Newsom's Shift on Health Care for Immigrants

California Governor Gavin Newsom is set to reveal a budget plan that will reduce health care benefits for undocumented immigrants. This move is a significant change from his earlier promises of universal health care for all. The plan aims to balance the state's budget, which is facing a $16 billion shortfall. This deficit is partly due to the unpredictable tariffs imposed by the Trump administration and the increasing costs of the Medi-Cal program. The proposed changes include freezing enrollment for new applicants over 19 years old in the full Medi-Cal program starting in 2026. Existing enrollees and those in limited plans, like emergency or pregnancy services, will not be affected. Additionally, there will be a new $100 monthly premium for adults aged 19 and older with unsatisfactory immigration status. This premium will start in 2027 and applies to individuals whose immigration status makes them ineligible for federally funded Medicaid.

The budget plan also comes as Congress is considering a bill that would cut Medicaid funding by 10 percent to states that provide health care to undocumented immigrants. This includes California, which has seen its Medi-Cal expansion costs skyrocket in recent years. Newsom's office claims that these changes will save the state an estimated $5. 4 billion by the 2028-29 budget year. They also insist that the governor remains committed to protecting immigrant communities and expanding health care access. This budget plan is just one of several recent policy shifts by Newsom. He has also called for clearing homeless encampments and has sparked controversy by opposing trans athletes in women’s sports. Critics may see this as a move to the right, but Newsom's office maintains that these changes are necessary to preserve the state's values and health care system. The plan will need approval from the Democratic-controlled state Legislature. The governor's office has blamed the budget shortfall on the Trump administration's tariffs and the rising costs of Medi-Cal. They also cite the need for "corrective action" to address these financial challenges.

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