Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed legislation making California the first state to expand Medicaid eligibility to residents age 50 and older who are living in the country without legal permission.

The passing of bill AB 133 will make 235,000 of the state’s residents eligible for coverage, according to a July 27 news release.

“We’re investing California’s historic surplus to accomplish transformative changes we’ve long dreamed of — including this historic Medi-Cal expansion to ensure thousands of older undocumented Californians, many of whom have been serving on the front lines of the pandemic, can access critical health care services,” Mr. Newsom stated.

The new legislation will also extend the state’s Medicaid postpartum care period for mothers without legal documentation from 60 days to 12 months without requiring a mental health diagnosis.

In 2019, California became the first state to expand Medicaid coverage to eligible young adults without legal documentation up to the age of 26, the news release said.  

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California 1st state to extend Medicaid coverage to residents 50+ regardless of immigration status – Becker’s Hospital Review