Coverage Rates Lag For Latinos Even Under Health Law’s Expanded Medicaid
Researchers found that, prior to the health law, Latinos had the lowest insurance coverage rate. “Why would [they] benefit the least from Medicaid expansion?” Dahai Yue, one of the researchers, said.
The California Health Report:
The ACA Left Behind One Low-Income Group: Latinos, Report Finds
The expansion of the federal low-income health program to cover more people hasn’t benefited Latinos as much as other racial and ethnic groups, according to a recent report by UCLA researchers. The Affordable Care Act expanded the program, called Medicaid, and it has allowed millions of previously uninsured people to qualify for government-funded health care. Thirty-two states, including California, and the District of Columbia have implemented the expansion. In California, where Medicaid is known as Medi-Cal, almost 4 million people gained coverage after the program’s expansion in 2014. (Boyd-Barrett, 5/21)
And in related news —
The San Diego Union-Tribune:
Free Health Care For Unauthorized Immigrants In California? It's Being Considered
Amid escalating tension — and even legal battles — between California and the Trump administration over immigration, an effort is underway to expand health care coverage for unauthorized immigrants in the state. Just last week, President Donald Trump met with state and local leaders from California at the White House, including Escondido Mayor Sam Abed and county supervisor Kristin Gaspard, to applaud them for taking stands to oppose state immigration policies his administration finds unconsitutional. Meanwhile, Politico is describing this health care effort from Democrats in Sacramento as “one of the most daring examples yet of blue-state Democrats thumbing their nose at Trump.” (Hamblin, 5/21)