Sacramento, CA – The California Pan-Ethnic Health Network today responded to the 2026-2027 budget agreement.
Executive Director Kiran Savage-Sangwan said the following:
“California leaders aimed to balance this year’s budget on the backs of hard-working, vulnerable immigrants, but our communities fought back and protected the health care our lives depend upon. This final budget agreement rejects or delays the most heartless cuts only because our communities organized, rallied, and exposed the cruelty and hypocrisy of California cutting health care for the very same immigrant families state leaders so forcefully committed to protect from Washington D.C’s cruelty.
“CPEHN is deeply grateful to the legislative champions who stood with immigrant communities. While we are relieved this agreement spares immigrant communities from losing access to doctors, dentists, and trusted community providers this year, our work is far from over. We’re determined to change a system that leaves immigrants fighting for their lives year after year while corporations sit on growing mountains of cash.
“We are encouraged by today’s agreement to advance a corporate fair share proposal and ensure the massive corporations who profit off the hard work of Californians pay back into our health care system. There’s no excuse for these corporations to shift their health care costs onto Medi-Cal when they are reaping billions in new tax cuts under Trump and Congressional Republicans’ H.R.1. We’ll keep fighting to hold California leaders to our state’s values and protect health care for all.”
Cuts immigrant communities fought – and what we won:
- Elimination of full-scope Medi-Cal for humanitarian immigrants: DELAYED for 9 months, with a commitment to work to maintain eligibility beyond that point.
- $2,000 asset test for Medi-Cal that punishes seniors and people with disabilities for accessing healthcare by keeping them in deep poverty: REJECTED. Instead, the budget adopted a $21,000 asset limit starting July 1, 2027, with an agreement to work on a higher level next year.
- Fee hike, from $30 to $50 monthly for adults with unsatisfactory immigration status enrolled in Medi-Cal: REJECTED, with next Governor to decide.
- Elimination of dental coverage for adults with unsatisfactory immigration status: DELAYED by one year.