Newsom seeks cap on free health care for undocumented immigrants as budget gap looms

Gavin Newsom and the Democrats, illegally under Federal law, stole $9.8 billion last year to finance free health care for illegal aliens.  Worse, he is making the people of Maine, Iowa and Oklahoma pay for his lawlessness and support of law breakers.

“And although Newsom’s office emphasized in materials it released that “no one will be kicked off their health care,” undocumented immigrants 19-years-old and older who are already on Medi-Cal’s rolls would have to pay a $100 monthly premium beginning in 2027.

All told, the changes will save the state about $5.4 billion by 2028, according to figures released by Newsom’s office.

The proposed reversal marks a significant retreat on an issue the governor has touted as being a linchpin in his goal of providing universal health care coverage in California. His success pushing through the initiative, which began in January 2024, helped solidify Newsom’s role as a progressive force in the Democratic politics. The back tracking will be a political gift to conservatives, who for months have been criticizing the program as excessively expensive and out-of-touch with what Californians want in tough economic times.

Yes, they will have to pay—but will Sacramento even try to collect?  Oh, if they have the addresses of these hundreds of thousands of illegal aliens, why haven’t they turned them over to ICE.  Not to do so, shows that are hiding and protecting law breakers—which is a felony under Federal law.  When will the DOJ arrest and indict the corrupt California Governor.  If you stepped in the Capitol on January 6, 2021, they arrested you, no due process, no bail, no attorneys and you waited months and years for a trial—many in solitary.  Is Gavin above the law?

Newsom seeks cap on free health care for undocumented immigrants as budget gap looms

The proposal marks a retreat for Newsom, who championed the ambitious and costly program.

By Rachel Bluth, Politico, 05/14/2025   https://www.politico.com/news/2025/05/14/newsom-proposes-capping-undocumented-health-care-00347541

SACRAMENTO, California — In an effort to narrow a looming budget hole, California Gov. Gavin Newsom is backing away from a centerpiece of his time in office: free health insurance for undocumented immigrants.

Under a plan that is part of a larger budget proposal Newsom will unveil later this morning, adults 19-years-old and older who are living in the country illegally would no longer be able to register for the state’s Medi-Cal insurance program beginning in 2026. Children and teens will still be eligible.

And although Newsom’s office emphasized in materials it released that “no one will be kicked off their health care,” undocumented immigrants 19-years-old and older who are already on Medi-Cal’s rolls would have to pay a $100 monthly premium beginning in 2027.

All told, the changes will save the state about $5.4 billion by 2028, according to figures released by Newsom’s office.

The proposed reversal marks a significant retreat on an issue the governor has touted as being a linchpin in his goal of providing universal health care coverage in California. His success pushing through the initiative, which began in January 2024, helped solidify Newsom’s role as a progressive force in the Democratic politics. The back tracking will be a political gift to conservatives, who for months have been criticizing the program as excessively expensive and out-of-touch with what Californians want in tough economic times.

Democrats in the Legislature, meanwhile, have been adamantly opposed to cutting back on coverage for undocumented immigrants. Newsom is all but certain to encounter resistance from his party as he and lawmakers work in the coming weeks to hammer out a budget for the upcoming fiscal year under the shadow of a deficit projected to be at least $10 billion. Health care advocates, who have been cautiously optimistic Newsom wouldn’t try to rein in ballooning Medi-Cal costs by making major course corrections on eligibility for immigrants, are also likely to mount an angry challenge to his decision.

The soaring costs of opening Medi-Cal to people regardless of their immigration status, as well expanding coverage for seniors, exacerbated Newsom’s budget troubles. The state needed to infuse an extra $6.2 billion into the program to make it through the end of the current fiscal year, a harsh reality check that left lawmakers questioning the viability of the progressive policy going forward.

Newsom tried to spin his decision to cut back on coverage for undocumented immigrants as one that will bolster Medi-Cal. “These changes are designed to preserve that commitment, protect coverage for millions of Californians, and preserve the strength of our values and health care system,” according to a fact sheet Newsom’s office circulated ahead of his budget presentation.

And the governor returned to a now familiar refrain, blaming President Donald Trump for unleashing the economic turmoil that forced his hand on the Medi-Cal cuts. Tariffs imposed by Trump, according to Newsom’s office, have decimated state revenues to the tune of $16 billion. Combined with existing budget problems, Newsom’s office said “the state must take difficult but necessary steps,” to bring down costs.

Generally, polls show Californians support the efforts to insure undocumented immigrants. A POLITICO-UC Berkeley Citrin Center survey from earlier this year found 21 percent of voters believe the state should continue to offer the coverage, even if it requires budget cuts elsewhere. Another 32 percent said they supported the effort but thought citizens should be prioritized if the budget gets tight.