California Gov. Gavin Newsom proposed making his state the first in the country to extend universal healthcare to all low-income residents, including illegal immigrants, starting January 2024.
The Medicaid initiative is part of the Democrat’s proposed $213 billion California Blueprint plan to combat the state’s “existential threats,” including the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, homelessness, cost of living, and public safety.
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“We said we were going to do it. We said it was going to take a few years, but we’re committed to doing it,” he said during a press conference on Monday. “It means full-scope Medi-Cal, including long-term care, IHSS, behavior health to all low-income Californians.”
An analysis published by the University of California, Berkeley’s Labor Center projected about 3.2 million Californians would be uninsured in 2022. About 1.2 million of them are assumed to be illegal immigrants, and most of the rest are eligible for some form of healthcare coverage in the state. One estimate said it would cost about $2.4 billion a year to cover the state’s illegal immigrant population.
If approved by the state Legislature, Newsom’s plan would allow illegal immigrants to obtain abortions using Medi-Cal funding. Medi-Cal is the state’s Medicaid program that provides financial assistance for healthcare for low-income individuals.
Newsom said his proposal for the fiscal year 2022-2023 is a 9.1% increase from the previous fiscal year’s budget, noting the budget proposal is balanced for the next fiscal year and the next three years.
He argued the budget was backed by a projected $45.7 billion surplus for the next fiscal year. However, the California Legislative Analyst’s Office estimated in November that the next fiscal year’s surplus will be much lower at $31 billion. Newsom’s office uses a different definition of what counts as a surplus, according to the Associated Press.
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Other initiatives in Newsom’s proposal include an increased $2 billion in funding for housing, clearing encampments, and mental health services. He also budgeted funding to improve the state’s response to droughts, wildfires, and other natural disasters.
“California is a model for the nation on how we can confront our greatest existential threats and make historic investments in our future,” Newsom said.
