, improving services, and closing equity gaps."
"No other state in the country has done more in the space of health care access and affordability than the state of California," said Dr. Ghaly. "I am proud of this Administration’s work to pioneer a comprehensive health care system that will become a national model for expanding access, reducing costs, improving services, and closing equity gaps."
In accordance with state senator María Durazo (D-Calif.), the anticipated yearly expenditure for expanding Medi-Cal to include all unauthorized immigrants is $2.6 billion. This additional expense comes at a time when California's budget is in shambles as a result of a "severe revenue decline."
The nonpartisan Legislative Analyst's Office (LAO) of California reported on Thursday that the state's budget deficit has increased dramatically over the last several months, reaching $54 billion from $14.3 billion in June. State people and companies are fleeing the state, which has a mounting fiscal deficit, because of the Democratic majority in power.
In 2020, as a result of the COVID-19 epidemic and the state's strict lockdowns, California saw its first-ever population decrease.
With a net loss of about 700,000 individuals between January 2020 and July 2022, the state had a population decline of more than half a million. The Los Angeles Times reports that among the economic issues that have led to individuals leaving California are the high cost of living, the property market, and the rise of remote employment.
About 700,000 undocumented immigrants in the state between the ages of 26 and 49 would be able to get health insurance via the program, which Governor Gavin Newsom announced in May. Illegal immigrants under the age of 26 in California are eligible for free health care as of 2019. More undocumented immigrants will be able to get Medi-Cal coverage under the program when it launches on January 1, 2024.
Not long ago, when he first put the plan forth, Newsom hailed the expansion as "a transformative step towards strengthening the healthcare system for all Californians."
Dr. Mark Ghaly, secretary of health and human services of California, touted the measure as a "national model" for "expanding access, reducing costs, improving services, and closing equity gaps."
"No other state in the country has done more in the space of health care access and affordability than the state of California," said Dr. Ghaly. "I am proud of this Administration’s work to pioneer a comprehensive health care system that will become a national model for expanding access, reducing costs, improving services, and closing equity gaps."
In accordance with state senator María Durazo (D-Calif.), the anticipated yearly expenditure for expanding Medi-Cal to include all unauthorized immigrants is $2.6 billion. This additional expense comes at a time when California's budget is in shambles as a result of a "severe revenue decline."
The nonpartisan Legislative Analyst's Office (LAO) of California reported on Thursday that the state's budget deficit has increased dramatically over the last several months, reaching $54 billion from $14.3 billion in June. State people and companies are fleeing the state, which has a mounting fiscal deficit, because of the Democratic majority in power.
In 2020, as a result of the COVID-19 epidemic and the state's strict lockdowns, California saw its first-ever population decrease.
With a net loss of about 700,000 individuals between January 2020 and July 2022, the state had a population decline of more than half a million. The Los Angeles Times reports that among the economic issues that have led to individuals leaving California are the high cost of living, the property market, and the rise of remote employment.
