From the Associated Press: Gov. Gavin Newsom wants California to stop enrolling more low-income immigrants without legal status in a state-funded health care program starting in 2026 and begin charging those already enrolled a monthly premium the following year.
The decision is driven by a higher-than-expected price tag on the program and economic uncertainty from federal tariff policies, Newsom said in a Wednesday announcement. The Democratic governor’s move highlights Newsom’s struggle to protect his liberal policy priorities amid budget challenges in his final years on the job.
California was among one of the first states to extend free health care benefits to all poor adults regardless of their immigration status last year, an ambitious plan touted by Newsom to help the nation’s most populous state to inch closer to a goal of universal health care. But the cost for such expansion ran $2.7 billion more than the administration had anticipated.
Newsom in March suggested to reporters he was not considering rolling back health benefits for low-income people living in the country illegally as the state was grappling with a $6.2 billion Medicaid shortfall. He also repeatedly defended the expansion, saying it saves the state money in the long run. The program is state-funded and does not use federal dollars.
Local NBC News station KCRA3 reported Wednesday morning:
Earlier this spring, the governor made back-to-back requests for loans to help cover unexpected, rising costs for the state’s Medicaid program, known as MediCal, which provides insurance to low-income Californians, regardless of immigration status.
The state’s Democratic legislature and governor estimated that the health care coverage for undocumented people would cost about $6 billion this year. That number has since ballooned to about $10 billion. Newsom’s administration has said the coverage for undocumented residents played a role in the need for the loans but was not entirely to blame.
Now Newsom is reportedly considering charging illegal aliens ages 19 and up a $100 monthly premium for healthcare coverage, as well as freezing enrollment for Full-Scope MediCal program, which provides medical, dental, vision, hearing and substance use disorder screenings.
Newsom’s office is touting that this will “save” $5.4 billion over the next three years.
JUST IN
Despite financial uncertainty ahead in California, Gov. Gavin Newsom will announce an effort to continue providing health insurance to undocumented people, but with new rules in place. Full story here >> https://t.co/aTFqn2s2pG pic.twitter.com/cpPPVY5iez
— kcranews (@kcranews) May 14, 2025
Steve Hilton, Republican candidate for California governor, posted a video as a woman spoke out at a town hall in Bakersfield. Watch:
BAKERSFIELD POLICY FORUM:
“I’ve had cancer for years. Diabetes. I’m trying to raise my family…the medical bills keep going up. But Newsom is giving free healthcare to illegal immigrants. How is this fair?” pic.twitter.com/YyU8aoZbMc
— steve hilton (@SteveHiltonx) May 8, 2025
READ MORE from the Associated Press.
Department of Homeland Security is investigating California for allegedly providing federal benefits to illegal immigrants.
Gavin Newsom, who spent 10 BILLION taxpayer dollars on healthcare for a legal immigrants doesn’t have a comment at this time. pic.twitter.com/Eb3reyNOTt
— Kevin Dalton (@TheKevinDalton) May 12, 2025
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