The Daily Delegate

By: Cora deRidder

   This bill, proposed by the Senate Healthcare 1, calls for a change of Medi-Cal Healthcare requirements in order for more California citizens who are living in poverty to qualify for this affordable healthcare. 

   In order to qualify for MediCal under the current requirements, “most adults need an income below 138% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL), which is about $21,597/year for a single person”. However, in California it is considered low income to be earning around $100,000, “Residents making an annual income of up to $109,700 who are living in Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, and Santa Cruz counties are considered low income,” according to the California Department of Housing & Community Development. This is a drastic difference between state and federal levels, and causes many Californians to not be able to access the healthcare that they need. 

   Although accessible and affordable healthcare is a necessity, some individuals expressed their concern with funding. The $80,000 jump in incomes is very large, and when more people qualify for this extra help, the more expensive other things can become. 

   This bill would help thousands of Californians qualify for the healthcare that they need, and would help the current requirements better reflect what our state actually needs.