Newsom speaks on plan for universal access to health care

it’s wonderful to be here with all of you in particular, uh, your future congressmen Rudy solace Assembly member to be back with you an extraordinary Uh contributions that are being made throughout the Central Valley with clinic is extraordinary work. 24 sites not dissimilar to this all throughout the valley. The backbone of our health care delivery system. And of course, uh, the one, the only the great uh Dolores huerta. Uh, that’s about as good as it always gets. And so I’m humbled and deeply grateful. Uh Delores, you took the time to be here. Unsurprisingly though you are here because we’re here to advance a cause that you champion for quite literally decades. We talk about health care for all. We have politicians of all political stripes over the course of decades. Uh, preach. Uh, the principle we have standing ovations and audiences large and small principle is advanced elections come go, politicians come and go, uh, years become decades and decades we’ve seen in action. Finally. Finally, we’re at a point where we’re making those words real. We are implementing our ideals were manifesting uh, this principle, this fundamental notion that so many of us have been preaching for years and years and years, uh, and here in the largest state in our union, in the state of California. We are positioned with this budget to be able to deliver on what we’ve been promoting universal healthcare for all, regardless of preexisting condition, regardless of the ability to pay and regardless of your immigration status. We believe in this principle. We believe in the right to quality health care. We believe we are strengthened as a community. We also believe that families are strengthened, particularly in a state as diverse and large as the state of California with so many mixed status families with Children themselves that may have healthcare, but a working mom that just got a mammogram and it didn’t turn out as well as she had hoped. And now she is suffering the consequences of early diagnosis of breast cancer. And yet she, at just 35 years old, does not have access to healthcare. What that does to that young child, what that does to the family? The impact that has on the community. Our economy is profound and pronounced. And so we’re here in that spirit to reconcile that, to strengthen our families, to strengthen our community. To strengthen the economy here in the state of California. For those? It’s like clockwork that are critical of this proposal. I would only offer this. We have universal health care in this state and in this country, but it’s on the back end, It’s called the emergency room and it’s costing you the taxpayer of fortune. If you care not just about values and principles of morality, but if you’re only values and principles are advanced through economics, then that alone should be an argument in favor of universal health care. Why not invest in treating people in preventing the most acute conditions that tend to manifest on the back end. And as taxpayers be out of pocket as a consequence of that, why not get that as we struggled through the latest surge of uh this pandemic. Why not get that preventative vaccine? An extraordinarily low cost because you’re covered, then wait for the ravages of the disease and the back end where we end up paying for that uncompensated care. All of us, not just as it relates to counties and general funds, but all of us that have private health insurance who have higher premiums as a consequence. So this is about saving money. This is about strengthening families and as I said, strengthening communities and the economy here in the state of California. And it’s about time. It is a point of deep pride, not just principles that were here uh in particular in the central valley where we come back over and over and over again to make the point that this state is for all Californians and one of the most dynamic and vibrant parts of California is represented not just here in Lamont, but throughout this region and the fastest growing part of the state of California. Uh And we look forward to working with the legislature with some member salas and his colleagues over the course of the next many months. Senator Terrazzo and rambling have been incredible champions of these principles over the course. Last number of years to get this job done and begin this process a new by the end of this calendar year were the first cohort, uh, will be expanded for those as Delores said that currently are without that health insurance. Uh, happy to answer, of course. Any questions on costs, any questions about next steps. But we inter planted implemented rather presented yesterday a fully balanced budget in the state of California were enjoying record surpluses, record reserves, paying down a record amount of unfunded healthcare liability. We’re being wise with our investments, looking at one time surpluses in one time investments. At the same time, we’re not neglecting people in the state that are vulnerable people that are struggling. And this is one of our top priority investments, not by any stretch, the only investment in the healthcare space. We’ve expanded coverage to the middle class and we’re looking at affordability And price reductions in particular with high cost pharmaceuticals. Everybody we had in mind this year as it relates to our healthcare investments. But when we talk about everybody, we’re going to be inclusive to the two plus million Californians that are working every single day, 10% of the workforce in the state of California, of which the vast majority have lived in the state for over a decade. And those are people, regardless of their immigration status, that pays billions of dollars a year in taxes each and every year in the state of California. And so I’m proud to be here. We, we promoted this three plus years ago on the trail and here we are three years later, and we have the prospect to do something historic and meaningful. And we hope to see this replicated all across the country.

‘We’re going to be inclusive’: Newsom speaks on plan for universal access to health care coverage

Updated: 3:13 PM PST Jan 11, 2022

Gov. Gavin Newsom was in Kern County on Tuesday to speak more about his proposal to offer universal access to health care coverage for all, including undocumented immigrants.The proposed $2.2 billion program to aid undocumented immigrants in the country would not take effect until January 2024 to include “all low-income Californians, regardless of immigration status,” Newsom said Monday.| MORE | California Gov. Newsom wants health coverage for all immigrants“Here in the largest state in our union, in the state of California, we are positioned with this budget to be able to deliver on what we’ve been promoting: universal health care for all, regardless of preexisting conditions, regardless of the ability to pay and regardless of your immigration status,” Newsom said during a press conference Tuesday.The proposal would provide an expansion of full-scope Medi-Cal to all eligible Californians, including the estimated 764,000 undocumented immigrants living in the state.“When we talk about everybody, we’re going to be inclusive to the 2+ million Californians that are working every single day, 10% of the workforce in the state of California, of which the vast majority have lived in this state for over a decade,” he said.Newsom added that regardless of their immigration status, they pay billions a year in taxes in California.It also calls for the creation of an Office of Health Care Affordability, “which will address underlying cost drivers and improve the affordability of health coverage, benefiting all Californians.”It’s all part of Newsom’s annual budget proposal, where he announced his plan on how he wants to spend more than $200 billion of taxpayer money.| VIDEO BELOW | Gov. Gavin Newsom reveals $200 billion spending planWhat was announced Monday is the first version of the annual budget proposal. Details of what gets passed will change as he negotiates with leaders of his party and circumstances change.| MORE | Here’s what’s in Gov. Newsom’s 2022 budget blueprintThe state has made great strides in reducing its uninsured population in recent years, but the largest single group left behind under the state’s Medicaid program are low-income residents in the country illegally.The state began covering immigrants 26 and under in 2019, and those 50 and older last year.— The Associated Press contributed to this report

KERN COUNTY, Calif. —

Gov. Gavin Newsom was in Kern County on Tuesday to speak more about his proposal to offer universal access to health care coverage for all, including undocumented immigrants.

The proposed $2.2 billion program to aid undocumented immigrants in the country would not take effect until January 2024 to include “all low-income Californians, regardless of immigration status,” Newsom said Monday.

| MORE | California Gov. Newsom wants health coverage for all immigrants

“Here in the largest state in our union, in the state of California, we are positioned with this budget to be able to deliver on what we’ve been promoting: universal health care for all, regardless of preexisting conditions, regardless of the ability to pay and regardless of your immigration status,” Newsom said during a press conference Tuesday.

The proposal would provide an expansion of full-scope Medi-Cal to all eligible Californians, including the estimated 764,000 undocumented immigrants living in the state.

“When we talk about everybody, we’re going to be inclusive to the 2+ million Californians that are working every single day, 10% of the workforce in the state of California, of which the vast majority have lived in this state for over a decade,” he said.

Newsom added that regardless of their immigration status, they pay billions a year in taxes in California.

It also calls for the creation of an Office of Health Care Affordability, “which will address underlying cost drivers and improve the affordability of health coverage, benefiting all Californians.”

It’s all part of Newsom’s annual budget proposal, where he announced his plan on how he wants to spend more than $200 billion of taxpayer money.

| VIDEO BELOW | Gov. Gavin Newsom reveals $200 billion spending plan

What was announced Monday is the first version of the annual budget proposal. Details of what gets passed will change as he negotiates with leaders of his party and circumstances change.

| MORE | Here’s what’s in Gov. Newsom’s 2022 budget blueprint

The state has made great strides in reducing its uninsured population in recent years, but the largest single group left behind under the state’s Medicaid program are low-income residents in the country illegally.

The state began covering immigrants 26 and under in 2019, and those 50 and older last year.

— The Associated Press contributed to this report