Expanded Health Coverage For Low-income Immigrants
California will become the first state in the nation to offer healthcare coverage to all low-income undocumented immigrants as part of the 2022-2023 state budget, Governor Gavin Newsom announced on Sunday.
By January 1, 2024, an estimated 700,000 people in the state will become newly eligible for Medi-Cal. It is intended for those who were previously uninsured or insured by local/county health programs such as Alameda County’s HealthPAC.
Over the past 10 years, a coalition of organizations in the state using the hashtag #Health4All has been advocating for increased healthcare coverage for all undocumented immigrants. Incrementally, more people became eligible including children, young adults, and seniors. The new expansion closes the gap by offering Medi-Cal for those 26-49 years-old.
CA Budget Includes Abortion Access
Just days after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, the expanded CA budget includes more funding for abortion access.
According to Cal Matters, “The agreement earmarked $40 million in one-time funds to subsidize the cost of providing abortions to low-income or uninsured patients, including those who come from out of state. The deal also commits $20 million over three years to create the California Abortion Support Fund, which would hand out grants to women who need help paying for travel, lodging, child care and other expenses that advocates say prevent many low-income women from accessing abortion services.”
How Much Will You Get in State Refund?
Included in the same budget is a state refund to an estimated 23 million Californians. A family of two tax filers and one or more dependents could receive up to $1,050 in refunds, starting around October. The refunds are based on income eligibility, but an estimated 95% of California taxpayers will receive a refund.
- A person who earns up to $75,000 a year will receive $350, or $700 for joint filers earning up to $150,000. Households with dependents will receive $350 on top of that for a total of $1,050 in their refund.
- Individuals who earn up to $125,000 will get $250 refunds, or $500 for joint filers earning up to $250,000. Households with dependents will receive $250 on top of that for $750 total.
- Individuals who earn up to $250,000 will receive $200, or joint filers earning up to $500,000 will receive $400. Households with dependents will receive $200 on top of that for a total of $600 in their refund.
Momo Chang is a freelance journalist based in the San Francisco Bay Area. She is the Oakland Voices Co-Director. Her work focuses on healthcare, immigration, education, Asian American communities, food and culture. She is a former staff writer at the Oakland Tribune. Momo has received journalism awards from the Society of Professional Journalists for investigative reporting and the Asian American Journalists Association, among others. Her work has appeared in the East Bay Express, San Francisco Chronicle, Wired, and The New York Times. Momo is primarily a print journalist who also produces audio and visual stories for documentary film and radio. She is a Senior Contributing Editor for Hyphen and formerly the Content Manager at the Center for Asian American Media (CAAM).
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