SAN DIEGO — More than 700,000 undocumented immigrants in California are now eligible for Medi-Cal. Some local elected leaders say the cost, around $2.6 billion, is too expensive. But those who have been fighting years to get this passed say this is a great day.
“We're talking about individuals who clean our houses, we're talking about community members who have the lowest paying jobs,” said Andrea Guerrero, Executive Director of Alliance San Diego.
For those who qualify, California already provides health insurance for undocumented immigrants who are under 26 years old and those over 50. This new law that just went into effect fills the gap for those 26 to 49.
Several local Republican leaders say this is not the time to be stretching the state's budget.
“The state already is going to be about 65 billion dollars in debt,” said County Supervisor Jim Desmond.
Desmond said many San Diegans are struggling to pay their bills.
“A lot of us pay a lot of money for insurance and it just seems to be a slight to those that are working hard and providing and having to pay for their insurance when somebody else gets it for free for just walking into the country,” Desmond said.
But supporters of the new law believe this will actually help San Diegans in multiple ways. For one, if people get preventative care they're less likely to get really sick and end up later in our overcrowded emergency rooms.
“If people are getting the right care at the right place and the right time, then that leads to a more efficient system for all of us,” said Anthony Wright, Executive Director of Health Access California. “It's less of a burden on hospitals and clinics.”
And, they say, if people around us are healthier then they're less likely to get us sick.
“During COVID we were wanting everybody to get a vaccination and we wanted that because it was integral to our collective health, right?” said Guerrero. “So our collective health is strengthened by this important milestone of medical for all.”
Desmond and El Cajon Mayor Bill Wells point out that 65,000 migrants have entered our region in the past three months, many of whom now qualify for health insurance. They fear this new law will encourage even more people to enter California.
WATCH RELATED: Immigrant rights groups file second complaint for migrants in open detention sites