Medi-Cal, California's Medicaid program, will undergo major changes due to Trump's new healthcare law, potentially impacting over 15 million lower-income Californians. Enrollment for undocumented immigrants aged 19 and older will be frozen starting in 2026, while dental services will no longer be covered from July 1 onwards. These modifications threaten progress made towards access to healthcare for the undocumented community. Despite these challenges, assurances have been given that no immediate changes to benefits or eligibility are occurring currently.
Weeks before President Donald Trump signed into law the massive spending and tax plan known as the One Big Beautiful Bill, California officials warned about its potential impacts on Medi-Cal, the state's Medicaid program that covers over 15 million lower-income Californians.
According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, a San Francisco-based public health research nonprofit, the average annual premium payment for Medicaid in 2024 decreased from $1,593 to $888 - a difference of $705.
The subsidies include both Medicare and market-rate plans, making it easier for millions of Americans to buy health insurance. But when the credits expire, it will be more expensive for folks to keep their current coverage.
These cuts put at risk the yearslong work to improve health care access among the state's undocumented community, said Adriana Ramos-Yamamoto, senior policy analyst at the California Budget and Policy Center.
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