California Senate approves health care for undocumented immigrants
A proposal to expand health care to Californians in the country illegally cleared the Senate on Tuesday, passing on a 28-11 vote and heading to the Assembly.
Senate Bill 4 would allow undocumented immigrants to purchase health insurance on the state exchange, pending a federal waiver, and enroll eligible children under the age of 19 in Medi-Cal, the state’s insurance program for the poor. A capped number of undocumented adults would also be allowed participate, if additional funding is appropriated in the state budget.
“We are talking about our friends, we are talking about our neighbors and our families who are denied basic health care in the richest state of this union,” said Sen. Ricardo Lara, D-Bell Gardens, the measure’s author. “Ensuring that every child in California grows up healthy and with an opportunity to thrive and succeed is simply the right thing to do.”
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SB 4 still faces a challenging road in the Assembly, and should it make to Gov. Jerry Brown’s desk, a signature is not guaranteed. Brown has expressed skepticism over the bill because of its high cost, estimated to be as much as $135 million annually.
Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article22904433.html#storylink=cpy
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I sure hope it passes and Brown signs it. This will save many lives, and not just the uninsured's. Right now our emergency rooms are clogged with uninsured undocumented immigrants who have no other access to healthcare. If they can get their primary care in doctor's offices, it will be much cheaper, and ease the strain on our emergency rooms. Plus, as Sen. Lara said, it's the right thing to do.
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