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California forges ahead with health care for illegal immigrants

May 21, 2019

California’s governor, state Assembly and Senate are pushing for extending government-funded health care coverage to illegal immigrants, though they currently differ on how to go about doing so. [NBC News]

Gov. Gavin Newsom, who campaigned on a platform of universal health care, is proposing spending about $98 million a year to cover low-income illegal immigrants between the ages of 19 and 25. If the state were to adopt his proposal, California would become the first state in the country to offer government-funded health care to adult illegal immigrants. Nonetheless, both houses of the Legislature are discussing even more generous proposals.

The state Senate is proposing legislation that would cover adults 19 to 25 and seniors 65 and older. Sen. Maria Elena Durazo, the sponsor of the bill, has scoffed at concerns about the cost, noting the state has a projected $21.5 billion budget surplus.

An Assembly bill would go even further, covering all illegal immigrants above the age of 19. Newsom has withheld support for the plan because of its estimated $3.4 billion price tag.

“There’s 3.4 billion reasons why it is a challenge,” Newsom said.

The Senate and Assembly will finalize their budget proposals this week before starting negotiations with the governor. State law requires that a budget be passed by June 15 or lawmakers forfeit their pay.

Republic state Sen. Jeff Stone criticized the idea of government-funded health coverage for illegal immigrants.

“We’re going to penalize the citizens of this state that have followed the rules, but we’re going to let somebody who has not followed the rules come in here and get the services for free. I just think that’s wrong,” Stone said.

The proposals California is considering would put the state on yet another collision course with the Trump Administration, which has proposed a regulation that would hinder immigrants’ residency applications if they receive public assistance in the form of programs like Medicaid.

California has 3 million residents who do not have health insurance. Of those 3 million residents, about 1.8 million are illegal immigrants, legislative staffers say. About 1.26 million of the illegal immigrants who lack health insurance have incomes low enough to qualify for Medi-Cal.

Meanwhile, California is also considering a proposal to require all state residents to purchase health insurance or pay a penalty. Funds raised from the penalty would go toward assisting middle-income residents purchase private health insurance plans.


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We need to take our State back! Why don’t we get free healthcare?


33

Nothing is free, that is our money, IE: TAXPAYER, the govt has no money of its own,every dime that the govt has is taxpayer money.


30

“take our State back” Lol, Not going to happen as it was self inflicted.


5

California just going more blue blue blue and the pandering to illegal immigrants every single day but really what does it matter because prop 187 I was shot down by the ACLU and the southern poverty Law center and governor Davis who shot down the appeal to appeal it we spent well over a hundred billion dollars in emergency care to illegal immigrants since 1997. So they’re getting free healthcare no matter what emergency room it’s free to illegal immigrants but you and I as US citizens we are required by law to have health insurance and if we don’t put our adequate annuy incomes, the state would penalize us of imprisonment or massive penalties. talk about the benefit of the illegal immigrants of getting free everything all because the Democrats have switched their policies on enforcing immigration laws no longer in force immigration laws because they want illegal immigrants to vote for their party. So California is all about Democrats first, party first, pander to the illegal immigrants get them free healthcare that’s what it’s all about. Talk about corruption it’s here every single day


27

Wow…and my cousin has to fight tooth and nail with her insurance company every month over her medications…what am I missing?….maybe we should all apply for Mexican citizenship and go there and sneak back into California and get free everything…..


29

And the born and raised in America legal citizens, the homeless, the sick, the youths run out of home from abusive parents, the mentally challenged, the VETS on the street? A recent study shows the Bay area, Gov Newome’s and Pelosi’s homeland, is the second most rat infested, human feces,homeless american littered hell hole in America and what are we doing about that?? Guess somebody needs a “new toy” so to speak and the above mentioned are old news.


27

Not your problem, you don’t pay taxes here but you want to shit on everyone with your comments.


How nice.

/s


-6

No…..democrats have plenty of toys…they need new voters…


2

Folks,


Congratulations to the idiots who voted Gavin Newsome and the Democrats into office, this is but the first payback to the special interest groups who they cater to. I wonder how the average taxpayer feels knowing that their hard-earned money is supporting the illegal crowd?


I say enforce the border, cut out taxpayer-funded handouts, support mass deportations, enforce the laws, require all employers to use E Verify and recall liberal knuckleheads who waste taxpayer money rom office.


Illegal is a crime, not a race.


63

Lots of anger there, Billy Bob.


-20

Or you could move and live with your people behind a wall someplace.


-9

It is a great idea to require illegal immigrants to have and pay for their health insurance. If the state has a surplus the money should be returned to those who pay taxes. It is immoral to collect billions more than is required for a well functioning government.


38

Health care for anyone in the state is really a good idea from the standpoint of the overall health of the population. If there are people who do not have access to health care, they could become a breeding ground for the next pandemic, folks. They will become the breeding ground for at least very common infectious health problems. Once a disease becomes established in a community, it will not discriminate as to whom it later infects. Possibly you. Your kids, the whole school.


And most of the “illegal” people are actually working very hard at jobs you do not want, for pay you would not prefer. They are paying into Social Security (your SS, as they will not be able to claim it later). They are helping to support us with their labor and in exchange, it seems just fine to me to give them care. Over a 10 year period, immigrants paid $63 billion into our economy over what it cost to take care of them.


Dealing with health issues proactively is always cheaper than when they become a catastrophe. It is not the poor who are ripping you off. If it was, they would not be poor. Many of your forbearers came here before there were laws regarding entry. It was done at the great expense of those already here, with tens of thousands of years claim on the land. This will “cost” us so much less and save us more in the long run.


-79

“California would become the first state in the country to offer government-funded health care to adult illegal immigrants.” Isn’t that special? California, the Welfare State. I suppose WE will fund this with a “temporary” surplus with the program lasting in perpetuity? Clear thinking? Hard to take things away when it’s been giving to you for free? Econ 101. I hope no one is pandering for votes.


46

Funny, I read the Bill of Rights and the Constitution, and I can’t find it anywhere…


47

It’s called federalism (every state is sovereign in its own realm). The word is not in the Constitution (or the Bill of Rights, which is actually part of the Constitution), but the concept is. I am surprised at your comment because the history of our federal republic is taught in elementary school (fifth grade, I think) and high school (junior year). You could look on line to find more about the concept, or ask a librarian to recommend a good book. Good luck!


-49

Ah, I see the problem, on her sign she should have put “Healthcare is a Human State Right”….Funny, I can’t find it in our State Constitution either, maybe you could find that for me…


9

You have it backward. Federalists tend to favor centralized (federal) government and loose interpretation of the Constitution. A “confederation” is a form of government where the federal government is subordinate to state governments (meaning “every state is sovereign in its own realm”). We tried this once. Remember the Articles of Confederation which served as our constitution between 1781 and 1788? It resulted in chaos. Maybe you need to repeat the 5th grade or find a better librarian. Good luck!


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