“California is robbing America’s poor to fund Medicaid for its rich”

“California is robbing America’s poor to fund Medicaid for its rich,” by Anthony Digiorgio and Anil Makam, Whittier Daily News

“Beginning in January, the nation’s most populous state will put to the test the idea that Medicaid is reserved for the needy, as determined by income and asset thresholds reflecting our earnings and wealth. It may create a burden that robs America’s poor to pay rich Californians. … California legislation signed back in 2021 will soon take effect, eliminating all asset eligibilities for certain populations, particularly those needing long-term care the most. This opens the program for individuals with hundreds of thousands, or even millions, of dollars in net worth. Such a change will especially harm poor people who need long-term services and supports. With California facing a massive budget deficit, this is not the time to expand government services to individuals who could otherwise pay themselves.”

 

LTC Comment, Stephen A. Moses, President, Center for Long-Term Care Reform:

This bizarre law took effect January 1, 2024. There is no longer any asset limit for Medi-Cal LTC eligibility. California’s policy to favor the prosperous at the expense of the poor is a classic example of “structural LTC racism.”