The Legislature’s two house budget agreement protects Medi-Cal access for immigrant Californians and affirms that health equity must remain central to California’s safety net.
(Sacramento, CA) – The California Legislature announced its two house budget agreement which delays some of the most harmful cuts to healthcare for immigrant Californians. The Latino Coalition for a Healthy California commends legislative leaders for taking meaningful action to protect access to health care for Latine, Indigenous, and immigrant communities. At a moment when California families are facing rising costs, fear, and uncertainty, this agreement recognizes that access to care is not optional – It is foundational to public health, economic stability, and the dignity of all Californians. The agreement delays elimination of dental benefits for immigrants, , and preserves access for humanitarian immigrant groups, including asylees until July of 2027. This agreement pushes back some of the most harmful cuts that would have gone into effect as soon as July of this year. Altogether, these protections will help preserve access, continuity of care, and public health. By protecting eligibility, maintaining benefits, and removing cost barriers, California can help immigrant families seek preventive care, manage chronic conditions, maintain oral health, and stay connected to trusted providers.
Additionally, this agreement acknowledges the state’s plan to transition undocumented immigrant adults and humanitarian immigrant groups from managed care plans into fee for service, while taking steps to protect access and quality during implementation. This transition is expected to create approximately $1 billion in state savings. Any savings generated from this transition must be reinvested back into restoring access to the Medi-Cal program, for all Californians regardless of immigration status.As California manages this transition, our priority is access regardless of the delivery model. Any fee for service structure must be equitable, adequate, language accessible, culturally responsive, and accountable to the real needs of Latine and immigrant communities.
“This agreement is a step toward protecting access to care for immigrant Californians and we commend legislative leaders for taking action to reduce immediate harm,” said Dr. Seciah Aquino, Executive Director of the Latino Coalition for a Healthy California. “For Latine, Indigenous, and immigrant communities, Medi-Cal is not just health coverage. It is access to preventive care, chronic disease management, oral health, mental health support, and trusted providers who help families stay healthy and thrive. But we must also be clear: the Medi-Cal freeze is still rolling back more than a decade of progress toward Health for All and undermining California’s commitment to health equity. Protecting public health means protecting access for everyone, regardless of immigration status. LCHC will not stop fighting until the freeze is lifted, harmful cuts are reversed, and every Californian has access to the care they need to live with dignity.”
LCHC urges the governor to align with the legislature in its final budget agreement that protects health and reduces harm for immigrant communities. LCHC will continue to advocate in the ongoing legislative session for legislation that will end the Medi-Cal freeze and protect immigrant health without harmful amendments that tie access to care to budget uncertainty. We urge the Governor to sign a final budget that reflects the real needs of Latine and immigrant families and advances California’s commitment to health justice.
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About LCHC:
Latino Coalition for a Healthy California (LCHC) is the leading statewide policy organization with a specific emphasis on Latine & Indigenous health. For over 33 years, LCHC has worked on transforming systems to achieve health justice. We pride ourselves in translating community solutions into equitable policy and lasting systemic change. Our work focuses on legislative and administrative advocacy, people power, and narrative change.
