Starting January 1st, California will become the first state in the nation to offer health insurance to undocumented immigrants. This expansion will make over 700,000 people, between the ages of 26 and 49, eligible for medical care. Advocates for immigrant rights are calling this a major milestone and a monumental victory in the fight for inclusive healthcare.
Under this expansion, eligible individuals will be able to qualify for the state's health insurance program for low-income individuals, Medi-Cal. This program offers access to primary and preventative care specialists, prescription medicine, and more. Velasquez emphasizes that undocumented individuals also deserve access to these primary needs that they typically lack.
While this is a positive development, there are still challenges to address. Many undocumented Californians will remain ineligible for Medi-Cal because they make too much money to qualify but not enough to afford private insurance.
Source: Youtube
