Durazo Unveils Bill to Restore Medi-Cal Access for Undocumented Adults in California

Overview

• Sen. Maria Elena Durazo introduced SB 1422 to reinstate Medi-Cal eligibility for all income-qualifying adults age 19 and older regardless of citizenship.
• The measure would keep last year’s limits on dental benefits and retain a $30 monthly premium scheduled to begin in July 2027 for the affected population.
• Gov. Gavin Newsom previously scaled back coverage citing budget gaps, and his office declined to comment on the new bill as its chances of approval remain unclear.
• Medi-Cal now covers more than 14 million Californians, with spending nearly doubling to about $200 billion during Newsom’s tenure and a key insurer tax projected to plunge from roughly $7 billion to about $6 million next year.
• Durazo was one of only two Democrats to oppose last year’s budget cuts, while parallel fights continue over work-requirement safeguards and a proposed billionaire tax to bolster health-care funding.