Health Care for the Undocumented in California?
Jennifer Medina of the New York Times reports on an interesting development in California, which has been at the forefront in recent years in seeking to fully integrate undocumented immigrants into civil society.
California officials are asking the Obama administration this week to approve a plan that would allow undocumented immigrants to buy health insurance on the state’s public exchange.
Officials say that up to 30 percent of the state’s two million undocumented adults could be eligible for the program, and that roughly 17,000 people are expected to participate in the first year, if the plan is approved. But the proposal must be approved by the Treasury and the Health and Human Services Departments.
During debates over health care legislation, President Obama made it clear that health insurance subsidies under the Affordable Care Act would not be provided to undocumented immigrants. Two provisions of the health care law limit coverage to residents who are here legally. But advocates of California’s initiative argue that the plan should be approved under what is known as an “innovation waiver,” which allows states to have provisions of the federal law modified, because no federal dollars will be used to fund the program.
California is the first state to propose such a plan. California already offers immigrants more care than other states do. Many counties here provide some basic care through community clinics. And children who are undocumented can now receive Medi-Cal, the state’s public health insurance for low-income residents, under a law that took effect this spring.
Stay tuned.
KJ