California is reducing eligibility for full-scope Medicaid for citizens of other countries.
Posted by On with Kara Swisher, Checked
- Sources
- 4 support2 context
- Said
- 1 time·
- Confidence
- 85%
On with Kara SwisherAug 10, 2026
As of 2026-08-10, California had already narrowed full-scope Medi-Cal for immigrants without legal status: a new-enrollment freeze took effect January 2026, and further federal-driven restrictions on non-citizen full-scope eligibility were set for October 2026. The claim's wording ('citizens of other countries') is the post's own phrasing and is loosely used for non-citizens, which does not change the core assertion.
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What was said
… Hakeem Jeffries, and particularly, have said is an unacceptable area of spending, and that is full scope medical, uh, Medicaid, as it's known across the country, for citizens of other countries. Now, that's, that's about $13 billion a year in California. Um Even Gavin Newsom has said that's, you know, gone too far, and they're now reducing eligibility for that. I just think that when Californians are struggling to pay healthcare costs, it's just not a acceptable use of money, and national Democrats agree with that. So Democrats absolutely deserve some of the blame for California's affordability problem. …
On with Kara Swisher · · from the transcriptPost →What we found
Supports. UCLA's September 2026 analysis states that beginning January 2026 the state implemented an enrollment freeze barring undocumented immigrant adults from newly enrolling in Medi-Cal.[4]
Supports. Snopes reports that California announced new Medi-Cal eligibility restrictions starting January 1, 2026, under which immigrants without satisfactory immigration status are no longer eligible for full Medi-Cal coverage.[1]
Supports. California Welfare and Institutions Code 14007.5 limits full-scope Medi-Cal for non-citizens to federally permitted categories beginning October 1, 2026, narrowing eligibility compared with the prior rule.[5]
Supports. The enacted 2026-27 California budget summary describes transitioning individuals with unsatisfactory immigration status and qualified non-citizens to restricted-scope Medi-Cal, with federal changes restricting full-scope federal funding effective October 1, 2026.[6]
Context. Newsom's May 2025 proposal first announced the freeze on new enrollment of adults without legal status, with existing enrollees not removed, and a later premium; the proposal was subsequently implemented.[2][3]
Sources
6 sources: 3 fact-checkers, 3 primary
- 1Does California provide 'sex-change procedures' to immigrants without legal status? Claim omits key contextsnopes.com · fact-checker · cited for: supports
- 2California governor proposes pausing expansion of health care to low-income immigrantsapnews.com · fact-checker · cited for: context
- 3Newsom championed Medicaid for immigrants in California illegally ...politifact.com · fact-checker · cited for: context
- 4When Eligibility, Paperwork, and Fear Converge: H.R. 1, Public ...latino.ucla.edu · primary source · cited for: supports
- 5California Code, WIC 14007.5leginfo.legislature.ca.gov · primary source · cited for: supports
- 6HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES - ebudget.ca.govebudget.ca.gov · primary source · cited for: supports
Where this claim was made
Said in 1 published post