State Spotlight: California’s Landmark Coverage Expansion for Immigrant Populations

Patricia Boozang and Kaylee O’Connor, Manatt Health and Inonge Kaloustian

State policymakers are increasingly focused on strategies to ensure access to and affordability of healthcare coverage for immigrant populations, especially in light of the significant burden that the COVID-19 pandemic has placed on people who are uninsured. A growing number of states view extending affordable health coverage to lower-income residents, regardless of immigration status, as a critical step towards narrowing the gap in health coverage, advancing health equity, and improving the overall health and well-being of all residents. This state spotlight reviews California’s approach to expanding health coverage to all lower-income residents, regardless of immigration status, in an effort to help the state’s 3.2 million remaining uninsured, of which 65% are undocumented.