Health Advocates Worried Medi-Cal Beneficiaries Will Drop Coverage Because Of ‘Public Charge’ Policy
The proposal from the Trump administration would allow immigration officials to penalize immigrants who are seeking green cards for utilizing government aid programs such as Medicaid.
Capital Public Radio:
With Federal Public Charge Rule Pending, California Braces For Possible Medi-Cal Exodus
California health advocates worry that legal citizens from mixed-status families who are entitled to Medi-Cal may drop their insurance for fear of negatively impacting their loved ones’ applications. Kimberly Chen with the California Pan-Ethnic Health Network said even though undocumented children have been entitled to Medi-Cal since 2016, there’s confusion around what the proposed federal penalty means. “Perhaps the kids are citizens and the parents are permanent residents,” she said. “Maybe they’re fearful that their use of Medi-Cal to get themselves healthy, that that would endanger their whole family's’ ability to become citizens in the future.” (Caiola, 11/26)