California could be the first state in the country to offer health coverage for all low-income immigrants.
The initiative is part of the billionaire budget presented this Monday by Governor Gavin Newsom.
Doña Francisca says that when she gets sick she thinks twice before going to the doctor.
“If not then, I heal myself with home remedies,” said Dona Francisca.
He also says that due to his immigration status, health insurance is out of reach.
“Not only those who are from here get sick, we all get sick and I think we all deserve that service,” said Dona Francisca.
This Monday, Governor Gavin Newsom proposed the state budget of $ 286 billion.
He seeks $ 614 million to be earmarked to expand health coverage for all low-income residents regardless of immigration status.
“These times of Covid have taught that health insurance is a necessity, it should not be a luxury that only certain people have,” said Luz Gallegos, the executive director of TODEC.
All immigrants age 26 and under and those age 55 and over California qualify for the state Medi-Cal program.
Gallegos says they have fought for more than 10 years for this initiative.
“We have lost many, many lives over the decades by people who do not have access to a doctor or health insurance and are no longer with home remedies,” Gallegos said.
According to a study by the UC Berkeley workplace, more than 3 million California residents are expected to be uninsured by 2022. More than a million are estimated to be undocumented residents.
“Right now with Covid many people died at home because they did not have access, they were afraid to go to the doctor because of the high fees, that everything from the doctor is so expensive,” said Gallegos.
The 2.2 billion program would not go into effect until January 2024. Assemblyman Eduardo Garcia says he supports the measure.
“It’s a positive reaction, I think, for our Latino community in California, particularly a district like ours that represents the majority of the Latino community from the eastern Coachella Valley to the Imperial Valley,” Garcia said.
If the budget is approved by the state legislature, California would be the first state to achieve universal access to health care in the country.
“I think it’s a way to ensure that we have a healthier community, and if we have a healthy community, that means we have a healthy economy,” Assemblymember Garcia said.
Doña Francisca says that she is waiting for the day that she can apply.
“Hopefully it will come true, first God, I have a lot of faith in God that if they do not give that service because it is so much needed,” said Dona Francisca.
The initiative has yet to be approved by the state legislature. This could happen in the summer of this year.
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