Other States May Follow California's Lead in Considering Coverage for Immigrants

californiahealthline.org ^ | February 20, 2014 | George Lauer,

[moonshinner_09]

A bill introduced last week in the California Senate aimed at allowing undocumented immigrants to get health care through the state may be the first legislation of its kind in the country, but it probably won't be the last. Stalled immigration talks in Washington, D.C., suggest that states will have to continue forging their own path. SB 1005 proposed by Sen. Ricardo Lara (D-Long Beach) would establish a program to provide health coverage for more than two million Californians expected to be left without insurance through the Affordable Care Act. Many -- but not all -- are undocumented immigrants who are expressly denied coverage through the ACA. "Other states are looking at this kind of legislation, although not to the degree California is so far," said Jenny Rejeske, health policy analyst with the National Immigration Law Center. "I think this is the natural next step -- to be looking at ways to provide coverage for all those who are left out of the Affordable Care Act," Rejeske said. "I think it's important to point out that it's not just undocumented immigrants who are not going to get coverage through the ACA," Rejeske said. According to private and government estimates, as many as 27 million may be left uninsured in 2016 after full implementation of the ACA. In California, estimates range to almost three million. In an analysis of a Congressional Budget Office report in Health Affairs last summer, authors predicted most of the residual uninsured -- about 80% -- will be U.S. citizens. "There's this misconception that everyone who is legally in this country will be covered under the new law but that isn't the case at all," Rejeske said. "It makes perfect sense that states will be trying to figure out how to cover those left out."

[moonshinner_09]

Americans are sick and tried of subsidizing free healthcare for illegals. The taxpayers are force into paying for this and never have a say in this.As broke as calif is,they continue to spend money they do not have.I am sure illegals in Mexico think it's the right thing to get free medical insurance..

[telstar12.5]

that paltry budget “surplus” sure won’t last long if they try to do this

[Mastador1]

that paltry budget “surplus” sure won’t last long if they try to do this

There is no budget surplus! Just the usual smoke and mirrors by the demonrats borrowing money from one pocket to put it in another and never repaying it. The demonrats have bankrupt the state and now want to take more money from producers to give to the illegals. My Sister in Law is a teacher in Chula Vista and talks about the many students she has that cross the border twice each day, aint' it grand we can afford to school Mexicans while everyone is whining about the lack of funds for schools.

[skeeter]

Since when is what other states “might do” news?

[Paine in the Neck]

[AngelesCrestHighway]

Sure!!!...why not?...John Q. Taxpayer just loves all this give away his tax money liberal bullshit!

[mistfree]

“According to private and government estimates, as many as 27 million may be left uninsured in 2016 after full implementation of the ACA”

If memory serves (not well any longer) when this debacle was being sold to the gullible public they said that there were 30 million uninsured people in the country. Well we sure did fix that! Now there will only be 27 million IF it ever gets fully implemented. Now I can sleep better.