The California Legislature is currently considering Senate Bill 1005, authored by Senator Ricardo Lara (D-Bell Gardens), to expand Medicaid eligibility to California residents regardless of immigration status, and to establish a parallel state-based health insurance marketplace that would offer state-funded premium and co-payment subsidies to otherwise income-eligible California residents regardless of immigration status. This the first and only state legislation that has been proposed to extend health insurance coverage under the Affordable Care Act to undocumented immigrants.
The bill passed the Senate Health Committee on April 30 and is now pending in the Senate Appropriations Committee, which is scheduled to consider and vote on the bill on May 19.
Ignatius Bau 