>> NOW TO THE STATE CAPITOL, WITH LIVECOPTER3 FLYING OVERHEAD. EARLIER TODAY A PORTION OF THE , STATE’S BUDGET, WILL GO TOWARD FUNDING A NEW HEALTH INSURANCE EXPANSION FOR HUNREDS OF THOUSANDS OF UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS IN CALIFORNIA. >> THE MEDI CAL EXPANSION WOULD PROVIDE FULL COVERAGE TO LOW-INCOME, UNDOCUMENTED ADULTS AGES 26 TO 49. THE PROGRAM IS EXPECTED TO START BY JANUARY 1 OF 2024. >> KCRA 3’S ORKO MANNA IS LIVE FROM THE STATE CAPITOL, AND ORKO, YOU SPOKE TO SOMEONE THAT THIS WILL BENEFIT? >> I SPOKE TO A YOUNG WOMAN WHO SAYS SHE CAN NOW BREATHE A SIGH OF RELEIF. WITH THIS MEDI CAL EXPANSION, CALIFORNIA WILL BECOME THE FIRST STATE TO REMOVE IMMIGRATION STATUS AS A BARRIER TO HEALTH CARE. >> WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN ONCE I NO LONGER HAVE INSURANCE? >> THAT’S A QUESTION BEATRIZ HERNANDEZ HAS ASKED HERSELF FOR YEARS. SHE CAME TO THE U.S. FROM MEXICO AT THE AGE OF 12 AS AN UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANT. BUT WHEN SHE TURNED 19 SHE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER MEDI CAL, CALIFORNIA’S STATE-SUBSIDIZED HEALTH INSURANCE, A BURDEN SHE FELT DURING COLLEGE. >> A SCHOLARSHIP THAT I HAD PLANNED TO USE FOR OTHER THINGS, FOR MY RENT, FOR MY GROCERIES, OR WHATEVER I NEEDED AT THAT TIME, I THEN NOW HAD TO PLACE IT ON MY HEALTH INSURANCE, WHICH I FELT WAS UNFAIR. >> IN 2020 MEDI CAL WAS EXTENDED TO NOT ONLY COVER UNDOCUMENTED CHILDREN BUT ALSO YOUNG ADULTS THROUGH AGE 25. HERNANDEZ TURNED 26 THIS YEAR LEAVING HER IN LIMBO AGAIN. BUT NOW THANKS TO FUNDING IN CALIFORNIA’S 2022-2023 BUDGET , HERNANDEZ IS ONE OF ROUGHLY 700,000 UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS IN THE STATE EXPECTED TO BENEFIT FROM A NEW MEDI CAL EXPANSION. IT’S FOR LOW-INCOME, UNDOCUMENTED RESIDENTS AGES 26 TO 49. >> I’M REALLY HAPPY BECAUSE I KNOW THAT I’M GOING TO BE COVERED. >> IMMIGRATION STATUS WAS REMOVED AS A BARRIER TO HEALTH CARE FOR UNDOCUMENTED RESIDENTS AGE 50 AND OLDER LAST MONTH, WHICH MEANS, NOW, ALL LOW-INCOME UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS ARE ELIGIBLE FOR MEDI CAL. >> THIS HAS BEEN A LONG TIME COMING. >> JOSE TORRES WITH HEALTH ACCESS CALIFORNIA TELLS ME MANY WHO ARE UNINSURED OFTEN USE HOME REMEDIES AND WAIT TO SEEK MEDICAL CARE UNLESS IT’S AN EMERGENCY. BUT THAT DOES NOT HAVE TO HAPPEN ANYMORE. >> BY REMOVING IMMIGRATION STATUS, PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO SEE A DOCTOR ON A REGULAR BASIS, THEY’RE ABLE TO GET CHECKUPS AND HAVE THEIR ANNUAL CHECKUPS, THEY’RE ABLE TO SEE A DENTIST, THEY’RE ABLE TO HAVE THEIR VISION TAKEN CARE OF AS WELL. >> THE CALIFORNIA IMMIGRANT POLICY CENTER SAYS THE KEY NOW IS TO MAKE SURE ALL LOW-INCOME, UNDOCUMENTED ADULTS GET THEIR INSURANCE CARDS AND PICK THEIR PROVIDERS. >> WE’D LOVE TO SEE THE HIGHEST POSSIBLE PERCENTAGE OF ELIGIBLE PEOPLE ENROLLED, SO IT WILL BE A LOT OF WORK FROM NOW UNTIL JANUARY 2024 TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE ARE AWARE OF THIS AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT. >> HERNANDEZ READY FOR THAT DAY. >> I’M REALLY HAPPY AND EXCITED, NOT ONLY FOR MYSELF, BUT BECAUSE THIS WIN IS ALSO HUGE FOR MY FAMILY WHO ARE ALSO UNDOCUMENTED. >> TO QUALIFY FOR MEDI CAL YOUR INCOME MUST BE 138% OF POVERTY LEVEL. ADVOCATES HOPE THIS MOVE TO PROVIDE FULL HEALTH COVERAGE TO ALL ELIGIBLE, UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS IN CALIFORNIA WILL SET A PRECEDENT FOR OTHER STATES, AND EVEN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, TO DO THE SAME. ORKO: REPORTING LIVE AT THE STATE CA