Starting in January, young adults can sign up for California’s Medicaid program regardless of immigration status.
But a fundamental question looms: Will they?
Some young people already say they won’t enroll in public coverage because they fear federal immigration policies could later penalize them for participating — though that fear might be unfounded.
“The message we have to spread is to think about prevention and chronic conditions, which could start early in life,” said Jeffrey Reynoso, executive director of the Latino Coalition for a Healthy California.
Advocates must meet young adults where they are, Reynoso said, which means social media is key. His group is creating a social media toolkit that includes Instagram posts and sample tweets tailored to young adults, which will be available to partner organizations.
