California’s governor has signed into law a plan that could clear the way for undocumented people to access the state’s Obamacare exchange.
The legislation, from state Sen. Ricardo Lara, left, directs the secretary of California Health and Human Services to seek a waiver from the federal government to sell health insurance plans to illegal aliens. They would not receive state subsidies for buying the insurance, however.
Policies via Covered California could not be sold until the federal government gives the OK. Lara’s healthcare legislation was Senate Bill 10.
Lara thanked Gov. Jerry Brown for his support:
“The current policy disallowing immigrants from purchasing care with their own money is both discriminatory and outdated,” said Lara, the son of immigrants.
California recently allowed illegal immigrants under the age of 19 to sign up for Medi-Cal.
One of the key compromises made by Affordable Care Act supporters during debate over its enactment at the federal level was to block participation by those in the country without permission. California apparently will be the first state to seek a Section 1332 waiver to serve illegal aliens.
About 2.7 million immigrants are in California illegally.
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