Stephanie
Diamond Member
- Jul 11, 2004
- 70,230
- 10,864
- 2,040
Well how special, They don't have enough water, now they want you all to pay for this....Your masters in your Government has spoken
SNIP:
SACRAMENTO — California legislative leaders took a bold step Tuesday toward protecting immigrants living in the country without documentation by backing legislation to offer Medi-Cal and other public services to a population they said they want to help move out of the shadows.
The leaders of the California Senate and Assembly joined lawmakers and advocates in announcing the “Immigrants Shape California” package of bills at a news conference in Sacramento, saying the federal government’s inaction on immigration reform prompted them to act.
“California has grown into the greatest state in the nation and the world’s seventh largest economy on the backs of settlers from all over this country and immigrants from many others,” said state Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de León, D-Los Angeles. “Our infrastructure, our railroads, our roads and bridges were built by immigrants. … Immigrants shape California.”
SB4 by state Sen. Ricardo Lara, D-Bell Gardens (Los Angeles County), would extend Medi-Cal to low-income immigrants living in the country without documentation. In addition, such immigrants would be able to buy health insurance from the Covered California exchange at unsubsidized rates available to others in the state, if a waiver is granted by the federal government. SB4 directs the Health and Human Services Agency to seek a waiver from the federal government.
Lara said 30 percent of undocumented immigrants can afford Covered California insurance without subsidies.
Seeking federal waiver
Last year, a similar bill by Lara to expand Medi-Cal stalled due to the $1.3 billion a year cost. Lara said he’s been working with officials in Washington, D.C., on a federal waiver to expand Medi-Cal coverage to immigrants, and on ways to limit the cost of the expansion.
“The numbers are still being worked out, but we’ve brought it down from what we once thought would be $1 billion to close to $400-to-$800 million a year,” Lara said. “It looks like something that’s do-able to cover folks.”
The expansion of health benefits has long been sought by immigrant rights groups that say basic medical care should be a human right, regardless of residency status or income.
ALL of it here: comments aren't real pretty
California lawmakers propose expanding benefits to some immigrants - SFGate
SNIP:
SACRAMENTO — California legislative leaders took a bold step Tuesday toward protecting immigrants living in the country without documentation by backing legislation to offer Medi-Cal and other public services to a population they said they want to help move out of the shadows.
The leaders of the California Senate and Assembly joined lawmakers and advocates in announcing the “Immigrants Shape California” package of bills at a news conference in Sacramento, saying the federal government’s inaction on immigration reform prompted them to act.
“California has grown into the greatest state in the nation and the world’s seventh largest economy on the backs of settlers from all over this country and immigrants from many others,” said state Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de León, D-Los Angeles. “Our infrastructure, our railroads, our roads and bridges were built by immigrants. … Immigrants shape California.”
SB4 by state Sen. Ricardo Lara, D-Bell Gardens (Los Angeles County), would extend Medi-Cal to low-income immigrants living in the country without documentation. In addition, such immigrants would be able to buy health insurance from the Covered California exchange at unsubsidized rates available to others in the state, if a waiver is granted by the federal government. SB4 directs the Health and Human Services Agency to seek a waiver from the federal government.
Lara said 30 percent of undocumented immigrants can afford Covered California insurance without subsidies.
Seeking federal waiver
Last year, a similar bill by Lara to expand Medi-Cal stalled due to the $1.3 billion a year cost. Lara said he’s been working with officials in Washington, D.C., on a federal waiver to expand Medi-Cal coverage to immigrants, and on ways to limit the cost of the expansion.
“The numbers are still being worked out, but we’ve brought it down from what we once thought would be $1 billion to close to $400-to-$800 million a year,” Lara said. “It looks like something that’s do-able to cover folks.”
The expansion of health benefits has long been sought by immigrant rights groups that say basic medical care should be a human right, regardless of residency status or income.
ALL of it here: comments aren't real pretty
California lawmakers propose expanding benefits to some immigrants - SFGate
