Good morning, Inequality Insights readers. I’m Wendy Fry.
California has expanded its health insurance marketplace, Covered California, to allow Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipients to purchase subsidized health plans, CalMatters’ health reporter Ana B. Ibarra reports. This is a result of a federal rule that aims to provide health coverage to thousands of “Dreamers,” particularly those who are self-employed or lack other insurance options.
But the expansion coincides with significant political headwinds.
President-elect Donald Trump has attempted to dismantle both programs, though his efforts were unsuccessful during his first term. His recent election raises concern about their future stability. Additionally, an ongoing lawsuit challenges the policy that permits DACA recipients to access health insurance through Affordable Care Act exchanges, adding another layer of unpredictability, Ibarra reported.
Despite these potential challenges, Covered California officials and immigration attorneys are encouraging eligible individuals to enroll in health coverage promptly. Jessica Altman, executive director of Covered California, emphasized the importance of taking advantage of the current availability of coverage, telling CalMatters, “Coverage is here right now. So if you need to go to the doctor, if you’ve been putting off care that you need, if you’ve never had the opportunity to get your preventive care, you can do that right now.” Altman and her team have been actively promoting this new access for Dreamers during the open enrollment period.
Established in 2012, DACA does not provide legal status but offers work authorization for eligible individuals brought to the U.S. as children, as well as protection from deportation. California provides public health insurance coverage through the Medi-Cal program to about 1.5 million immigrants who lack federal authorization to be in the U.S., costing an estimated $6.4 billion, according to the Department of Health Care Services. Expansions to cover undocumented immigrants have helped reduce the state’s uninsured rate to a record low of 6.4%, California Healthline recently reported.
DON’T MISS
- Basic income. The United Way Bay Area is providing 100 families in Alameda County with a guaranteed basic income. The families will each receive a $3,000 payment and then $1,000 per month for the next 12 months. Researchers are studying whether guaranteed basic income programs are effective in breaking cycles of poverty. The families will receive the monthly cash stipends along with customized financial coaching and planning.
- Wage theft complaint. Sierra National, a construction contractor, is facing allegations that it violated the state’s prevailing wage requirements by underpaying workers. NorCal Construction Industry Compliance—a labor-management regulatory compliance organization—filed the complaint on Sept. 30 in Sacramento Superior Court. Sierra National could not be reached for comment. According to the complaint, the company has been awarded 43 public works contracts in eight different CA counties since 2020.
- Digital divide. A new study from the Michelson 20MM Foundation found that lower-income households are paying disproportionately higher rates for access to internet services in Los Angeles. The termination of a federal high-speed internet subsidy has left some residents unable to afford basic internet, affecting their ability to work, access health care, and meet essential needs, the study found.
- LGBTQ+ community. Transgender youth are worried about their future under a second Trump administration, the San Diego Union-Tribune reported. President-elect Donald Trump pledged to remove key protections for transgender people when he returns to the White House, and he made rhetoric against the community a key point of his campaign.
- Racist texts. The FBI is investigating messages that told people they would be deported or transported to a “re-education camp.” The new wave of offensive messages comes after racist texts were sent to Black people right after the election. The FBI released a statement saying some of the recipients were told they had been selected to pick cotton on a plantation.
- Border sewage. President Joe Biden included $310 million to help upgrade the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant in his proposed disaster relief funding package. The San Diego Congressional delegation has been pushing for additional funds to repair and upgrade the wastewater treatment plant to help address pollution in the area.
- AI decides? A new report found that artificial intelligence is increasingly determining which low-income residents can receive public benefits such as food stamps and Medicaid. The report by TechTonic Justice found that the technology is sometimes mistakenly denying benefits to people who qualify for them.
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Thanks for reading,
Wendy and the California Divide Team