Governor Jerry Brown has now pushed the effort for this coverage another step forward.
Following the signing of a new bill by Governor Jerry Brown on Friday, California health insurance law has now become one step closer to being available to immigrants who are living in the state without any legal documentation.
The bill has now allowed the state to turn to the federal government in order to request its approval.
The California health insurance bill has opened up the chance for the state to ask the federal government for its permission to be able to sell coverage to unauthorized residents through the exchange. Senate Bill 10 requests that the federal government issue a waver that would allow the state’s undocumented immigrants to be able to buy health plans through Covered California, the insurance exchange in the state.
This would not give undocumented immigrants access to California health insurance subsidies, only coverage.
Only legal residents and American citizens will be able to qualify for health insurance subsidies through Covered California. However, if the federal government gives the nod to sell to undocumented immigrants, it would at least make it possible for these residents of the state to be able to purchase policies.
In 2015, Governor Brown signed a bill that made it possible to sell full health insurance benefits to children who were undocumented immigrants, under California’s Medi-Cal, the coverage program for low-income residents.
Immigrant advocacy groups and even certain public health organizations have been placing a central focus on insurance coverage over the last while. They feel that by widening the access to healthcare, California will not only be more humane but will also become more cost-effective as it will reduce the reliance that undocumented immigrants have on medical care provided through the emergency room.
According to Senator Ricardo Lara (D-Los Angeles), “The current policy disallowing immigrants from purchasing care with their own money is both discriminatory and outdated.” Supporters of this California health insurance bill have also said that by enrolling a larger number of people, it will also help to make Covered California more effective to everyone else who has used it to enroll in their coverage.