CA Dems Begging Gov. Newsom to Extend Health Insurance Coverage to Even More Illegals

By Samantha Chang May 19, 2021 at 9:58am

Rather than address the state’s raging homelessness crisis and surging crime, California Gov. Gavin Newsom and other Democrats are pushing to expand taxpayer-funded health insurance coverage for illegal aliens.

Medi-Cal is the liberal state’s Medicaid program. California already provides Medi-Cal coverage to illegal aliens until they turn 26.

Under Newsom’s new budget proposal unveiled Friday, the state would also offer taxpayer-funded health insurance to illegal aliens age 60 and older, according to the Los Angeles Times.

The plan would take effect in May 2022 if Newsom gets his way.

The embattled governor hailed his proposal as a “milestone on the path toward universal health coverage.”

Predictably, the $859 million expansion of Medi-Cal coverage for elderly illegal aliens isn’t enough for many Democrats. They want to go further.

“Our ultimate goal is everyone,” state Sen. Maria Elena Durazo said, according to the Times. “We are going to keep on pushing to include more uninsured.”

Newsom wants to use a $75 billion surplus of income tax revenue to finance the expanded health care coverage for illegal aliens.

Do you support Newsom's proposal?

This is in line with the longstanding wishes of California’s Democratic lawmakers, who have been pushing for years to provide taxpayer-funded health insurance to all illegal aliens — at a cost of roughly $2.1 billion a year from the state’s general fund, according to the Times.

Newsom’s proposal will now be considered by California’s Democrat-controlled state legislature before a final budget is approved by a June 15 deadline.

“Unexpected” revenue?
.
The COVID “recovery” bill that passed a few months ago contained bailout money for some states
.
Not unexpected… we’ve been robbed
.
Now Emperor Newsom is using that money to avoid recall by buying the votes of the people
.
It won’t last
.#RECALLnewsom

— JAMMO_ (@JammoPub) May 14, 2021

Given the Democrat dominance of the state government, it’s likely the measure will pass, and California liberals are thrilled about it.

“Everyone has been talking for the past year or more about how certain communities were disproportionally impacted by the pandemic, such as undocumented and low-income Californians,” said Sarah Dar, the director of health and public benefits policy at the California Immigrant Policy Center.

“Now, with the $75 billion, we have to fix those structural issues and ensure the safety net programs help all communities.”

Newsom conceded that dipping into the state’s coffers because there’s an unexpected surplus could pave the way for a slippery slope toward financial ruin, but he still wants to expand benefits for illegal aliens — even if it means other pressing issues are ignored.

“One-time surpluses can quickly give way to one-time deficits,” Newsom said, according to the Times. “And to make ongoing commitments in the multi billions of dollars crowds out opportunities to do the same in other areas.”

Theoretically, it’s noble and compassionate to want to give everyone free health insurance. But practically, it’s unrealistic and untenable, especially in the long run. This would further encumber an already overburdened system, both in California and across the nation.

Offering more free stuff to illegal aliens at all stages of life — from infancy to adulthood to senior citizenship — incentivizes more unvetted illegal aliens to flood the country.

Shockingly, Democrats are doing this and fanning the flames of a border crisis at a critical juncture when the United States is imploding from hyperinflation, a flailing economy, media-stoked race wars and rampant crime surges.

Before California spends another taxpayer dime subsidizing scores of people who shouldn’t even be here in the first place, the state should first fix all its other urgent problems.

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