by Madison Hirneisen
Gov. Gavin Newsom unveiled a plan to expand Medi-Cal coverage to many income-eligible residents regardless of immigration status on Monday as part of his 2022-2023 budget proposal.
The plan, which Newsom hopes to see implemented in January 2024, would expand Medi-Cal eligibility to all income-eligible adults between 26 and 49 years old regardless of immigration status. The proposal would also close a gap in health-care coverage for undocumented immigrants, who the state already covers up to age 26 and after age 50.
The program lies within Newsom’s $286.4 billion budget proposal, announced on Monday, including a surplus of $45.7 billion.
Currently, Medi-Cal is available to certain individuals based on income status, everyone 65 and older, those under 21 and individuals who are disabled, according to the Department of Health Care Services.
According to the governor’s proposal, the new proposal to expand Medi-Cal would cost the state about $819.3 million in the 2023-2024 budget year and an estimated $2.7 billion annually at implementation.
“California is poised to be – if this proposal is supported – the first state in the country to achieve universal access to health coverage,” the governor said Monday. “That means full-scope Medi-Cal, including long-term care, IHSS (In Home Supportive Services) and behavioral health to all low-income Californians, regardless of immigration status.”
To be eligible for Medi-Cal in 2024, Californians aged 26 and older must meet the same eligibility standards, 138% of the poverty level. For an individual Californian, that equates to annual earnings of $17,609.
The future of the proposal hinges on the approval of the state Legislature, which is tasked with revising Newsom’s proposed budget. The governor will then unveil a revised budget in May, which he acknowledged on Monday could end up looking “very different.”
In addition to a plan to expand Medi-Cal, Newsom unveiled additional investments to address what he called the “state’s greatest existential threats” on Monday, announcing proposed spending to address the climate crisis, COVID-19, homelessness and public safety.
The governor unveiled $22 billion in climate spending on Monday, including $1.2 billion to address forest and wildfire management and a $6 billion package to address drought impacts.
The proposal also includes $2.7 billion in emergency funding to address COVID-19 by ramping up vaccination efforts and increasing statewide testing.
On top of a $12 billion investment to address homelessness last year, the governor announced an additional $2 billion in proposed spending to expand mental health housing services and address encampments.
Additionally, the governor asks the legislature to allocate millions to bolster law enforcement efforts, including $255 million in grants for local law enforcement and a new “Smash and Grab Enforcement Unit.”
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Madison Hirneisen is a staff reporter covering California for The Center Square. Madison has experience covering both local and national news and is a graduate of Liberty University. She currently resides in Southern California.
Photo “Gavin Newsom” by Gage Skidmore. CC BY-SA 3.0.
Look here, it’s absurd and reckless and idiotic that California would allow DDS (Department of Developmental Services, the agency governing 21 California Regional Centers serving our most vulnerable populations (people with severe autism and epilepsy, self injurious behaviors and other complex medical and behavioral needs), to be there “conservators”. This is a MAJOR conflict of interest as DDS and Regional Centers often fail in providing services to people with developmental disabilities. Therefore, it’s unjust, unfair and dangerous to have the SAME government agencies often taking parents to OAH hearings to GET needed services, to then become “conservators” of any vulnerable disabled person who they can then control and DENY needed services to. PARENTS and conservators need to retain rights to make decisions. If they are obstructed in doing so, this leaves thousands of people with developmental disabilities who can’t speak for themselves, being controlled by the very agencies charged with providing services under the Lanterman Act. DDS and California regional centers have a long, sordid shocking record of FAILING to provide services to people with developmental services. If they are allowed to be their conservators than these government agencies can approve four point restraints, chemical restraints (i.e…Haldol, Ativan, Benadryl, etc….to keep these vulnerable clients chemically and physically restrained in the most restrictive settings by failing to provide needed services at HOME in the least restrictive settings. Parents and conservators of children and adults with special needs are protected and have rights under California’s Lanterman Act. Denying these people the right to advocate and protect their children and adult children with special needs is dangerous, leaving them floating in a sea of bloated and inefficient bureaucracy tangled in the reality of their inability and control to obstruct and delay their duty to secure needed services, thereby denying people with disabilities their right under Lanterman Act to receive prompt medical care and be free from harm. Enhanced rights to children and adults who ALREADY HAVE Administrative Law Judge orders for their needed care should be immediately recognized and enforced as per court orders in place. These should receive top priority in getting needed services as a matter of health and safety and to honor current OAH court orders for their care.
This is a continuation of yet more of an incentive for illegals to come to this country. We can barely take care of our own and all the liberals want to do is add more of a burden to the backs of the taxpayers.
Business’s are closing because of the pandemic and those who remain open are having a hard time finding workers.
This country has been blessed with many years of good fortune but the way things are going that may run out and then what will these idiots do?