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 The Senate voted 28-11 in favor of the proposal, which still must be
approved by the state Assembly and signed by the governor, said
Jesse Melgar, a spokesman for the bill's author, Senator Ricardo
Lara.
If the bill becomes law, California would become the first U.S.
state to let unauthorized immigrants access health insurance from
its exchange, although a federal waiver would still be needed for
that to happen.
But the measure would not provide a subsidy for undocumented
immigrants to buy health insurance, unlike U.S. citizens and legal
residents who can qualify for such assistance based on their
incomes, Melgar said.
It would, however, expand medical coverage for California residents
age 18 and younger who lack legal immigration status, giving those
in need full health insurance under the state's Medi-Cal program to
supplement emergency coverage such children already receive
regardless of their immigration background, Melgar said.
The bill would allow unauthorized immigrants 19 and older who cannot
afford to buy insurance to sign up for a program that would
eventually provide them coverage, Melgar said. A state allocation to
fund the program would be made at a later date, he said.
"Today’s vote is a transformational and decisive step forward on the
path to achieving health for all," Lara, a Democrat, said in a
statement.
About 7 percent of California's population, or 2.6 million people,
lack legal immigration status. In 2012, the state spent more than
$600 million on emergency room and other health-related services for
people living in the state illegally.
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The California Assembly is expected to vote on the bill before the
end of the state's legislative session in August.
Ira Mehlman, a spokesman for the Federation for American Immigration
Reform, which calls for restrictions on immigration, said the bill
would unnecessarily cost California taxpayers and strain the state's
healthcare system.
"It's just one additional step that the California legislature is
trying to take to eliminate any legal distinction between illegal
aliens and legal residents of California," Mehlman said.
Melgar said an analysis has not been completed on how much the bill
would cost the state.
(Reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis; Editing by Cynthia Johnston and
Mohammad Zargham)
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