Bill would include illegal aliens

Saying that “immigration status shouldn’t bar individuals from health coverage,” state Sen. Ricardo Lara is proposing a radical expansion of the Affordable Care Act in California.

Lara, who heads the state’s Latino Legislative Caucus, says about 1 million “undocumented residents” will go without health coverage under Obamacare, which specifically excludes them. He’ll file legislation that would include them in the California health care exchange, which offers government subsidies for low-income earners.

Illegal immigrants were excluded from the Affordable Care Act’s benefits as part of the political warring over health care reform. Lara did not address how his plan would allow California to override federal law.

“California is leading the way where our federal government is failing to act,” said Lara, D-Bell Gardens. He pointed to new laws allowing the undocumented to receive driver’s licenses and get licenses to practice law, as well as the deportation Trust Act — all signed into law in 2013.

Covered California has been under fire in recent months for the relatively low number of Spanish-language enrollees in its private health care coverage. Reaching out to illegal aliens would prove an even more significant challenge for the state Obamacare operation.

Lara, whose parents were once illegal aliens, noted that undocumented residents pay state taxes. “We won’t have a truly healthy state until everyone has access to quality, affordable coverage. Immigration status shouldn’t bar individuals from health coverage, especially since their taxes contribute to the growth of our economy.”

Assemblyman Tim Donnelly, a Republican who is running for governor, told the L.A. Times that the state “cannot afford to create another incentive to attract people to come to our state illegally in pursuit of taxpayer-subsidized benefits.”

Lara said his plan would reduced overcrowding in emergency rooms and reduce overall health care costs for Californians.

Supporters cited “painful and hurtful cuts” made in California’s public health services in recent years. Anthony Wright of Health Access California said: “Our health system is stronger when everyone is included. The governor’s budget last year took money from the county safety net, but proposes nothing to care or cover California’s remaining uninsured this year.”