For the undocumented shut out of Medi-Cal, Newsom’s health insurance for all plan could be a godsend

Rosa Franco, a farm worker living in the rural community of Huron, suffers from many conditions, such as high blood pressure and diabetes. To Franco, one of her gloomiest moments was when her doctor told her she had cancerous cysts. Due to her immigration status and lack of health coverage, Rosa has not been able to undergo surgery. She is one of the 1.1 million undocumented immigrants who do not have Medi-Cal, not even for emergency care. 

According to data from UC Berkeley, there are 955,000 undocumented individuals in California enrolled in a limited-scope medical program. Rosa is not part of this group, since only pregnancy-related cases or life-or-death situations get care.

This is a situation the Newsom Administration seeks to change. Governor Newsom wants to create a health insurance program for all state residents, regardless of their immigration status, so individuals can get moderate coverage.

Follow the USC Center for Health Journalism Collaborative series "Uncovered California" here.