Expanded Health Benefits for Illegal Alien Kids in California

On Monday, California began covering health care for poor illegal aliens under the age of 19.

State enrollment estimates in the first year are expected to hit 185,000 of the 250,000 eligible minors, say state officials cited by the Associated Press. Legislative analysis of SB 4, the follow-up bill to shore up implementation of an earlier illegal alien public health care expansion bill, SB 75, details a budget allocation of $40 million toward the expansion. “Ongoing annual costs are estimated at $132 million General Fund.”

Among supporters of SB 4 were California’s most powerful unions and immigrant activist organizations. including the National Council of La Raza, Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California, the California Teachers Association and SEIU California.

Enrollment coordinator Claudia Carolina is working with schools in Los Angeles to publicize the program. The AP noted that outside the state Capitol, “health care and immigrant rights advocates celebrating the expansion turned their attention to their next goals. They want Medi-Cal – the state’s version of Medicaid – to cover income-eligible adults who migrated illegally …”.

An online KCRA 3 News poll via Facebook asked, “Should minors brought illegally to the U.S. be allowed to sign up for state-funded health care?” Respondents overwhelmingly said no: 62 percent rejected the idea, compared to...


Read More HERE