With Corporations Flush with Cash, California Leaders Must Follow Through to Eliminate – Not Just Delay – Cruel and Discriminatory Cuts Next Year
Sacramento, CA – The California Pan-Ethnic Health Network today released the following statement today in response to the Legislature’s budget for 2026-2027. The Legislature’s budget:
- Delays for nine months the elimination of full-scope Medi-Cal for humanitarian immigrants, with a commitment to work to maintain eligibility beyond that point.
- Rejects the cruel $2,000 asset test for Medi-Cal that punishes seniors and people with disabilities for accessing healthcare by keeping them in deep poverty, instead adopting a $21,000 asset limit starting July 1, 2027, with an agreement to work on a higher level next year.
- Allows the next Governor to determine what, if any, premium amount adults with unsatisfactory immigration status will be required to pay for Medi-Cal.
- Delays the elimination of dental coverage for adults with unsatisfactory immigration status by one year.
Executive Director Kiran Savage-Sangwan said the following:
“The Legislature’s budget forestalls the worst, immediate impacts of Governor Newsom’s proposed cuts to health care for immigrant communities. CPEHN deeply appreciates that Senate leaders early and forcefully rejected these devastating cuts; by standing strongly by California’s values, they prevented even greater harm.
“CPEHN, our communities, and allies are proud that we mounted a forceful pushback against these deadly cuts. From north to south, we showed up at the Capitol and at legislators’ offices to tell the stories of people whose lives hang in the balance.
“Singling out immigrant communities for health care cuts while corporations sit on growing piles of cash was wrong last year, and wrong this year. While delaying the worst cuts, this budget still treats immigrants as less deserving of care – forcing them to fight for their lives again next year.
“We appreciate the Legislature’s commitment to pursuing revenues from the largest corporations to maintain essential health care that benefits all Californians. Large corporations who profit off the hard work of Californians should pay back into our health care system, particularly when many will reap 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 generate the revenues necessary to protect vital care for all Californians.”