** FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE **

Sacramento, CA — Today state legislative leaders joined health and immigrant rights advocates of the #Health4All campaign to announce their plan to push back on Governor Newsom’s proposed 2026-2027 state budget which included many new and continued cuts to immigrant communities. They unveiled two bills, SB 1422 by Senator Durazo which would end the currently imposed freeze on Medi-Cal enrollment for undocumented Californians, and AB 2161 by Assemblymember Bonta which would prevent Trump-style work requirements from being imposed on lawfully residing and undocumented Californians. 

Advocates also called on lawmakers to reject the Governor’s proposed plan to move hundreds of thousands of lawfully residing immigrants that are not eligible for federal programs from full-scope to restricted-scope Medi-Cal. These are often refugees, asylees — those fleeing persecution, human trafficking or domestic violence — who would be stripped of their comprehensive coverage and left with no other option than bare minimum emergency coverage.

The coalition also announced its intention to ask for a full rollback of all cuts made to immigrant communities that were enacted in last year’s state budget, which in addition to the freeze that is already in effect, would eliminate dental coverage for all legally-residing and undocumented Californians on July 1, 2026 and implement $30 per month premiums to the same group starting July 1, 2027

State lawmakers joining the event, in addition to Senator Durazo and Assemblymember Bonta, included Senator Lola Smallwood Cuevas and Assemblymember Liz Ortega. Legislators were joined by leaders of the the #Health4All campaign including Health Access California, the California Immigrant Policy Center, the Latino Coalition for a Healthy California, the California Pan-Ethnic Health Network, and the Western Center for Law on Poverty.

“California’s hospitals and clinics are on the precipice. Federal cuts are already hitting hard, and our own state budget decisions are adding to that pressure. The Medi-Cal enrollment freeze does not save money in the long run. It shifts costs onto counties, onto hospitals, and ultimately onto all of us. SB 1422 ends that cost shift and keeps California on the right side of history,” said Senator María Elena Durazo, author of SB 1422. 

“Donald Trump is weaponizing work requirements to strip health care from hard working Californians, not to help them find jobs, but to bury them in paperwork until they lose their health care coverage. It’s a cruel trick that serves no one and only burdens families already struggling to get by. California won’t play along. AB 2161 fights back by using data the state already has, cutting the red tape, and keeping families covered. We’re not going to let Californians be casualties in Washington’s war on working people,” said Assemblymember Mia Bonta, author of AB 2161.

“While Trump and the Republicans who control Congress seem hellbent on destroying our health care safety net, California can and must take a different path, one that reflects our values — a California where everyone has access to health care to prevent illness and get life-saving care — no matter where they were born,” said Amanda McAllister-Wallner, Executive Director of Health Access California. “We saw who the politicians in Washington prioritized: cutting health care to the tune of $1 trillion only to hand that money to the biggest and wealthiest corporations, whose profits are growing while more of their employees are relying on taxpayer-funded Medi-Cal. We need our leaders in Sacramento to even the playing field and show that they stand with the millions of Californians whose health care is on the line. It’s time for these corporations to pay their fair share and ensure that our state can build a health system that ensures equitable access to care for all who work and live in our state.”

“At a time when the Trump administration is slashing health care and terrorizing immigrant communities, our state should be a shield, not another weapon aimed at the people who built this state. CIPC along with our legislative champions and coalition partners is demanding a full rollback of cuts to immigrant communities. Undocumented Californians pay their taxes, they do the work that keeps California running, and they deserve the dignity of health care coverage,” said Masih Fouladi, Executive Director, California Immigrant Policy Center. “When corporations refuse to pay living wages or provide health insurance, taxpayers foot the bill. It’s time for big business to pay their fair share — so Medi-Cal can remain a lifeline for the working families. We will not accept a two-tiered health care system where your birthplace determines whether you get critical care. California has led before, and with the full restoration of Medi-Cal access, we can lead again.”

“California’s world-leading economy is built on the labor and contributions of immigrant and Latino communities. When we demand the restoration of Health4All, we are not asking for charity, we are demanding respect and the care our communities help sustain,” said Dr. Seciah Aquino, Executive Director of the Latino Coalition for a Healthy California. “When people lose access to preventive care, they delay treatment, emergency rooms fill up, and local health systems are left carrying the cost. SB 1422 restores full access to Medi-Cal and uphold California’s commitment to health equity.”

“Federal attacks on our health care and our immigrant communities must be a moment of moral clarity for California leaders: its time to stop protecting tax breaks for corporations and the rich who are amassing record wealth under Trump, rather than forcing farmworkers, janitors and fast food workers to get sicker and die sooner,” said Kiran Savage-Sangwan, Executive Director of the California Pan-Ethnic Health Network. “ CPEHN joins the Health4All coalition and lawmakers courageously standing up to cruel cuts proposed in the state budget. The real problem in our health care system isn’t the number of people who need care, but the rising costs charged by hospitals and other corporations. We call for rejecting Gov. Newsom’s proposal to deny care to 200,000 refugees, asylees, domestic violence survivors, and holders of visas for crime victims.”

“At a moment when immigrant communities are already under relentless federal attack, California should be standing firm as a state that defends the dignity, health, and safety of every family who calls this place home,” said Linda Nguy, Associate Director of Policy Advocacy with Western Center on Law & Poverty. “Instead, this budget goes further, and elevates the worst elements of HR 1 by imposing unnecessary work reporting requirements that federal law doesn’t even require.”

Coalition members also read a story of an impacted Californian. Diego from the San Fernando Valley is sick with chronic rheumatoid arthritis, cartilage disease, suffers knee pain, has difficulty walking, and has diabetes. He currently only has access to emergency Medi-Cal coverage which means he cannot have regular follow-up visits for his illness. He now must pay for his medications out-of-pocket and is worried that between his job as a street vendor and his wife’s job cleaning houses, they can barely make enough for rent, much less health care. He asks Governor Newsom to advocate for medical coverage for him and for more undocumented families who need it and have contributed to the state’s economy through their hard work and taxes.

Advocates will be providing public comment in support of #Health4All in today’s Assembly Budget Subcommittee #1 on Health and Human Services. 

Background:

Factsheet: Health4All Coalition: 2026 Budget and Legislative Priorities

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Media Contacts:

Rachel Linn Gish, Health Access California Communications Director, [email protected] 

Ed Sifuentes, CIPC Communications Director, [email protected] 

Jonathan Loc, Press Secretary, Office of Senator Elena Maria Durazo, [email protected]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Bills would limit coverage terminations, reduce administrative burdens, expand outreach, and prevent cost spikes for low-income Californians

SACRAMENTO, CA — As California grapples with the implementation of H.R. 1 and its sweeping changes to Medicaid, including new work requirements and more frequent renewals, state lawmakers today announced four bills aimed at mitigating the impact to Medi-Cal enrollees and applicants.

The bills—authored by Senator Weber-Pierson and Assemblymembers Bonta, Stefani, and Boerner—will strengthen state safeguards to ensure Californians do not lose access to health care simply because of paperwork, bureaucratic delays, or federal policy decisions designed to restrict coverage and access to care.

Together, the four bills advance a clear message: California will undertake all efforts to protect Californians even while Washington continues to dismantle Medicaid.

A Four-Bill Strategy to Protect Medi-Cal
California’s Medi-Cal program currently provides coverage to nearly 15 million Californians, including children, seniors, people with disabilities, and working families. H.R. 1 threatens that coverage by imposing new eligibility restrictions, increased renewal frequency, and burdensome work and reporting requirements that will inevitably push eligible people off health care.

These legislative proposals respond by strengthening state systems, limiting unnecessary terminations, and ensuring Medi-Cal members can stay covered and access affordable health care.

SB 1202 (Weber-Pierson): Medi-Cal Transparency and Outreach
This bill requires the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) to create a public-facing dashboard tracking Medi-Cal enrollment losses resulting from H.R. 1 eligibility changes. It also strengthens outreach requirements for DHCS, counties, and Medi-Cal managed care plans to prevent eligible Californians from losing coverage due to avoidable paperwork barriers.

“H.R. 1 jeopardizes the health care coverage of millions of Medi-Cal members by adding additional paperwork and eligibility requirements,” said Senator Weber-Pierson. “SB 1202 requires an all-hands-on deck approach from the state, counties, and Medi-Cal plans to reach out to these members so they know what they need to do to keep their coverage. SB 1202 also requires the Department of Health Care Services to track who is losing their Medi-Cal as a result of these policies so we can document the harm.”

AB 2161 (Bonta): Protecting Medi-Cal Coverage from H.R. 1’s Disproven Work Requirements
This bill prevents California from amplifying H.R. 1’s harmful work requirements by extending them unnecessarily to state-funded Medi-Cal populations. It minimizes administrative burden by automating verification using available data sources and requires that any federal work requirement implementation be applied in the least harmful way possible for Medi-Cal members.

“Donald Trump is weaponizing work requirements to strip health care from hard working Californians, not to help them find jobs, but to bury them in paperwork until they lose their health care coverage,” said Assemblymember Bonta. “It’s a cruel trick that serves no one and only burdens families already struggling to get by. California won’t play along. AB 2161 fights back by using data the state already has, cutting the red tape, and keeping families covered. We’re not going to let Californians be casualties in Washington’s war on working people.”

AB 2208 (Stefani): Limited Cost Sharing, Accessibility Improvements, and Retroactive Coverage
This bill caps cost-sharing for Medi-Cal members impacted by H.R. 1 to one cent for all services, protecting families from medical debt and cost-related barriers to care. It also requires user-testing and accessibility improvements for BenefitsCal, CalSAWS, and CalHEERS, including mobile reporting functionality and text message notifications. Finally, the bill preserves three months of state-funded retroactive Medi-Cal coverage, preventing gaps in care created by H.R. 1’s restrictive federal policies.

“As Washington threatens to rip health care away from over three million Californians, our state must act,” said Assemblymember Stefani. “I’m proud to author legislation that ensures that no one has to choose between lifesaving care and crushing medical debt by capping costs for low-income Medi-Cal patients at a penny, protecting retroactive Medi-Cal coverage, and requiring clear communication about benefits. When the federal government turns its back on patients, California will step in to protect them.”

AB 2201 (Boerner): Reducing Administrative Burden of Medi-Cal Renewal Processing
This bill reinstates proven eligibility and renewal strategies to streamline Medi-Cal processing and reduce wrongful terminations. By reducing unnecessary administrative workload, it frees county staff to focus on complex cases and urgent H.R. 1 implementation demands.

“Asm. Boerner is proud to author AB 2201, a bill that will help minimize the negative impacts of the Trump Administration’s attack on Medi-Cal,” said Assemblymember Boerner. “This bill will help to streamline the Medi-Cal verification process, removing administrative barriers that threaten Medi-Cal health coverage. Currently, 14 million Californians rely on Medi-Cal coverage, of which 1.3 million are children. Work requirements for Medi-Cal participation and increased frequency of renewals from annual to every 6 months means county offices will be stretched thin by the sheer volume of additional paperwork and ultimately put Californians at risk of losing access to Medi-Cal. California needs to protect healthcare services, especially for children. We cannot stand idly by and let the Trump Administration destroy lifeline programs for our most vulnerable population.”

The bills are co-sponsored by Western Center on Law & Poverty, Justice in Aging, the National Health Law Program, and Health Access California, organizations with decades of experience protecting Medi-Cal and advancing equitable health care policy.

“H.R. 1 is a cruel and calculated giveaway to billionaires and corporations—paid for by ripping health care away from low-income Californians,” said Linda Nguy, Associate Director of Policy Advocacy at the Western Center on Law and Poverty. “This isn’t budget policy. It’s a betrayal of what our tax dollars are supposed to do: protect people, keep families healthy, and build strong communities—not bankroll tax breaks for the wealthy. The result will be more uninsured Californians, more medical debt, and deeper health inequities, with immigrant and unhoused communities hit first and hardest. California must act with urgency to defend Medi-Cal, and we’re proud to co-sponsor bills that meet this moment.”

“Medi-Cal remains a lifeline for nearly 15 million Californians,” said Kim Lewis, Managing Director of California Advocacy at the National Health Law Program. “Too many people are struggling to make ends meet and California must do everything in its power to protect and strengthen health coverage for people who depend on it. These bills reflect a responsible way to implement the federal law while protecting access to health care.”

“California must do everything we can to mitigate the harm of the Trump Administration’s H.R. 1 to our state’s health care system. Health consumer advocates are proud to support these critical bills which use innovative approaches to preserve health care access for as many Medi-Cal enrollees as possible,” said Christine Smith, Policy and Legislative Advocate for Health Access California. “Bills like AB 2208 will limit cost-charing for Medi-Cal enrollees and provide retroactive access to Medi-Cal to ensure continuous coverage, all important steps to keeping Californians covered.”

“With the federal administration eroding Medi-Cal’s role as a social safety net, California can fight to protect coverage for the 15 million Californians that rely on Medi-Cal,” said Tiffany Huyenh-Cho, Director of California Medicare and Medicaid Advocacy. “California has a critical role in reducing the harms of H.R.1 and limiting disruptions to Medi-Cal coverage as much as possible. Justice in Aging is proud to support bills that achieve those goals and defends coverage for all.”

While federal leaders advance policies that threaten to strip health coverage from millions of Americans, California lawmakers are taking proactive steps to protect Medi-Cal and keep families connected to care.
These bills are expected to be heard in policy committees in the coming weeks.

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About Western Center on Law & Poverty
Western Center on Law & Poverty is California’s premier nonprofit public interest social justice law organization. Founded in 1967, we provide comprehensive advocacy and legal services to prevent poverty, redress systemic racism, and foster policies ensuring equitable healthcare, affordable housing, and fair access to public programs. Through litigation and policy advocacy in and beyond California, we advance racial and economic justice—dismantling and transforming systems so all communities in California can thrive.

About Justice in Aging
Justice in Aging is a national organization that uses the power of law to fight senior poverty by securing access to affordable health care, economic security, and the courts for older adults with limited resources. Since 1972 we’ve focused our efforts primarily on fighting for people who have been marginalized and excluded from justice, such as women, people of color, LGBTQ individuals, and people with limited English proficiency.

About National Health Law Program
The National Health Law Program (NHeLP) protects and improves access to health care for low-income and underserved people and works to advance health equity. We believe that everyone should have access to high quality, equitable health care and be able to achieve their own highest attainable standard of health. We enforce health care and civil rights laws; advocate for better federal and state laws and policies; train, support and partner with national, state and local health and civil rights advocates; and use strategic communications to achieve these goals.

About Health Access California
Health Access is the statewide health care consumer advocacy coalition of organizations representing seniors, children, people with disabilities, immigrants, communities of color, health care professionals, people of faith, labor, and working families. For nearly 40 years, Health Access has focused on breaking down barriers to care, improving Medi-Cal, Covered California, and our safety net, and extending access and affordability help to all Californians.

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Maria Sundeen | Western Center on Law & Poverty
[email protected]  / 213-235-2639

Andy DiAntonio | National Health Law Program
[email protected]

Rachel Linn Gish | Health Access California
[email protected]