Gov. Gavin Newsom’s plan to expand Medi-Cal to all low-income residents in California, regardless of their immigration status, would be a first in the nation.Leer en españolUnder the governor’s budget proposal, the state would spend $2.2 billion, a great benefit for Californians who continue working without any insurance. Newsom’s plan includes the creation of an office of health care affordability, which would help navigate those who cannot afford their medical costs. “Access to health care allows them to live productive and healthy lives and especially access to primary care so that we can catch diseases before they turn into something worse or people end up dying,” said Michelle Monroe, CEO of One Community Health in midtown Sacramento, which already offers low-cost services to the uninsured and to undocumented immigrants.To Monroe, health coverage is a human right, a belief aligned with the UC Davis student-run clinic, Clínica Tepati, which has been running for 47 years. Both of these clinics offer low-cost services to the uninsured and to undocumented immigrants.Currently, there are an estimated 764,000 undocumented immigrants in California.| Related | Newsom speaks on plan for universal access to health care coverageSivot Assatormasihkhah, co-chair of Clínica Tepati said, “A lot of these patients wouldn’t be gaining any of these special needs if they didn’t have Clínica Tepati as an option, so the fact that it has gone on for so long shows the value of it. It’s very important to note that since 1974 is a very long time to be running via students.”José Luis Cortés Pérez said if passed, the proposed budget for expanded health care would bring his family peace of mind, knowing they could go to the doctor without having a high bill after a visit. Under his current salary, medicine is too expensive to purchase.What’s more is that preventative visits are not an option for some undocumented workers. Jesús García Castro, a farmworker, said he has some health problems that he’s been avoiding getting care for because he’s afraid of those costs.But not everyone agrees with the proposal.Assemblymember for District 36, Tom Lackey, argues the proposal would be too costly for taxpayers.”It provides false hope. I don’t think that this is a real proposal and I think that what it does is give them hope that there’s a remedy for their challenge that’s not real,” Lackey said.In the meantime, community clinics say they’re going to keep serving the underserved.”This is an actual problem. If we don’t have these services, these patients have no help,” Assatormasihkhah said.Lawmakers have until June 15 to pass the budget with possible revisions. If passed, it would go into effect January 2024.
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s plan to expand Medi-Cal to all low-income residents in California, regardless of their immigration status, would be a first in the nation.
Leer en español
Under the governor’s budget proposal, the state would spend $2.2 billion, a great benefit for Californians who continue working without any insurance.
Newsom’s plan includes the creation of an office of health care affordability, which would help navigate those who cannot afford their medical costs.
“Access to health care allows them to live productive and healthy lives and especially access to primary care so that we can catch diseases before they turn into something worse or people end up dying,” said Michelle Monroe, CEO of One Community Health in midtown Sacramento, which already offers low-cost services to the uninsured and to undocumented immigrants.
To Monroe, health coverage is a human right, a belief aligned with the UC Davis student-run clinic, Clínica Tepati, which has been running for 47 years. Both of these clinics offer low-cost services to the uninsured and to undocumented immigrants.
Currently, there are an estimated 764,000 undocumented immigrants in California.
| Related | Newsom speaks on plan for universal access to health care coverage
Sivot Assatormasihkhah, co-chair of Clínica Tepati said, “A lot of these patients wouldn’t be gaining any of these special needs if they didn’t have Clínica Tepati as an option, so the fact that it has gone on for so long shows the value of it. It’s very important to note that since 1974 is a very long time to be running via students.”
José Luis Cortés Pérez said if passed, the proposed budget for expanded health care would bring his family peace of mind, knowing they could go to the doctor without having a high bill after a visit. Under his current salary, medicine is too expensive to purchase.
What’s more is that preventative visits are not an option for some undocumented workers. Jesús García Castro, a farmworker, said he has some health problems that he’s been avoiding getting care for because he’s afraid of those costs.
But not everyone agrees with the proposal.
Assemblymember for District 36, Tom Lackey, argues the proposal would be too costly for taxpayers.
“It provides false hope. I don’t think that this is a real proposal and I think that what it does is give them hope that there’s a remedy for their challenge that’s not real,” Lackey said.
In the meantime, community clinics say they’re going to keep serving the underserved.
“This is an actual problem. If we don’t have these services, these patients have no help,” Assatormasihkhah said.
Lawmakers have until June 15 to pass the budget with possible revisions. If passed, it would go into effect January 2024.
https://www.kcra.com/article/sacramento-clinics-support-newsom-budget-expand-health-care/38740916
