California Governor Gavin Newsom signed Bill 133 to expand health coverage. This will give undocumented immigrants over the age of 50 the option to access Medi-Cal, the state's public health program, for health coverage.
Beginning in 2022, the state of California will provide access to Medi-Cal to undocumented immigrants over the age of 50 and with low incomes. The state authorities reported that this action will benefit about 235 thousand people.
“We all need this access to health care now and when we recover from the pandemic. It does not matter the color of our skin or the place where we were born. We all deserve it and we all contribute to the social fabric of this state,” said Governor Newsom.
In this way, people over 50, regardless of their immigration status, will have access to Medi-Cal. Families of four with incomes less than $ 36,000 will be eligible to be beneficiaries of the program.
The plan calls for at least 190,000 undocumented immigrants to be embedded in Medi-Cal by the end of fiscal 2026.
It is now possible for undocumented immigrants to enroll in Medi-Cal, so when the Act takes effect, they will be able to access full coverage.
Anthony Cava, spokesman for the California Department of Health Care Services, explained: “Until the Medi-Cal expansion takes effect, newly enrolled individuals would only be eligible for restricted-scope Medi-Cal, but will be included in transition to full scope coverage”.
If you are an immigrant and you live in California, you can apply for Medi-Cal registration through the following link: https://www.dhcs.ca.gov/services/medi-cal/pages/applyformedi-cal.aspx
